Sr. Prototype Model Fabricator

Anduril Industries; Costa Mesa (CA); On-site; USD 51,000 - 68,000; Full time

Job summary

Anduril Industries in Costa Mesa, CA, is seeking a Prototype Model Fabricator to join the Model Shop. You will build scale physical design models using metal, plastic, and composite fabrication, plus surface finishing and painting.

You will read blueprints, collaborate with designers and engineers, operate shop machinery, and maintain safety and quality. The role requires 10+ years in model builds, welding, and strong attention to detail, with US person status for export data access.

Qualifications

• 10+ years experience in physical model builds.
• Experience operating machining, fabrication, wood working equipment (manual mill/lathe, bench grinders, variety of saws, shears, etc.).
• Sheet metal fabrication experience (using press brakes, finger brakes, slip rollers, bead rollers, and other forming equipment)
• Welding (GMAW/FCAW/GTAW) of steel, stainless, and aluminum with 5+ years experience
• Ability to work through Model Making tasks with limited oversight (evaluate, design, order materials, execute)
• Ability to fit, surface and paint high quality physical models
• Advanced knowledge of engineering design and model making procedures
• U.S. Person status is required as this position needs to access export controlled data

Responsibilities

• Build scale physical design models utilizing a wide range of model-making techniques (i.e., metal, plastic, composite fabrication, woodworking, surface, and paint).
• Execute final surface prepping, hand-sanding, bonding, and priming to ensure a flawless finish.
• Read and interpret design blueprints and technical drawings.
• Collaborate with designers, engineers, and fellow fabricators.
• Utilize and help maintain shop machinery and equipment.
• Monitor and report shop consumables inventory needs.
• Maintain strict accuracy and quality standards.
• Participate in team meetings to improve workflow and efficiency.
• Keep the shop organized, clean, and safe.

Skills

Machining equipment operation

Woodworking

Sheet metal fabrication

Welding (GMAW/FCAW/GTAW)

Blueprint reading

Quality control

Multi-tasking

Overtime flexibility

Attention to detail

Team collaboration

Tools

CAD

Additive manufacturing

Job description

Anduril Industries is a defence 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 defence 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
The Model Shop is a new in-house capability that partners with Design, Engineering, and business stakeholders to turn digital concepts into full-scale, presentation-quality physical models. These models help teams communicate design intent, evaluate physical form, and showcase Anduril products to customers and other stakeholders. By bringing this capability in house, the team will improve speed, iteration, craftsmanship, and control while reducing significant reliance on external vendors.

About The Job
We are looking for a Prototype Model Fabricator to join our rapidly growing team in Costa Mesa, Ca. In this role you will be part of the Model Shop team, building scale physical design and aerodynamic models utilizing a wide range of model making disciplines.

What You’ll Do

• Build scale physical design models utilizing a wide range of model-making techniques (i.e., metal, plastic, composite fabrication, woodworking, surface, and paint).
• Execute final surface prepping, hand-sanding, bonding, and priming to ensure a flawless finish.
• Read and interpret design blueprints and technical drawings.
• Collaborate with designers, engineers, and fellow fabricators.
• Utilize and help maintain shop machinery and equipment.
• Monitor and report shop consumables inventory needs.
• Maintain strict accuracy and quality standards.
• Participate in team meetings to improve workflow and efficiency.
• Keep the shop organized, clean, and safe.

Required Qualifications

• 10+ years experience in physical model builds
• Ability to operate machining, fabrication, wood working equipment (manual mill/lathe, bench grinders, variety of saws, shears, etc.)
• Sheet metal fabrication experience (using press brakes, finger brakes, slip rollers, bead rollers, and other forming equipment)
• Welding (GMAW/FCAW/GTAW) of steel, stainless, and aluminum with 5+ years experience
• Ability to work through Model Making tasks with limited oversight (evaluate, design, order materials, execute)
• Ability to fit, surface and paint high quality physical models
• High level of mechanical aptitude (aerospace/automotive/motorsports background)
• Strong attention to detail and pride in workmanship
• Advanced knowledge of engineering design and model making procedures
• Ability to multi-task
• Ability to work overtime and weekends
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, demanding, flexible team environment
• U.S. Person status is required as this position needs to access export controlled data

Preferred Qualifications

• CAD experience
• Additive Manufacturing experience

US Hourly Range

$37.02—$49.04 USD

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:
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.

Protecting Yourself from Recruitment Scams
Anduril is committed to maintaining the integrity of our Talent acquisition process and the security of our candidates. We've observed a rise in sophisticated phishing and fraudulent schemes where individuals impersonate Anduril representatives, luring job seekers with false interviews or job offers. These scammers often attempt to extract payment or sensitive personal information.
To Ensure Your Safety And Help You Navigate Your Job Search With Confidence, Please Keep The Following Critical Points In Mind

• No Financial Requests: Anduril will never solicit payment or demand personal financial details (such as banking information, credit card numbers, or social security numbers) at any stage of our hiring process. Our legitimate recruitment is entirely free for candidates.
• Please always verify communications:
• Direct from Anduril: If you receive an email from one of our recruiters, it will only come from an @anduril.com address.
• Via Agency Partner: If contacted by a recruiting agency for an Anduril role, their email will clearly identify their agency. If you suspect any suspicious activity, please verify the agency's authenticity by reaching out to [e-mail].
• Exercise Caution with Unsolicited Outreach: If you receive any communication that appears suspicious, contains grammatical errors, or makes unusual requests, do not engage. Always confirm the sender's email domain is @anduril.com before providing any personal information or clicking on links.
• What to Do If You Suspect Fraud: Should you encounter any questionable or fraudulent outreach claiming to be from Anduril, please report it immediately to [e-mail]. Your proactive caution is invaluable in protecting your personal information and upholding the security and trustworthiness of our recruitment efforts.

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

By submitting your application, you consent to Anduril Industries using a third-party service provider to conduct pre-employment risk, integrity, and due diligence screening and assessing potential risks as part of your application process. This third-party service provider provides risk-intelligence services that may include analysis of sanctions and watchlists, adverse media, public-record information, and other lawful open-source or commercial data sources. This third-party service provider does not act as a consumer reporting agency. Use of this provider helps to ensure compliance with applicable laws and protect technology, intellectual property, and organizational security.