Senior Manager, Reliability Engineering

Slope; Costa Mesa (CA); On-site; USD 191,000 - 253,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits package

Job summary

Slope is seeking a Reliability Engineering leader in Costa Mesa, CA. In this pivotal role, you’ll drive the reliability efforts for small Unmanned Aircraft Systems. You will develop and implement reliability frameworks while leading a dynamic team.

With over 10 years in Reliability Engineering, you will be responsible for managing teams, developing risk mitigation strategies, and ensuring compliance with industry reliability standards. This position offers a competitive salary range of $191,000-$253,000 plus benefits.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in Reliability Engineering, including 3+ years in a leadership role.
• Deep technical expertise in reliability analysis techniques.
• Experience with safety-critical hardware and software systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a team of Reliability Engineers.
• Develop tailored reliability & maintainability program plans.
• Conduct and review complex reliability artifacts.

Skills

Reliability analysis techniques

Team leadership

Excellent communication skills

Strategic thinking

Education

B.S. Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering

Tools

FMEA/FMECA

Weibull analysis

Fault Tree Analysis

Job description

ABOUT THE TEAM

Anduril’s Reliability Engineering team partners across Anduril’s engineering, manufacturing, and operations organizations to ensure our autonomous systems survive real-world conditions and deliver consistent performance for our customers. Our mandate spans the complete product lifecycle—from early concept design through production scale‑up and fielded operations. We use data, statistical methods, and engineering analysis to forecast how our systems will perform over time and influence design decisions, including part selection, redundancy strategies, and maintenance approaches. We establish tailored reliability frameworks by program and partner with Quality to drive design robustness, failure prevention, and rapid response to issues in the field.

ABOUT THE JOB

We are seeking an experienced Reliability Engineering leader to join our rapidly growing team in Costa Mesa, CA, driving reliability for our small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS) programs. As a Reliability Engineering leader at Anduril, you will play a critical role in developing and implementing robust reliability frameworks across the small aircraft and drone systems within our product portfolio. Your expertise will be instrumental in guiding product teams through the Reliability lifecycle, from initial concept to mass field deployment. You will drive continuous improvement initiatives, lead the development of risk mitigation strategies, and foster a culture of operational resilience across the organization. Leveraging your deep knowledge of reliability tools (FMEA, FMECA, HALT/HASS, Weibull, etc.), predictive maintenance methodologies, and product test campaign planning, you will ensure that our systems perform reliably under diverse and demanding operating conditions. The ideal candidate is a hands‑on, results‑oriented leader with a proven track record in managing Reliability efforts for complex hardware and software integration programs, capable of analyzing performance data, uncovering trends, and implementing actionable improvements that uphold Anduril’s commitment to excellence.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Lead and manage the performance of a team of Reliability Engineers, providing technical guidance and mentorship on reliability principles, best practices, and artifact development
• Manage resource allocation and capacity planning to support multiple concurrent programs, and drive recruiting efforts to maintain growth trajectory
• Conduct performance management, career development planning, and succession planning
• Develop and implement tailored reliability & maintainability program plans aligned with Anduril and customer needs
• Define and communicate the Reliability organization’s vision, goals, and framework to standardize development efforts across the business and integrate Reliability processes across all stages of product development
• Conduct and review complex reliability artifacts, including FMEA/FMECA, Fault Tree Analysis, and Qualification Test Plans
• Develop reliability requirements and collaborate with design teams to implement solutions at system, sub‑system, and component levels
• Lead maintainability efforts, including predictive maintenance analysis, preventive maintenance procedure development, and operational performance metrics
• Manage product/program risk databases and ensure proper risk mitigation strategies are in place
• Liaise with customers, regulatory bodies, and internal stakeholders on reliability‑related matters
• Drive continuous improvement in reliability processes, methodologies, and tools
• Ensure compliance with relevant military and industry Reliability standards
• Contribute to proposal efforts and support business development activities, as required
• Provide executive‑level reporting and communications on team performance, program status, and strategic initiatives

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• B.S. Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, or equivalent technical discipline
• 10+ years of experience in Reliability Engineering, with at least 3 years in a leadership role
• Proven track record building, scaling, and managing technical teams of 5+ engineers for complex advanced hardware programs
• Deep technical expertise in reliability analysis techniques, including FMEA/FMECA, predictive modeling, Weibull analysis, and Fault Tree Analysis
• Extensive knowledge of MIL‑STD‑810, MIL‑HDBK‑217, MIL‑STD‑461, MIL‑STD‑516C, and MIL‑STD‑1629 or other relevant industry standards
• Experience with safety‑critical hardware and software systems in defense or aerospace, preferably unmanned aircraft, drones, or flight systems
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with ability to influence cross‑functionally at all levels
• Strategic thinking with ability to balance hands‑on technical work with management responsibilities
• Eligibility to pursue a U.S. security clearance, as required

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• M.S. Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, or equivalent technical discipline
• 12+ years of experience in Reliability Engineering, with at least 5 years in a leadership role
• Experience managing teams through periods of rapid growth (2x+ team expansion)
• Track record of developing talent and promoting team members into leadership roles
• Experience with RTCA/DO‑330, DO‑254, DO‑178, MIL‑HDBK‑217 Plus, MIL‑HDBK‑472, ARP‑4754, or ARP‑4761
• Aircraft, Spacecraft, or UAV operations experience
• Executive‑level communications, reporting, and roadmap presentation experience
• Technical writing experience developing standards, specifications, user guides, and policies
• Experience with Relyence, Teamcenter, Confluence, and JIRA software suites
• Experience drafting requirements for software and hardware systems
• Active U.S. security clearance

US Salary Range

Salary: $191,000 – $253,000 USD (base salary only, equity grants and benefits may also be included)

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.