Manufacturing Engineer II, Autonomous Airpower

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 Air Dominance and Strike Division is one of Anduril’s fastest growing, most technically complex divisions. We develop and build collaborative combat aircraft, missiles, and the software that powers these autonomous weapons. We are scaling production of autonomous aircraft across our manufacturing facilities. Manufacturing Engineering drives process development, production readiness, and the transition from prototype to rate — ensuring that what Design engineers create can be built reliably, repeatedly, and at scale. About The Job Anduril is seeking a Manufacturing Engineer II to join the Autonomous Airpower manufacturing team in Costa Mesa, California. You will own portions of the manufacturing value chain for autonomous aircraft hardware — implementing and refining manufacturing processes to hit production targets and quality standards. This role spans the full breadth of manufacturing engineering disciplines and may focus on one or more of the following areas depending on your background: structures and composites, mechanical systems (landing gear, doors, actuators), fluid systems (hydraulic, fuel, pneumatic), propulsion integration, avionics, or harnessing and electrical integration. At this level, you are expected to execute manufacturing engineering projects with moderate supervision, manage your own timelines and priorities, and begin mentoring junior engineers and technicians. You bring solid manufacturing fundamentals, hands-on experience on a production floor, and the ability to analyze workflows, identify bottlenecks, and drive targeted improvements. You are comfortable designing tooling and fixtures, troubleshooting production issues in real time, and translating technical constraints into actionable information for cross-functional partners. What You’ll Do Own the manufacturing value chain for assigned aircraft subsystems or assemblies — from process development through work instruction authoring, tooling definition, and production supportImplement and refine manufacturing processes to achieve production targets and quality standards for your subsystemsAnalyze current workflows to identify bottlenecks and drive targeted cycle time reductionsAuthor and maintain work instructions, quality plans, inspection requirements, and manufacturing BOMs that enable technicians to build hardware consistentlyProficiently utilize CAD software to design tooling, fixtures, and production layouts for aircraft assembliesProvide DFM/DFA feedback to design engineering, communicating manufacturing constraints and suggesting alternatives based on hands-on production experienceExecute assigned manufacturing engineering projects — managing timelines, coordinating with vendors and internal teams, and tracking progress to engineering leadershipTroubleshoot production issues in real time, developing practical solutions to minimize downtime on the factory floorApply Lean and Six Sigma tools (5S, value stream mapping, FMEA) to specific production areas and lead smaller improvement initiativesMentor junior engineers and technicians, providing guidance on routine assignments and manufacturing best practices What We're Looking For 4+ years of manufacturing engineering experience in aerospace, defense, or complex hardware production environmentsBachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Manufacturing, Electrical, or Industrial Engineering or equivalent hands-on manufacturing experienceDemonstrated experience implementing and refining manufacturing processes on a production floorExperience authoring work instructions, manufacturing plans, and quality documentation for hardware buildsProficiency with CAD tools (CATIA, SolidWorks, NX, or equivalent) for tooling and fixture designExperience managing manufacturing engineering projects including timelines, vendor coordination, and resource allocationHands-on troubleshooting experience in a production environmentEligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance Preferred Qualifications Experience in one or more of the following: composite structures, mechanical systems (landing gear, flight controls, doors), fluid systems (hydraulic, fuel, pneumatic), propulsion, avionics integration, or wire harness manufacturingExperience transitioning hardware from prototype or first-article builds to rate productionExperience with aircraft or autonomous vehicle assemblyKnowledge of AS9100, aerospace quality systems, and non-conformance management processesExperience applying Lean, Six Sigma, or structured continuous improvement methodologiesExperience working with Teamcenter, SAP, Oracle, or similar PLM/ERP platformsActive U.S. Secret security clearance US Salary Range $129,000—$171,000 USD Benefits 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: 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. 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