Staff Software Engineer, Ghost

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 Tactical Recon & Strike team at Anduril develops aerial small drones (Group 1-3) and all equipment to test, deploy and operate. The team is responsible for taking products like Ghost, Anvil, Bolt and Altius from concepts to operational systems. We work in close coordination with specialist teams to solve some of the hardest problems facing our customers. We are looking for software engineers, hardware engineers, roboticists, and front-end mobile developers who are excited about creating a powerful robotics platform that can be tasked and viewed in real-time through a variety of interfaces.

ABOUT THE JOB

As a Staff Robotics Software Engineer on our TRS team, you'll be at the forefront of cutting-edge autonomous systems development. You'll tackle diverse challenges in autonomy, systems integration, robotics, and networking, making critical engineering decisions that directly impact mission success. Your role will be pivotal in ensuring Anduril's products work seamlessly together to achieve a variety of crucial outcomes. You'll develop innovative solutions for complex robotics problems, balance pragmatic engineering trade-offs with mission-critical requirements, and collaborate across teams to integrate software with hardware systems. Contributing to the entire product lifecycle, from concept to deployment, you'll rapidly prototype and iterate on software solutions. We're looking for someone who thrives in a fast-paced environment and isn't afraid to tackle ambiguous problems. Your "Whatever It Takes" mindset will be key in executing tasks efficiently, scalably, and pragmatically, always keeping the mission at the forefront of your work. This role offers the opportunity to make a significant impact on next-generation defense technology, working with state-of-the-art robotics and autonomous systems. You'll be part of a team that values innovation, quick iteration, and delivering high-quality solutions that meet real-world needs.

Must be eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance. This position will be located at our headquarters in Costa Mesa, CA (relocation benefits provided.)

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Develop and maintain core robotics libraries, including frame transformations, targeting, and guidance systems, that will be utilized across all Anduril robotics platforms
• Lead the development and implementation of major features for our products, such as designing and building Software-in-the-Loop simulators for advanced systems like Anvil
• Optimize performance of existing products, including tasks like improving battery consumption and route planning for our Ghost helicopter
  • Ghost is the main platform where we regularly integrate new/unique robotics sensors and payloads.
• Collaborate closely with hardware and manufacturing teams throughout the product development lifecycle, providing timely feedback to influence and enhance final hardware designs
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex issues in deployed systems, ensuring optimal performance in the field
  • Our assets are the only ones in TRS designed to be non-attritable, so we place a special emphasis on product reliability over many usage cycles.
• Contribute to the design and implementation of multi-agent coordination systems for UAVs
• Participate in the full software development lifecycle, from concept and design through testing and deployment
• Stay current with emerging technologies and industry trends, recommending and implementing innovations to improve our products and processes

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Robotics, Computer Science, or related field
• 7+ years  of professional software development experience
• Strong proficiency in C++ or Rust, with experience in Linux development environments
• Demonstrated expertise in data structures, algorithms, concurrency, and code optimization
• Proven experience troubleshooting and analyzing remotely deployed software systems
• Hands-on experience working with and testing electrical and mechanical systems
• Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including hardware and manufacturing
• Strong problem-solving skills and a "Whatever It Takes" mindset
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
• Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance
• Willingness to relocate to Costa Mesa, CA 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Master's or Ph.D. in a relevant field (e.g., Robotics, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering)
• Expertise in one or more advanced robotics areas: motion planning, perception, localization, mapping, or controls
• Experience with performance optimization and metrics for complex robotic systems
• Proficiency in Python, Rust, and/or Go, in addition to C++
• Hands-on experience programming for embedded systems and physical devices
• Background in multi-agent coordination, particularly with UAVs
• Demonstrated ability to solve complex frame transformation problems (e.g., target localization, multi-degree-of-freedom robotic arms)
• Experience with real-time operating systems and distributed computing
• Familiarity with machine learning and AI applications in robotics
• Knowledge of sensor fusion techniques and implementation
• Understanding of aerodynamics and flight dynamics as applied to UAV systems
• Experience with simulation environments for robotics testing and development
• Track record of contributions to open-source robotics projects or relevant publications

US Salary Range

$253,000—$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: 

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:
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  • 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.