Staff Manufacturing Engineer, Composites

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

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits package

Health and recovery support

Equity grants

Job summary

Slope is seeking a Manufacturing Engineer in Costa Mesa, California. This role requires expertise in composites manufacturing and involves technical leadership in optimizing processes and transitioning products from prototype to production.

The successful candidate will have at least 8 years of experience, a degree in a technical field, and an understanding of various composite fabrication methods. Competitive salary and benefits provided.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in manufacturing or design.
• Proven ability to integrate solutions in resource-constrained environments.
• Knowledge of composite fabrication processes including autoclave processing and RTM.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary technical expert for composites manufacturing.
• Leverage expertise in NPI to transition products from prototype to high-volume production.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives in manufacturing processes.

Skills

Composites manufacturing expertise

Technical leadership

Lean Six Sigma methodologies

Problem solving

Material selection trade-offs

Education

Degree in engineering, math, or hard science

Tools

PLM systems

ERP systems

MES systems

Job description

ABOUT THE JOB

Anduril’s Manufacturing team is seeking a Manufacturing Engineer to join our team and be a subject matter expert in composites manufacturing. 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 role owns the entire manufacturing value chain: design for manufacturability, tool design and selection, process creation and optimization, vendor sourcing and interaction, quality planning, and work documentation.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

Technical Leadership

• Serve as the primary technical expert for all composites 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 composites manufacturing, 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.

New Product Introduction

• Leverage expertise in 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 development to provide feedback for Design For Manufacturability.
• Establish scalable DFM frameworks that enable consistent execution across multiple products, sites, and manufacturing partners.
• Review and analyze technical data packages (TDPs) for composite components to ensure completeness, accuracy, and manufacturability before supplier handoff.

Process Optimization & Improvement

• Develop and maintain composites 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.
• 8+ 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, MES, 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.
• Experience in designing and working with molds for composites made from a variety of materials, and a thorough understanding of tradeoffs in material selection.
• Demonstrated expertise in multiple composite fabrication processes including:
  • Autoclave processing
  • Resin transfer molding (RTM)
  • Vacuum‑assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM)
  • Out‑of‑autoclave processing
  • Compression molding
  • Filament winding
• Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export‑controlled information or facilities and eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance.

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 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 health, recovery, and other support.

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. For more information, please visit our benefits page.