Mechanical Engineer, Lead

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.

About The Job

Anduril is seeking a Mechanical Engineer, Lead to join the team at our Costa Mesa HQ. Here you will lead core product development for drones and complex systems, including but not limited to optical gimbals, batteries, mechanisms, structures, sensors and payloads. This role requires expert-level ownership of complete product integration and execution, with strategic influence across multiple teams and disciplines.

Required Qualifications

• 7+ years of progressive mechanical/design experience, including 3+ years in technical leadership roles managing engineering teams
• Demonstrated wholistic ownership of challenging technical problems and multiple complete products or product families from concept through production
• Expert CAD skills with exceptional quality suitable as templates and training materials
• Expertise in structures, thermal management, and mechanisms, with depth in electrical integration
• Proven ability to set the standard for technical work within a group
• Expert in standard manufacturing methods with capability to explore adjacent fields, including designing for manufacturability and scale
• Strong engineering judgment to right-size solutions based on product maturity
• Demonstrated ability to understand and communicate the full picture of technical value in terms of finance, impact, and position to the business
• Excellence in delivering clear, complex ideas in writing and speech through polished technical documents, reports, and presentations
• Proven track record of mentoring multiple teams and driving cross-functional initiatives
• Able to drive technical work through influence and leadership, with potential to transition into people management roles
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent work experience

Preferred Qualifications

• Expert proficiency in Solidworks or NX, and PLM systems
• Mastery of GD&T application and ability to define standards for others
• Deep expertise in multiple manufacturing methods: CNC machining, composites, sheet metal, injection molding, PCBA integration, with ability to lead adoption of new methods
• Exceptional leadership and interpersonal skills with demonstrated ability to influence across the organization
• Expert-level experience designing for rugged environments
• Strong understanding of electro-mechanical and electrical design concepts
• Significant depth in one or two focus areas of Mechanical Engineering, building towards becoming an expert