Senior Mechanical Engineer, Air Vehicles

Anduril Industries · Costa Mesa, California, United States

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Job Snapshot

Anduril is hiring a senior mechanical engineer for air vehicle hardware work in Costa Mesa, California. The role centers on unmanned aircraft mechanical design, subsystem integration, analysis, prototype builds, vendor and test activity, and production transition. The employer lists a U.S. base salary range of $146,000 to $194,000, with work model details not explicitly stated in the posting.

Role Overview

This Senior Mechanical Engineer, Air Vehicles role sits close to the full product cycle: early architecture, detailed mechanical design, integration, flight-test support, troubleshooting, and handoff into production. Candidates should expect a hands-on engineering environment where physics-based decisions, CAD work, hardware reviews, prototype iteration, and test execution all matter. The position is tied to unmanned air vehicles and requires the judgment to connect mechanical design choices with electrical integration, manufacturability, reliability, and real-world operation.

About Anduril Industries

Anduril Industries builds defense technology for U.S. and allied military users. The company works across autonomy, artificial intelligence, computer vision, sensor fusion, networking, and command-and-control software, including its Lattice OS platform. This opening is part of the Air Dominance and Strike mechanical engineering group, which supports advanced Group 5 air vehicle and missile-platform hardware. The team’s work spans concept development, integration, testing, and fielded use in demanding operating environments.

What You Would Work On

  • Design and integrate mechanical hardware for unmanned air vehicles.
  • Carry mechanical designs through concept work, analysis, prototype build, testing, and operational use.
  • Use first-principles engineering reasoning to guide design decisions and tradeoffs.
  • Lead design reviews, perform engineering analysis, work with vendors, and create hardware test plans.
  • Build prototypes, investigate failures, and move successful designs toward production readiness.
  • Support important customer demonstrations involving hardware performance.
  • Travel to test locations when the program requires it.

Must-Have Qualifications

  • 8 or more years of mechanical engineering experience involving air vehicles.
  • Background integrating mechanical and electrical subsystems into unmanned aircraft.
  • CAD experience for mechanical part design plus familiarity with manufacturing approaches such as machining, sheet metal, composites, additive manufacturing, injection molding, and composite layup.
  • Strong ability to apply engineering first principles in day-to-day design and analysis work.
  • Bachelor’s degree or higher in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related listed discipline.
  • Ability to qualify for and maintain a U.S. Secret security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience using NX and Teamcenter.
  • Experience creating aircraft subsystem layouts, comparing architecture options, and reviewing supplier performance data.
  • Analysis capability across structural, thermal, and electrical engineering topics.
  • Current active U.S. Secret security clearance.

Skills Breakdown

The core skill set is senior mechanical engineering for aircraft hardware: CAD design, subsystem packaging, hardware integration, manufacturing awareness, engineering analysis, and test planning. The must-have side is focused on unmanned air vehicle experience, cross-discipline integration, and clearance eligibility. The preferred side adds tool and domain depth through NX/Teamcenter, aircraft layout studies, vendor data evaluation, broader analysis capability, and an already active Secret clearance.

Salary and Compensation Clarity

The employer-provided U.S. base salary range for this role is $146,000 to $194,000. The posting states that this range is base salary only and that final pay can vary based on factors such as experience, education, training, critical skills, and business considerations. The description also notes that many full-time offers include equity grants as part of total compensation.

Benefits Mentioned

  • Comprehensive and competitive benefits package.
  • Benefits described as available at little to no cost to employees.
  • Support for health, recovery, and future needs, according to the employer’s benefits summary.

Location and Work Model

The listed job location is Costa Mesa, California, United States. The posting does not state a remote or hybrid policy, so candidates should verify schedule expectations with Anduril. Because the role involves hardware, vendors, customer demonstrations, and travel to test sites, applicants should be prepared for substantial in-person engineering and test-related work.

Frequently asked questions

What is the salary range for this Senior Mechanical Engineer role?

Anduril lists a U.S. base salary range of $146,000 to $194,000 for this position. The posting says the final offer may vary based on experience, education, training, critical skills, and business needs.

Is this job remote, hybrid, or on-site?

The job is listed in Costa Mesa, California, but the posting does not explicitly define a remote or hybrid policy. It does mention vendor visits, customer demonstrations, and travel to test sites.

What clearance is required for this position?

The must-have requirement is eligibility to obtain and maintain a U.S. Secret security clearance. An already active U.S. Secret clearance is listed as a preferred qualification.

What experience does Anduril require?

The posting requires at least 8 years of mechanical engineering experience on air vehicles, including experience integrating mechanical and electrical subsystems into unmanned air vehicles.

Which engineering tools or methods are preferred?

NX and Teamcenter experience is preferred, along with aircraft subsystem layout work, architectural trade studies, vendor performance data evaluation, and structural, thermal, and electrical analysis capability.

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