Director of Advanced Design

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.

We are seeking a Director of Advanced Design for the Air Dominance & Strike hardware engineering organization. This role will oversee the conceptual design for Group 5 Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and advanced missile platforms.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

Direct the end-to-end conceptual design process for UAV and missile platforms, including mission analysis, configuration trade studies, requirements development, and architecture selection.

Serve as a technical expert for early-phase pursuits, shaping concept white-papers, customer proposals, and technology roadmaps, partnering with the chief engineering team.

Collaborate with internal stakeholders to ensure alignment with technical feasibility, affordability, and customer mission needs.

Support direct interactions with customers to translate mission requirements into design concepts.

Act as a senior technical decision-maker, applying engineering intuition and prior experience to ensure effective design paths and avoid costly development missteps.

Partner with Chief Engineers and product teams to align engineering execution with broader mission and capability goals.

Stay at the forefront of emerging aerospace technologies and threats, incorporating disruptive innovations into early-stage designs.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

10+ years of experience in conceptual or preliminary design of aerospace systems, with technical leadership roles on Group 5 UAS, similar class aircraft, or advanced missile systems.

Demonstrated expertise in at least one of the core aerospace hardware disciplines : aerodynamics, structures, propulsion integration, or electrical systems.

Deep understanding of system architecture, mission requirements, and full product lifecycle development.

Proven experience leading high-performance engineering teams, ideally in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment.

Strong communication, collaboration, and technical leadership skills

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Advanced degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical Engineering or related field.

Experience with rapid prototyping and iterative development environments.

Hands-on experience with advanced design tools, simulation, and test equipment.

US Salary Range

$254,000-$336,000 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 :

Platinum Healthcare Benefits : For U.S. roles, we offer comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans at little to no cost to you.

For UK roles, Private Medical Insurance (PMI) : Anduril will cover the full cost of the insurance premium for an employee and dependents.

For AUS roles, Private health plan through Bupa : Coverage is fully subsidized by Anduril.

Basic Life / AD&D and long-term disability insurance 100% covered by Anduril, plus the option to purchase additional life insurance for you and your dependents.

Extremely generous company holiday calendar including a holiday hiatus in December, and highly competitive PTO plans.

16 weeks of paid Caregiver & Wellness Leave to care for a family member, bond with your baby, or tend to your own medical condition.

Family Planning & Parenting Support : Fertility (eg, IVF, preservation), adoption, and gestational carrier coverage with additional benefits and resources to provide support from planning to parenting.

Mental Health Resources : We provide free mental health resources 24 / 7 including therapy, life coaching, and more. Additional work-life services, such as free legal and financial support, available to you as well.

A professional development stipend is available to all Andurilians.

Company-funded commuter benefits available based on your region.

Relocation assistance (depending on role eligibility).

401(k) retirement savings plan - both a traditional and Roth 401(k). (US roles only)

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.

Anduril is an equal-opportunity employer committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. The Anduril team is made up of incredibly talented and unique individuals, who together are disrupting industry norms by creating new paths towards the future of defense technology. All qualified applicants will be treated with respect and receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, uniform service, Veteran status, age, or any other protected characteristic per federal, state, or local law, including those with a criminal history, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the CA Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance. We actively encourage members of recognized minorities, women, Veterans, and those with disabilities to apply, and we work to create a welcoming and supportive environment for all applicants throughout the interview process. If you are someone passionate about working on problems that have a real-world impact, we'd love to hear from you!

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