Air Vehicle Lead, Maneuver Dominance

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 JOB Anduril is seeking a Lead Air Vehicle Engineer to join the Maneuver Dominance team at our Costa Mesa HQ to lead the convergence of technical efforts in developing an advanced airborne platform. This individual will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of vertical flight focusing on air vehicle development and integrating mission autonomy to meet the evolving demands of defense capabilities. Here you will work on core product development for unmanned rotorcraft and complex systems, including but not limited to aircraft configuration, composites, mechanisms, and structures. The role requires high ownership and frequent collaboration with other core disciplines. The ideal candidate would be practical, hands-on, and a self starter. High growth potential is possible as well as additional leadership opportunities. WHAT YOU’LL DO Execute rapid evaluation of engineering concepts across a wide range of aerospace disciplines Perform trade studies and physics-based analysis of blue-sky engineering problems Advanced design, configuration, implementation of a highly complex advanced air vehicle Operate with extreme visibility and exercise a vast level of professional autonomy Lead design reviews, run analysis, interface with vendors, define and execute hardware test plans Build prototypes, analyze failures, and transition successful projects into production Support critical software and hardware demonstrations with customers as needed Use first principles physics as a basis for every decision Ability to provide input across a variety of technical domains not limited to: aerodynamics, flight dynamics, GNC, aeroelastic, loads and dynamics REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, Physics , or related technical discipline. Minimum of 8 years in technical leadership roles such as Technical Program Manager, Chief Engineer, Lead Engineer, or similarly relevant position. Leadership experience in engineering team management and project execution for aerospace or defense sectors. Deep experience developing VTOL platforms. Broad exposure to aircraft concepts, design layouts, static stability, control architectures and propulsion concepts. Demonstrated ability to lead and inspire cross-functional teams, fostering a collaborative environment that drives innovation and project success. Strong project management skills, with experience using tools like JIRA and Confluence, and knowledge of Agile and Waterfall methodologies. Exceptional communication and stakeholder management abilities, capable of engaging effectively with both technical teams and non-technical partners. Knowledge of aircraft design principles, including familiarity with vertical lift, as well as aircraft build and integration, and flight test execution/oversight. Hands-on experience with the development and deployment of autonomous systems, particularly in rotorcraft or large UAS. Eligible to obtain a U.S. Secret security clearance Ability to travel up to 50% depending on the product lifecycle PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS Direct experience with autonomous systems, specifically with the development and integration of rotorcraft or larger UAS. Deep fam ... (truncated, view full listing at source)