Technical Operations Engineer, Air Defense

Anduril Industries, Inc.; Costa Mesa (CA); On-site; USD 113,000 - 149,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans

Generous PTO and holiday leave

Access to mental health resources

Professional development reimbursement

Company-funded commuter benefits

401(k) retirement options

Job summary

A defense technology company is seeking a Technical Operations Engineer in Costa Mesa, CA, to support military air defense systems. The role entails deploying products, troubleshooting hardware and software issues, and conducting field maintenance. Candidates should have over 3 years of experience, a mechanical engineering background, and the ability to travel extensively. The position offers a salary range of $113,000 - $149,000 USD, along with comprehensive healthcare and generous time off.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in problem solving within hardware, software, and networking.
• Ability to install and maintain sensor equipment at height.
• Strong mechanical skills for infrastructure repair.

Responsibilities

• Support air defense projects with technical operations and field maintenance.
• Drive resolution of complex hardware and networking issues.
• Maintain operational plans for defense systems.

Skills

Problem solving in unstructured environments

Mechanical aptitude

Field maintenance

Customer support

Team training

Incident response

Education

B.S. in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, computer science or related technical field

Tools

Networking equipment

Aerial lifts

Forklifts

Job description

Technical Operations Engineer, Air Defense

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 ROLE

Anduril’s Deployment Operations group is seeking a Technical Operations Engineer to join our Air Defense team. This is a Costa Mesa based role and not eligible for remote/hybrid work.

As a member of Anduril’s Technical Operations team, you will be responsible for deploying and supporting Anduril’s products all over the world. You will go forward with products early on in their lifecycle and work with engineering teams to iteratively improve them over time. The challenges you will encounter are innumerable and unpredictable, but you will be expected to take ownership of delivering the technical solution.

You must be both a teacher and a student, able to coach teammates on systems that you’ve gained intimate familiarity with and then transition into mastering the next system. You’ll also guide users through product employment and troubleshooting, advise account managers on how to structure an operation to ensure technical success, and communicate specific recommendations for product refinement to engineering teams.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Support military air defense projects by executing technical operations, conducting field maintenance, providing customer field support and training
• Tackle complex issues related to hardware, software, and networking in unstructured situations, driving them to resolution
• Communicate field issue status to internal and customer teams, keeping them informed.
• Support the development and implementation of comprehensive operational and logistical plans for various events
• Ensure high availability and performance of air defense systems
• Maintain support plans for hardware and software
• Assist in event planning and resource allocation, keeping key stakeholders informed about Technical Operations requirements
• Incident response root-cause analyses (RCAs) for defense systems in the field
• Conduct post-incident reviews and implement preventive measures

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• 3+ years of experience of strong problem solving in unstructured environments at the interface of hardware, software, and networking.
• Ability to climb towers to install, maintain, and repair sensor equipment and components including cameras, radars, and Pan Tilt Units (PTU).
• Strong mechanical aptitude to troubleshoot and repair critical site infrastructure including generators, solar power systems, and hydraulic systems.
• Experience performing preventative maintenance on tower structure components including guy wires, anchors, lightning protection systems and other structural elements to ensure structural integrity and safety.
• Ability to meet health and medical requirements in advance of deployments in accordance with DFARS 252.225-7040 , DoDI 3020.41, and/or any additional requirements outlined by region or supporting force, as applicable.
• Ability to travel to remote regions of the world for up to two months at a time (up to 80% of the year).
• Ability to relocate, if not already local to be onsite in Costa Mesa, CA
• Eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. Top Secret/Secret clearance.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• B.S. in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, computer science, or related technical field
• Network+ and Linux+ or equivalent experience preferred.
• Prior tower climbing experience with relevant certifications (Tower Climbing, OSHA 10/30).
• Experience with Fiber and RF systems (PtP, PtMP, mesh), understanding basic antenna concepts & spectrum analysis.
• Terminating power cables with NEMA connectors or RJ45 connectors.
• Ability to lift 50-70 lbs.
• Experience operating specialized equipment including aerial lifts and forklifts.
• Valid Commercial Driver's License (CDL).
• Ability to develop complex operational and logistics plans to move people and things quickly, over long distances, in unfamiliar locations.
• Prior military or overseas contracting experience.

US Salary Range

$113,000 - $149,000 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:

Healthcare Benefits

• 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.

Retirement Savings Plan

• US Roles: Traditional 401(k), Roth, and after-tax (mega backdoor Roth) options.
• UK & IE Roles: Pension plan with employer match.
• AUS Roles: Superannuation plan.

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As set forth in Anduril Industries’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.