Project Engineer, AD&S

Costa Mesa, CA

About the role

<div class="content-intro"><p>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.</p></div><p><strong>ABOUT THE JOB</strong><br><br>Anduril's Air Dominance & Strike (AD&S) Manufacturing Engineering team is seeking a Project Engineer to support the execution of Manufacturing Development Plan (MDP) and Product Development Process (PDP) stage gate deliverables across AD&S programs. This role spans both Air Strike and Air Dominance product lines — from cruise missiles and loitering munitions to autonomous aircraft — and is an excellent opportunity for a recent engineering graduate to develop deep expertise in how complex defense hardware moves from design through production.<br><br>Working under the guidance of Staff and Senior-level Project Engineers, you will learn the stage gate process from the inside — helping coordinate, prepare, and track the deliverables that determine whether programs are ready to advance. You are a manufacturing engineer at heart, and this role will build your understanding of what manufacturing readiness looks like at every phase of product development. You will work with Product Program Managers, Program Managers, Chief Engineers, and Manufacturing Engineering managers and their teams to assemble review materials, track action items, and support gate content through to completion.<br><br>You will also support ad-hoc, cross-functional projects as the Manufacturing Engineering representative — gaining exposure to design, quality, supply chain, and operations challenges that will accelerate your growth as an engineer. This role is built for someone who is eager to learn, comfortable working across teams, and ready to take on real responsibility from day one.<br><br><strong>

WHAT YOU'LL DO</strong></p> <ul> <li>Support the execution of MDP and PDP stage gate deliverables for manufacturing engineering across AD&S programs, working under the guidance of Staff and Senior Project Engineers.</li> <li>Help coordinate with PPMs, PMs, Chief Engineers, and ME managers to gather, organize, and prepare stage gate review decks and presentations.</li> <li>Track stage gate action items, open risks, and manufacturing readiness gaps — following up with owners and reporting status to the project engineering team.</li> <li>Review ME stage gate content for completeness, flagging gaps and working with program teams to address them before reviews.</li> <li>Help coordinate across multiple programs running on different timelines, ensuring deliverables stay on track.</li> <li>Support ad-hoc, cross-functional projects as assigned — representing Manufacturing Engineering in design trades, quality investigations, supply chain discussions, and operational problem-solving.</li> <li>Build working relationships with design engineering, quality, supply chain, operations, and program management — learning how cross-functional collaboration drives results in a fast-moving environment.</li> <li>Take ownership of assigned tasks and drive them to completion, asking for help when needed but not waiting to be told what to do next.</li> <li>Contribute to the development and maintenance of stage gate templates, checklists, and tracking tools.</li> <li>Spend time on the production floor and at supplier sites to build firsthand understanding of how products are manufactured.</li> <li>Travel to production sites, suppliers, and partner facilities (~20%, depending on business needs).</li> </ul> <p><strong>REQUIRED

QUALIFICATIONS</strong></p> <ul> <li>Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related field.</li> <li>1-3 years of experience in manufacturing engineering, production, or a related role. Co-op, internship, or capstone project experience in a manufacturing environment counts.</li> <li>Foundational understanding of manufacturing processes and product development — you have exposure to how hardware goes from design to production, even if you haven't led it yourself.</li> <li>Strong organizational skills — ability to track multiple deliverables across programs and keep things from falling through the cracks.</li> <li>Willingness to engage cross-functionally with program management, design engineering, quality, supply chain, and operations from day one.</li> <li>Strong written and verbal communication skills — you can put together a clear slide, write a concise status update, and follow up on action items without being asked twice.</li> <li>A genuine interest in manufacturing and a drive to understand how things are actually built. Personal experience physically building or working on hardware (machining, assembly, soldering, 3D printing, personal projects) is a strong plus.</li> <li>Self-motivated and proactive — you take initiative, ask good questions, and close the loop on what you commit to.</li> <li>An attitude of world-class mission assurance, quality, attention to detail, and dedication.</li> <li>Comfortable in a fast-paced, high-growth environment where you will be learning and contributing simultaneously.</li> <li>Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export controlled information or facilities.</li> </ul> <p><strong>PREFERRED

