Senior Low Observables Technician - Coatings

Anduril Industries; Ashville (AL); On-site; USD 82,000 - 117,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity grants

Comprehensive benefits

Job summary

Anduril Industries seeks a Senior Low Observable Coatings Technician to join our manufacturing team. You will prepare, mix, and apply RAM-containing LO coatings and aerospace primers on composite and metallic airframes for autonomous air vehicles.

This hands-on role requires hands-on spraying, squeegeeing, troweling, and rigorous process discipline in a fast-paced environment. You will read engineering drawings and MIL-specs, perform in-process quality checks, and drive continuous improvement

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years of coatings application experience in production or research.
• Proficient with HVLP and conventional spray equipment; able to control DFT tightly.
• Experience with composite substrate surface preparation (hand abrasion, solvent wipe, media blast).
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, process specs, and MIL-spec docs.
• U.S. Citizenship required and able to obtain DoD Secret clearance.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and apply LO coatings, RAMs, and aerospace primers/topcoats to substrates.
• Perform surface prep on carbon fiber/epoxy and metallic structures.
• Mix multi-component coatings per specs; monitor pot life and viscosity.
• Apply coatings using spray, hand layup, trowel, squeegee, and brush methods.
• Conduct in-process quality checks and document results.
• Maintain spray equipment, mixing stations, booths, and curing ovens.
• Interpret engineering drawings and MIL-spec documents.
• Maintain batch records and material traceability.
• Support development of new LO coating processes with engineering teams.
• Perform rework and repairs of coatings as needed.
• Identify process improvements and support lean manufacturing.
• Ensure safety, environmental, and quality compliance.
• Support production schedule commitments for timely delivery.

Skills

Coatings application

DFT control

Reading drawings

PPE / safety compliance

Team collaboration

Education

High school diploma or GED

Tools

HVLP spray equipment

Conventional spray

Job description

Anduril Industries is a defense technology company with a mission to transform U.S. and allied military capabilities with advanced technology. By bringing the expertise, technology, and business model of the 21st century’s most innovative companies to the defense industry, Anduril is changing how military systems are designed, built and sold. Anduril’s family of systems is powered by Lattice OS, an AI-powered operating system that turns thousands of data streams into a realtime, 3D command and control center. As the world enters an era of strategic competition, Anduril is committed to bringing cutting-edge autonomy, AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and networking technology to the military in months, not years.

ABOUT THE TEAM

Anduril’s Low Observables Team is seeking a Senior Low Observable Technician to join our team. The Air Dominance and Strike Low Observable Team are advancing into the next generation of LO Technology to enhance the survivability and effectiveness of unmanned air systems. Our Low Observables team is responsible for designing, analyzing, testing, manufacturing, and sustaining LO aircraft ensuring our systems remain undetectable in contested environments.

We are looking for a skilled Low Observable (LO) Coatings Technician to join our advanced manufacturing team. In this role you will prepare, mix, and apply radar-absorbing materials (RAM), low observable coatings, and aerospace primers/topcoats to composite and metallic airframe structures. You will work directly on production hardware for autonomous air vehicles where signature performance is mission-critical. This is a hands‑on manufacturing role — you will spray, squeegee, trowel, and hand-apply LO materials, maintain process discipline, and drive continuous improvement on a small, high‑output team. If you take pride in craftsmanship, thrive in fast-paced environments, and want your work to directly impact national security — we want to talk to you.

The right person for this role can demonstrate past holistic ownership on solving a technical challenge with a creative, physical solution that they either personally, manufacturing or oversee manufacturing on, in a fast-paced, resource-limited environment. If you are someone who thrives in such an environment, then this role is for you.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Prepare and apply low observable (LO) coatings, radar absorbing materials (RAM), and specialty aerospace coatings (primers, topcoats, edge treatments) to composite and metallic substrates.
• Perform surface preparation of carbon fiber/epoxy composite and metallic structures including solvent cleaning, hand abrasion, media blasting, masking, and surface energy verification.
• Mix multi-component coating systems (epoxy primers, polyurethane topcoats, RAM formulations) per process specifications, ensuring correct ratios, pot life tracking, and viscosity verification.
• Apply coatings via HVLP spray, airless spray, hand layup, trowel, squeegee, and brush methods to achieve specified thickness, surface finish, and electromagnetic performance requirements.
• Perform in-process quality checks including wet film thickness, dry film thickness (DFT), surface profile, adhesion testing, and visual inspection per aerospace standards.
• Operate and maintain spray equipment, mixing stations, spray booths, and curing ovens.
• Interpret and work from engineering drawings, process specifications, work instructions, and MIL-spec documents.
• Maintain detailed process documentation including batch records, environmental logs, inspection records, and material traceability.
• Support development and qualification of new LO coating processes, materials, and application techniques alongside engineering teams.
• Perform rework and repair of nonconforming coatings including localized sanding, chemical stripping, and re-application.
• Identify process improvements and contribute to lean manufacturing initiatives — we expect everyone on the team to challenge the status quo.
• Maintain compliance with safety, environmental, and quality management system.
• Support production schedule commitments with a sense of urgency — our warfighters depend on timely delivery.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• High school diploma or GED.
• Minimum 3 years of experience applying coatings (primers, topcoats,) in a production or research environment.
• Proficiency with HVLP and conventional spray equipment; demonstrated ability to control DFT within tight tolerances.
• Experience with composite substrate surface preparation (hand abrasion, solvent wipe, media blast, peel ply assessment).
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, process specifications, and MIL-spec documents.
• S. Citizenship required. Must be able to obtain and maintain a U.S. Department of Defense Secret security clearance.
• Ability to wear required PPE including full-face respirator, supplied air hood, chemical-resistant suit, and safety harness for extended periods.
• Ability to stand, kneel, crouch, and work in confined spaces or elevated platforms for extended periods. Must be able to lift up to 50 lbs.
• Ability to travel domestically/internationally, up to 25% of the time in the near term.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• 5+ years of coatings experience on military aircraft programs (non-LO coatings).
• 3+ years of LO coatings experience on military aircraft programs (F-22, F-35, B-2, B-21 or similar).
• Experience with both sprayable and hand-applied (trowel/squeegee) RAM systems.
• Experience with LO surface detail materials (conductive, molded parts, applique).
• Familiarity with LO quality checks and measurement equipment.
• Experience with automated/robotic coating application systems.
• Knowledge of aerospace quality requirements; experience working within AS9100 or equivalent quality management systems.
• Background in composite manufacturing, bonding, or composite repair.
• Experience qualifying new coating processes (first article inspection, process validation).
• Active Secret or Top Secret clearance.

US Salary Range

$82,000 - $117,000 USD

The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary offer may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are included in the majority of full time offers; and are considered part of Anduril’s total compensation package. Additionally, Anduril offers top-tier benefits for full-time employees, including:

Benefits

At Anduril, we invest in our people. Our comprehensive, competitive benefits package (available at little to no cost to employees) ensures you’re supported in health, recovery, and whatever comes next. For more information, Explore Our Benefits.