Staff Manufacturing Engineer, RF Systems

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

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits package

Job summary

Anduril Industries, located in Costa Mesa, California, is seeking a Manufacturing Engineer to lead RF systems manufacturing. This role includes optimizing processes and collaborating with design teams to transition products from prototype to high-volume production. Candidates should have 12+ years of relevant experience and strong knowledge of RF manufacturing technologies.

The position offers a competitive salary range of $166,000 – $220,000 USD and comprehensive benefits.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of experience in manufacturing or design required.
• Demonstrated success in scaling product testing and production.
• Eligible for an active U.S. Secret security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Lead RF systems troubleshooting and investigations for manufacturing.
• Collaborate with design teams on manufacturability feedback.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives for operational efficiency.

Skills

Technical expertise in RF/Microwave manufacturing processes

Process optimization

Leadership and mentoring

Continuous improvement (Lean, Six Sigma)

Education

Degree in a technical field (engineering, math, hard science)

Tools

PLM, ERP systems

Network analyzers, spectrum analyzers

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, 3‑D 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 Job

Anduril’s Manufacturing team is seeking a Manufacturing Engineer to join our team and be a subject matter expert in RF Systems.

The Manufacturing Team is responsible for rapidly iterating and building cutting‑edge defense hardware, including static equipment, moving ground equipment, and complex flight vehicles. This responsibility includes everything in the manufacturing value‑chain, including, but not limited to, Design for Manufacturability work, tool design & selection, process creation & optimization, vendor sourcing & interaction, quality planning, and work documentation associated with the hardware that the Manufacturing Engineer owns.

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 manufactured or oversaw 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

Technical Leadership

• Serve as the primary technical expert for all RF/Microwave manufacturing processes, assembly, and test methodologies.
• Provide expert consultation, guidance, and mentorship to manufacturing engineers, production teams, and cross‑functional departments.
• Stay abreast of emerging manufacturing technologies, materials, and industry trends specific to RF/EMI/EMC, recommending and championing their adoption where beneficial.
• Evaluate, select, and integrate new manufacturing technologies and automation solution concepts into production.
• Ensure all manufacturing processes and products adhere strictly to industry standards, regulatory requirements, and internal quality management systems.
• Demonstrated expertise in implementing and testing to military and industry RF/EMI/EMC standards including MIL‑STD‑461, MIL‑STD‑464, TEMPEST requirements, etc. with experience interpreting requirements and developing test plans to ensure full compliance in DoD and/or aerospace applications.
• Lead complex radio frequency (RF) systems troubleshooting activities and root cause corrective action (RCCA) investigations for manufacturing non‑conformances, field failures, and test rejections.

New Product Introduction

• Leverage expertise in New Product Introduction (NPI) to seamlessly transition Anduril products from prototype to high‑volume production, optimizing manufacturability and supply‑chain scalability.
• Collaborate with Design Engineering teams early in the development process to provide comprehensive Design For Manufacturability (DFM) feedback, articulate clear trade‑offs between design choices, and assess long‑term manufacturing implications of early design decisions.
• Establish scalable DFM frameworks that enable consistent execution across multiple products, sites, and manufacturing partners.
• Review and analyze RF technical data packages, ensuring comprehensive documentation of RF performance parameters, test specifications, and manufacturing requirements for complex RF subsystems.

Process Optimization & Improvement

• Develop and maintain RF workmanship standards, process parameters, and design rules aligned to evolving product and technology roadmaps.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives (Lean, Six Sigma) to enhance product quality, reduce costs, decrease cycle times, and improve overall operational efficiency.

Collaboration & Communication

• Act as a technical liaison between various departments (Design, Quality, Supply Chain, Test, Operations).
• Present complex technical information, recommendations, and project updates to senior leadership and technical teams.
• Interface with key suppliers to resolve technical issues and ensure component manufacturability and quality.

Required Qualifications

• Degree in a technical field such as engineering, math, or a hard science.
• 12+ years of experience in a relevant field, manufacturing or design.
• Demonstrated ability to creatively integrate and deliver in a resource‑constrained environment.
• Possess the ability to understand new concepts quickly; apply them accurately; organize, schedule, and coordinate work phases; and, determine the appropriate approach at the task level or, with assistance, at the project level to provide solutions to a range of complex problems.
• Knowledge of PLM, ERP, and other related manufacturing planning and management systems.
• Willingness to travel frequently (>25%) to support global manufacturing operations.
• Demonstrated success in scaling product testing and production from tens/hundreds to hundreds/thousands.
• Familiarity with standard interfaces such as MIPI, DP, I2C, SPI, PCIe, USB, etc.
• Familiarity with common MCU, CPU, SOC devices and technologies.
• Demonstrated deep expertise in a broad range of RF/Microwave manufacturing processes, including:
• RF Circuit Board Fabrication: Understanding of high‑frequency laminates, impedance control, trace routing, and stack‑up optimization.
• RF Component Assembly: Precision placement and soldering of RF components, connectors, and active devices.
• EMI/EMC Mitigation Techniques: Expertise in grounding, shielding design (gaskets, conductive coatings, cans), filtering, cable management, and aperture control.
• RF Test Methodologies: Proficiency with network analyzers, spectrum analyzers, signal generators, power meters, noise figure meters, anechoic chambers, and shielded rooms.
• EMI/EMC Testing: Experience with radiated emissions, conducted emissions, radiated immunity, conducted immunity, ESD, and transient immunity testing to various standards.
• Antenna Integration and Tuning: Experience with antenna manufacturing, integration, and performance optimization.
• Material Selection: Understanding of material properties affecting RF performance and EMI shielding.
• RF Test Equipment: Knowledge of EMI/EMC test equipment such as spectrum analyzers, antennas, LISN, NF probes, GTEM & anechoic chamber etc.
• Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance.

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

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.