Senior Manager, Battery Mechanical Engineering

Slope; Costa Mesa (CA); On-site; USD 166,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits package

Equity grants

Job summary

Anduril Industries in Costa Mesa, California seeks a Senior Manager, Battery Mechanical Engineering to lead the design of innovative battery systems. You will mentor a team, drive mechanical architecture, and ensure safety standards are met.

With over 8 years in mechanical design, particularly with high-voltage batteries, you'll guide the transition from design to production, enhancing military capabilities through advanced technology.

A competitive salary range of $166,000 – $220,000 USD is offered along with comprehensive benefits.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in mechanical design focused on high-voltage lithium-ion battery packs.
• 3+ years of experience managing and leading engineering teams.
• Hands-on experience with battery standards and regulatory testing.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of battery mechanical and thermal engineers.
• Drive mechanical architecture for high-voltage battery systems.
• Define and execute mechanical qualification test plans.

Skills

Mechanical design expertise

Team management

Battery safety principles

Finite element analysis (FEA)

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD)

Education

B.S. or M.S. in Mechanical Engineering or related field

Tools

NX

SolidWorks

Teamcenter

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 real‑time, 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.

As the Senior Manager, Battery Mechanical Engineering — you will lead the mechanical design, thermal management, and structural integration of Anduril’s next‑generation battery systems. Anduril’s battery packs power everything from autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and high‑altitude loitering munitions to tactical ground systems. In this role, you will lead a high‑performing team of mechanical engineers in collaboration with structural, thermal, and test engineers. You will be responsible for taking battery systems from blank‑sheet architecture through rapid prototyping, qualification testing, and high‑rate manufacturing. If you are a first‑principles thinker who thrives in a fast‑paced environment and wants to build the power systems enabling the future of defense, this role is for you.

What You’ll Do

• Lead & Mentor: Build, manage, and mentor a world‑class team of battery mechanical and thermal engineers. Foster a culture of rapid iteration, technical excellence, and extreme ownership.
• Drive Battery Architecture: Own the mechanical architecture of high‑voltage, high‑energy‑density battery packs. This includes structural frame design, cell‑to‑pack/cell‑to‑module integration, sealing (IP67/68), and containment.
• Thermal & Safety Engineering: Oversee thermal management system design (passive, liquid‑cooled, phase‑change materials) and lead mitigation strategies for propagation/thermal runaway.
• Cross‑Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with Electrical Engineering (BMS), Cell Chemistry, Systems Engineering, and product line teams (Air, Land, Sea) to define requirements and interface boundaries.
• Design for Manufacturability (DFM): Work with manufacturing and supply‑chain partners to transition designs to high‑rate production. Define assembly processes, tooling requirements, and end‑of‑line testing.
• Test & Validation: Define and execute mechanical and environmental qualification test plans (shock, vibration, thermal cycling, altitude, and abuse testing per UN 38.3, DO‑311A, MIL‑STD‑810H).

Required Qualifications

• B.S. or M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Materials Science, or a related field.
• 8+ years of experience in mechanical design, with a strong focus on high‑voltage lithium‑ion battery packs or energy storage systems (EV, Aerospace, or Consumer Electronics).
• 3+ years of experience directly managing and leading engineering teams.
• Deep expertise in mechanical design tools (e.g., NX, SolidWorks) and PLM systems (e.g., Teamcenter).
• Strong understanding of battery pack safety principles, including thermal runaway isolation, venting, and high‑voltage isolation.
• Hands‑on experience with finite element analysis (FEA) for structural/vibration and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) for thermal management.
• Familiarity with battery standards and regulatory testing (e.g., UN 38.3, NAVSEA SG IX, UL 2580, DO‑311).
• Must be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. Secret Security Clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in the defense, aerospace, or automotive EV sectors (e.g., Tesla, SpaceX, Rivian, or similar fast‑paced hardware environments).
• Experience with automated assembly processes, cell bonding (ultrasonic wire bonding, laser welding), and high‑volume manufacturing.
• Experience with subsea pressure vessel design or high‑altitude aerospace thermal management.

US Salary Range: $166,000 – $220,000 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. 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.