QUALIFICATIONS</strong></p> <ul> <li>Master's degree in engineering or a related field.</li> <li>Internship or co-op experience in aerospace or defense manufacturing.</li> <li>Exposure to stage gate processes, manufacturing readiness reviews, or product development lifecycle frameworks.</li> <li>Familiarity with AS9100 or similar quality management systems.</li> <li>Experience with project tracking tools, data analysis, or presentation development.</li> <li>Proficiency in CAD software and familiarity with manufacturing technologies across multiple disciplines (machining, composites, electronics, assembly).</li> <li>Appropriate clearance classification.</li> </ul> <p>Per Anduril's expansion plans, we anticipate this job will be based out of Long Beach, CA beginning late 2027.</p><div class="content-pay-transparency"><div class="pay-input"><div class="title">US Salary Range</div><div class="pay-range"><span>$129,000</span><span class="divider">—</span><span>$171,000 USD</span></div></div></div><div class="content-conclusion"><p><span data-contrast="auto">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:</span><span data-ccp-props="{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"335551550":0,"335551620":0,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p> </p> <h3 class="detailElios"><strong>

Benefits</strong></h3> <p><span data-contrast="auto">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. </span><em><span data-contrast="auto">For more information, <a href="https://www.anduril.com/careers">Explore Our

Benefits</a>.</span></em></p> <p> </p> <div class="RichText column1"> <h3 class="detailElios"><strong>Protecting Yourself from Recruitment Scams</strong></h3> <p class="detailElios">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.</p> </div> <div class="RichText column2"> <p class="detailElios">To ensure your safety and help you navigate your job search with confidence, please keep the following critical points in mind:</p> <ul> <li> <p class="detailElios"><strong>No Financial Requests: </strong>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.</p> </li> <li><strong>Please always verify communications:</strong> <ul> <li>Direct from Anduril: If you receive an email from one of our recruiters, it will <em>only</em> come from an <code>@anduril.com</code> address.</li> <li>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 <a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>. </li> </ul> </li> <li> <p class="detailElios"><strong>Exercise Caution with Unsolicited Outreach:</strong> 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.</p> </li> <li> <p class="detailElios"><strong>What to Do If You Suspect Fraud:</strong> Should you encounter any questionable or fraudulent outreach claiming to be from Anduril, please report it immediately to <a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>. Your proactive caution is invaluable in protecting your personal information and upholding the security and trustworthiness of our recruitment efforts.</p> </li> </ul> </div> <h3> </h3> <h3><strong>Data Privacy</strong></h3> <p><span data-contrast="auto">To view Anduril's candidate data privacy policy, please visit </span><span data-contrast="none"><span data-ccp-charstyle="Hyperlink"><a href="https://anduril.com/applicant-privacy-notice/">https://anduril.com/applicant-privacy-notice/</a></span></span><span data-contrast="auto">.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"335551550":0,"335551620":0,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p> </p> <p><span data-ccp-props="{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"335551550":0,"335551620":0,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}">By submitting your application, you consent to Anduril Industries using a third-party service provider to conduct pre-employment risk, integrity, and due diligence screening and assessing potential risks as part of your application process. This third-party service provider provides risk-intelligence services that may include analysis of sanctions and watchlists, adverse media, public-record information, and other lawful open-source or commercial data sources. This third-party service provider does not act as a consumer reporting agency. Use of this provider helps to ensure compliance with applicable laws and protect technology, intellectual property, and organizational security.</span></p></div>

About Anduril

Anduril Industries designs and supplies autonomous defense systems and integrated software for security and military applications. The company develops an AI-driven command-and-control platform that links sensors, unmanned vehicles across air, land, and sea, and related hardware into a cohesive operational network. Its portfolio covers unmanned aerial vehicles, counter-drone technology, undersea autonomous vehicles, and autonomous ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance) platforms. Anduril also builds mission support software that helps users fuse sensor data and manage operations in real time. The company serves defense, national security, and government clients with technology solutions that emphasize autonomous operation and data integration.

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Job details

Salary

$129,000 - $171,000

Location

Costa Mesa, CA

Company

NameAnduril
IndustryAerospace
Team Size6

Funding

Total raised

$6.5B

Last stage

Series G

Investors

Andreessen Horowitz
Founders Fund
Sands Capital
Fidelity Investments
Thrive Capital

Founders

PL

Palmer Luckey

Co-founder

MG

Matt Grim

Co-founder

TS

Trae Stephens

Co-founder

LinkedIn
BS

Brian Schimpf

Co-Founder & CEO

LinkedIn
MG

Matt Grimm

Co-Founder & COO

LinkedIn
JC

Joe Chen

Co-Founder

What happens next.

No applications, no recruiter spam. Just the intro.

01

Confirm the fit

A few questions to make sure this role is the right shape for you. Two minutes.

02

I pitch you to the company

I write the intro, send it to the founder, and handle the back-and-forth.

03

A meeting lands on your calendar

If they’re a yes, I book the chat. You show up — that’s the whole job-hunt.