Senior Technical Program Manager, R&D - Active Clearance

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

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans

Generous time off

Income Protection

Professional Development reimbursement

Relocation Assistance

Job summary

A leading defense technology company in California seeks a Program Manager to spearhead technology initiatives for the Autonomous Airpower Business Line. The role demands collaboration across teams and leadership of complex projects in robotics. Candidates should hold a Bachelor's degree in engineering, have at least 4 years in a similar role, and possess exceptional organizational skills. U.S. Secret security clearance is required, and this position offers a competitive salary range of $166,000—$220,000 along with excellent benefits.

Qualifications

• Minimum 4+ years of experience in a product manager, program manager, or product development role.
• Demonstrated proficiency in leading complex projects from conception to completion.
• Exceptional organizational and analytical skills.

Responsibilities

• Drive scoping and execution of IRAD initiatives.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to meet objectives.
• Manage capture programs and develop winning strategies.

Skills

Project management

Collaboration with cross-functional teams

Communication skills

Analytical skills

Robotics systems knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or related technical field

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.

Overview

About The Job As a Program Manager focused on technology to enable the Autonomous Airpower Business Line, you will manage new technology development initiatives within the Internal Research and Development (IRAD) portfolio. Additionally, you will contribute to the execution of capture programs and help manage early-phase programs that have been won. This work will be diverse in nature, span hardware and software technologies, and require you to be flexible to adapt to changing situations. You must be able to work with a wide variety of technical stakeholders, communicate plans clearly to all parties, and coordinate across teams to achieve the desired end state.

What You’ll Do

• Drive scoping and execution of IRAD initiatives that make up the Autonomous Airpower IRAD Portfolio. These initiatives will enable the multi-year roadmap for the Autonomous Airpower Business Line.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including software engineers, hardware engineers, chief engineers, program managers, business operations, and finance to meet the IRAD objectives.
• Establish technical Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to ensure the investment in each IRAD initiative have a positive Return on Investment (ROI).
• Support the execution of functional engineering roadmaps to ensure they align with long-term strategic bets and program needs.
• Manage capture programs by helping identify opportunities, assessing viability, developing a winning strategy, and supporting proposals.
• Lead execution of early-phase programs that have been won through the capture process. This will involve external customer relationship management.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or a related technical field from an accredited institution.
• Minimum of 4+ years of experience in a product manager, program manager, or product development role for robotics systems.
• Demonstrated proficiency in leading complex projects from conception to completion.
• Deep familiarity with subsystems and knowledge of robotics systems that you have previously worked on.
• Evidence in understanding technical tradeoffs and how to reduce risk through key development efforts.
• Exceptional organizational and analytical skills, capable of managing multiple initiatives concurrently.
• Proven experience in collaborating with multi-disciplinary teams, influencing engineering teams, and interacting with leadership stakeholders.
• Outstanding communication abilities, adept at conveying intricate plans and outcomes to stakeholders at all levels.
• Currently possesses and is able to maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance
• Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Top Secret security clearance

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in a relevant technical or management field.
• Direct experience in leading product development related to aircraft or Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) development within the robotics, defense, or aerospace sectors.
• Knowledge of hardware + software development practices and best practices for autonomous robotics systems.

Compensation and Benefits

US Salary Range
US Range: $166,000—$220,000 USD

Healthcare Benefits

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:

• US Roles: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans at little to no cost to you.
• UK & AUS Roles: We cover full cost of medical insurance premiums for you and your dependents.
• IE Roles: We offer an annual contribution toward your private health insurance for you and your dependents.

Additional Benefits

• Income Protection: Anduril covers life and disability insurance for all employees.
• Generous time off: Highly competitive PTO plans with a holiday hiatus in December. Caregiver & Wellness Leave is available to care for family members, bond with a new baby, or address your own medical needs.
• Family Planning & Parenting Support: Coverage for fertility treatments (e.g., IVF, preservation), adoption, and gestational carriers, along with resources to support you and your partner from planning to parenting.
• Mental Health Resources: Access free mental health resources 24/7, including therapy and life coaching. Additional work-life services, such as legal and financial support, are also available.
• Professional Development: Annual reimbursement for professional development
• Commuter Benefits: Company-funded commuter benefits based on your region.
• Relocation Assistance: Available depending on role eligibility.

The recruiter assigned to this role can share more information about the specific compensation and benefit details associated with this role during the hiring process.

To view Anduril's candidate data privacy policy, please visit https://anduril.com/applicant-privacy-notice/.