Systems Engineer

Anduril; Costa Mesa (CA); On-site; USD 132,000 - 198,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive health benefits

Equity grants

Supportive recovery programs

Job summary

Anduril seeks an experienced engineer in Costa Mesa to support UAV design and integration. The role involves working closely with a team to conceptualize system architectures, manage tasking, and ensure vehicle performance through rigorous testing.

The ideal candidate will have 7-10 years of experience, proficiency in engineering principles, and a strong commitment to teamwork. This position offers a competitive salary range of $132,000 – $198,000 USD, alongside top-tier benefits.

Qualifications

• Passion for systems development, integration, and testing.
• Familiarity with systems engineering and mechanical/electrical engineering concepts.
• Ability to obtain a U.S. Top Secret security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Work with multidisciplinary engineers on UAV design and integration.
• Conceptualize system architecture for existing vehicle systems.
• Draft and develop test plans for subsystems.

Skills

Systems development

Integration

Testing

Project management

Electronics troubleshooting

Education

7-10 years industry experience

Tools

Basic test equipment

UAV systems

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.

ABOUT THE TEAM

As part of the larger Tactical Recon & Strike division, the Precision Engagement Systems (PES) team at Anduril develops aerial small drones (Group 1-2) and all equipment to test, deploy and operate. The team is responsible for taking products like Anvil and Bolt from paper sketches to operational systems. We work in close coordination with specialist teams to solve some of the hardest problems facing our customers. We are looking for software engineers, hardware engineers, roboticists, and front-end mobile developers who are excited about creating a powerful robotics platform that can be tasked and viewed in real‑time through a variety of interfaces.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Work within a team of multidisciplinary engineers and specialists throughout the life of UAV design and integration efforts
• Conceptualize system architecture for upgrades and enhancements to existing vehicle systems
• Conceptual designs of small drones including sizing, system performance and initial prototyping
• Layout system design plans and interfaces for new UAV products and platforms
• Manage tactical engineering efforts, interfacing between different engineering and test disciplines
• Draft and develop test plans for critical subsystems, and support vehicle level acceptance testing
• Develop interface controls for partners and customers to use for hardware, software, and electrical integration of complex and unique payloads with the Anduril UAVs
• Achieve maximum uptime by leading vehicle data analysis efforts to identify performance trends and develop predictive failure models
• Support build and benchtop testing of new vehicle systems
• Conduct hands‑on UAV testing with occasional travel

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• A passion for systems development, integration, and testing
• 7-10 years of industry experience including but not limited to systems engineering
• Familiarity with concepts of systems engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, software development, and control theory
• Hands‑on build and prototyping of complex robotic or aircraft systems
• Knowledge of electronics troubleshooting and ability to use basic test equipment
• Extremely organized and detail‑oriented
• Excellent verbal & written communication skills
• A sincere commitment to a positive, inclusive, and collaborative culture
• Ability to travel as required for test planning and execution
• Must be able to obtain and hold a U.S. Top Secret security clearance

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience developing electromechanical system models to inform design, operation, and troubleshooting of complex subsystems
• Hands on manufacturing or flight testing experience
• Experience in design engineering
• Experience in software engineering
• Understanding of aerodynamics, avionics and flight systems

US Salary Range: $132,000 – $198,000 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 (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:

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.