Director of Manufacturing Engineering, EW

Irvine, 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><h3><strong>

ABOUT

THE TEAM</strong></h3> <p>Anduril's Electromagnetic Warfare (EW) Manufacturing team is responsible for rapidly iterating and building cutting-edge defense hardware for Electromagnetic Warfare. This responsibility spans the full manufacturing value chain — from Design for Manufacturability through full-rate production — including tool design and selection, process creation and optimization, vendor sourcing, quality planning, system integration, and work documentation for the hardware our engineers own.</p> <h3><strong>ABOUT THE JOB</strong></h3> <p>As the Director of Manufacturing Engineering for EW, you will provide strategic oversight and tactical management of manufacturing engineering to support both the development of new products and the scaling of high-volume production. You are charged with ensuring rigorous manufacturing processes are in place, resulting in the consistent delivery of superior quality defense hardware to our customers. Your leadership will guarantee the fulfillment of manufacturing capacity commitments while driving advancements in tools, automation, and methodologies to improve design, analysis, and execution. This role demands an innovative and adaptable leader who thrives in a fast-paced, resource-constrained environment solving complex manufacturing challenges for electromechanical defense systems.</p> <h4><strong>

WHAT YOU'LL DO</strong></h4> <ul> <li><strong>Build & Lead the Manufacturing Engineering Team</strong>: Recruit, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of manufacturing engineers with deep product knowledge in mechanical, electrical, system integration, and environmental testing. Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement across the organization.</li> <li><strong>Drive Manufacturing Strategy & Technology:</strong> Develop and implement a long-term manufacturing engineering strategy aligned with Anduril EW's growth objectives. Drive adoption of automation, advanced manufacturing technologies, and digital manufacturing tools to enhance efficiency and scalability across development and high-volume production.</li> <li><strong>Lead New Product Introduction (NPI):</strong> Partner with Design Engineering teams in early to late phases of the development process to ensure seamless transition of new products from design to production. Champion Design for Manufacturability (DfM), Design for Assembly (DfA), and broader DFx principles to de-risk production scaling.</li> <li><strong>Scale Production Capability</strong>: Evaluate, plan, and prioritize supply chain, production, and test optimizations to ensure the value stream can reliably meet production output goals. Develop process flows that break down large, complex electromechanical assemblies into logical subassemblies and sub-processes. Build business cases for vertical integration or supplier diversification where strategic partnerships will accelerate scalability.</li> <li><strong>Drive Continuous Improvement & Quality:</strong> Lead initiatives to improve yield, reduce cycle time, and lower cost across the manufacturing value chain. Drive operational excellence through Kaizen events, RCCA burndowns, component and supplier rationalization, and process standardization. Be a strong partner with Product Quality Engineering to tackle key issues both internally and externally to EW Production.</li> <li><strong>Own the Manufacturing Value Chain</strong>: Take holistic ownership of the manufacturing value chain for EW products, including tool design and selection, vendor sourcing and interaction, quality planning, and work documentation. Contribute to end-customer hardware mechanical or electrical design, including interconnects, board fabrication, and inspection.</li> <li><strong>Resource & Budget Management</strong>: Manage budgets, staffing, and capital equipment planning for the manufacturing engineering organization. Forecast headcount and operational needs to support rapid scaling, including classified production environments.</li> <li><strong>Define Cross-Functional Workflows</strong>: Establish effective collaboration frameworks across Design Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, and Production teams. Set objectives, build cross-functional teams, and drive rapid project execution.</li> </ul> <h4><strong>REQUIRED

QUALIFICATIONS</strong></h4> <ul> <li>Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical field; Master's degree or MBA preferred.</li> <li>10+ years of progressive experience in manufacturing engineering and operations, with at least 5 years in a leadership role managing manufacturing engineering teams.</li> <li>Demonstrated experience owning manufacturing value chains for complex electromechanical hardware — defense, aerospace, or adjacent industries strongly preferred.</li> <li>Strong background in make-vs-buy analysis, contract manufacturer management, and supplier development for precision hardware.</li> <li>Experience managing NPI and scaling production in high-growth environments with condensed timelines.</li> <li>Demonstrated ability to creatively deliver electromechanical hardware in a resource-constrained environment.</li> <li>Demonstrated ability to bring up assembly operations for electromechanical assemblies, including PCBA, harness, and RF hardware.</li> <li>Knowledge of automation, advanced manufacturing technologies, and digital manufacturing tools.</li> <li>Proficient with ERP, CAD, PLM, and FRACAS software. Familiarity with quality systems (ISO 9001/AS9100) and MES systems.</li> <li>Hands-on experience physically manufacturing hardware (assembly, soldering, machining, fabrication, etc.).</li> <li>Excellent leadership, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.</li> <li>Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance.</li> </ul><div class="content-pay-transparency"><div class="pay-input"><div class="title">US Salary Range</div><div class="pay-range"><span>$220,000</span><span class="divider">—</span><span>$292,000 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

$220,000 - $292,000

Location

Irvine, 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.