Lead Manufacturing Engineer, Missiles

Company: Anduril Industries
Location: Costa Mesa
Posted on: April 1, 2026

Job Description:

ABOUT THE TEAM: Anduril’s Missiles Manufacturing team is seeking a Lead Manufacturing Engineer to lead the manufacturing process development for our products. The Manufacturing Team is responsible for rapidly iterating and building cutting-edge defense hardware, including static equipment, moving ground equipment, and complex vehicles. This responsibility includes everything in the manufacturing value-chain including, but not limited to, Design for Manufacturability, tool design & selection, process creation & optimization, vendor sourcing & interaction, quality planning, and work documentation associated with the hardware. ABOUT THE ROLE: As a Lead Manufacturing Engineer , you will be responsible for leading a manufacturing engineering team to drive process improvements, ensure the highest quality of production, and support the development and implementation of new products. The diverse responsibilities of this role will require you to leverage your technical expertise as well as leadership skills to set objectives, build cross-functional teams, and drive rapid project execution. You will play a crucial role in optimizing manufacturing processes, reducing costs, and increasing efficiencies on existing technologies while developing new products and scaling to full scale production. WHAT YOU’LL DO: Execute the manufacturing of a certain product or set of products, from initial prototyping through large full-scale production. Lead a team responsible for delivering on-time completion of development and production units within a product group. Work with design engineers during the development process to drive design for manufacturing best practices into the design effort, and help facilitate the transition from design to prototype to rate production. Act as a manufacturing lead for mechanical fabrication and avionics with subject matter expertise in these areas and key experience in design for manufacturability. Own documentation required for successfully manufacturing product group hardware at scale, such as MBOM’s, work instructions & requirements, etc. Uphold and advise on quality management and business application programs as they pertain to manufacturing within your area. Facilitate make versus buy decisions, and coordinate with internal supply chain teams to manage vendors to ensure quality deliveries on time. Collaborate with internal customers and manufacturing planning teams to define capacity planning actions to meet customer needs and expectations. Analyze metrics for continuous improvement initiatives (cost reduction, QI reduction & capacity increase). Instill a culture of innovation, teamwork, and accountability within the manufacturing engineering product team. Develop production and test methodologies and implement best practices to enable scaling production capabilities for larger, more complex products. Travel to suppliers and partner sites to do initial sourcing work, solve ongoing production issues, and implement process procedures as required. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS: Degree in a technical field such as engineering, math, or a hard science. 8 years in manufacturing or similar prototyping position. Demonstrated in-kind or direct team leadership skills, with backing examples. An attitude of world-class mission assurance, quality, attention to detail, and dedication. A genuine interest in manufacturing and thirst for learning. Demonstrated ability to creatively deliver hardware in a resource-constrained environment. Personal experience physically manufacturing hardware via any means (machining, fabrication, soldering, assembly, etc.). Work on personal or extracurricular projects is a plus. Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS Experience building or transforming successful production operation organizations and leading large-scale change management initiatives that influence culture, define tools & processes and improve competencies. Harness & PCBA fabrication experience including prior work with or setup/modification/monitoring SMT processes. Experience leading and managing teams on fast-paced, complex projects. Hands-on experience with R/C and/or autonomous flight vehicles, flight controllers, or other related control systems. Software scripting experience in any language. Current active U.S. Secret security clearance US Salary Range $146,000 - $194,000 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. Relocation Assistance: Available depending on role eligibility. 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. The recruiter assigned to this role can share more information about the specific compensation and benefit details associated with this role during the hiring process. 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 contact@anduril.com . 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 contact@anduril.com . 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/ .

Keywords: Anduril Industries, Buena Park , Lead Manufacturing Engineer, Missiles, Engineering , Costa Mesa, California