Senior Mechanical Engineer - Lethality

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 TEAM  

The Lethality team is a diverse, multidisciplinary group with one common goal: to enable Anduril products to achieve decisive effects on target. The team brings over 100 years of combined experience designing, analyzing, manufacturing, testing, and fielding ordnance assemblies designed for complex operational environments. 

Our engineers and technicians work closely with multiple business lines to provide core warhead and explosives expertise for Anduril. This vertically integrated approach allows us to design and develop payload solutions directly alongside the delivery vehicle, enabling Anduril to provide the warfighter operational capabilities faster than ever before. 

The Lethality team operates with a strong bias toward execution and a hands-on commitment to delivering on schedule. Team members are expected to take ownership, work directly with vehicle teams, collaborate across engineering and operations, and rapidly turn technical concepts into reliable, safe, and performant systems that can be produced and deployed at scale 

ABOUT THE JOB  

Our warfighters need lethal systems capable of deterring our adversaries and defending our allies. The Anduril Lethality Team  is looking for a Senior/Staff Mechanical Engineer  who is up for the challenge: lead new warhead designs from prototype to production at Anduril speed. This role is focused on warhead mechanical design, platform integration, modeling and simulation, performance testing, qualification assessment, and transition to production. 

Yes, you heard that right! We want to pay you to blow stuff up! 

This role is a strong fit for creative engineers who are willing to learn and want to take ownership in leading a program developing new mechanical designs from the ground up. We are a hands-on, fast-paced team working on technically demanding systems where mechanical design and system safety have a direct impact on mission outcomes. 

At the Senior level, a background in warhead design is strongly preferred but not required. Strong mechanical concept development skills, hands-on experience leading teams to develop complex systems, and a continued desire to learn are the keys to being successful in this role. 

WHAT YOU'LL DO  

• Lead warhead and complex ordnance/munitions system designs from prototype to production. 
• Develop mechanical designs, drawings, specifications, test procedures, technical reports, and engineering documentation. 
• Create high-fidelity prototype assemblies and assess performance through rigorous testing. 
• Execute and manage arena, ground, flight, and system-level testing of munitions products, including high-speed video capture, data analysis, and design iteration based on results. 
• Develop project plans, program schedules, design-of-experiments, and coordinate safety protocols. 
• Work with vendors, suppliers, and subcontractors supporting critical design, prototype, test, and production efforts. 
• Support the assembly and disassembly of explosive test articles and precision targets. 
• Operate in a fast-paced environment where engineers learn quickly, take ownership, and execute with urgency. 

IMPACT YOU'LL HAVE  

• Deliver Mission-Critical Defense Capabilities: Your warhead and munitions systems will directly enhance national security and protect those who serve on the front lines. 
• Own End-to-End Product Development: Take full ownership of complex mechanical systems from initial concept through prototype, testing, qualification, and transition to production-delivering capabilities at unprecedented speed.
• Shape Mission Outcomes Through Engineering Excellence: Apply mechanical engineering fundamentals to systems where performance, reliability, manufacturability, and safety converge to determine success in the field.
• Solve Complex Problems Across Disciplines: Partner with analysis, test, safety, manufacturing, vehicle integration, and operations teams to tackle engineering challenges that push the boundaries of defense technology. 

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS  

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related discipline, or equivalent combination of education and work experience.
• 8+ years of professional mechanical design experience taking physical hardware from initial concept through fabrication and functional test.
• Proficiency in parametric 3D CAD (NX, SolidWorks, or Creo) and modern PLM/PDM environments (e.g., Teamcenter).
• Working knowledge of engineering drawings and practical application of ASME Y14.5 GD&T and tolerance stack-up analysis.
• Hands-on prototyping and fabrication experience, including root-cause analysis of manufacturing and hardware defects.
• Coursework or professional experience applying statics, dynamics, material selection, heat transfer, and structural mechanics to hardware design problems.
• Must be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. Security Clearance.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Master's degree or PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field.
• Prior experience in defense, aerospace, or other highly regulated hardware development environments.
• Proficiency with FEA tools (Abaqus, ANSYS, or equivalent) for structural, thermal, or dynamic analysis.
• Experience with naval ordnance, warheads, energetic materials, DoD weapons safety boards, high-rate dynamic modeling, or live-fire arena testing.
• Active U.S. Security Clearance (DoD Secret, Top Secret, or DOE Q).

ADDITIONAL REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AT STAFF LEVEL  

• 10-15+ years' experience leading cross-functional teams to develop, analyze, and test  new  design concepts. 
• Experience in design and testing of ordnance/munitions systems. 

US Salary Range

$166,000—$270,000 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: 

Benefits

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. For more information, Explore Our Benefits.

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 [email protected]. 

• 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 [email protected]. 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/. 

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.