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.
Anduril is seeking a Lead for the electric propulsion system to join the Omen team at our Costa Mesa HQ. Omen is Anduril’s hover-to-cruise autonomous air vehicle (AAV) that packs the endurance, payload, and mission flexibility of much larger airplanes into a novel runway-independent Group 3 platform. Omen can operate from ship decks, beaches, or remote island clearings, providing true runway independence and freedom of maneuver across defense and civilian domains. Omen is the first tail-sitter aircraft with a mass-production contract, with an order of 50 systems representing a decisive investment that anchors production and accelerates the development of future systems.
You will work on new aircraft development in a lean, high-ownership culture where you directly shape the product and operate at a velocity to fly new designs within months, not years.
In this role, you will lead the design, development, and integration of Omen's advanced electric propulsion system. You will own the electric powertrain architecture from concept through production, optimizing for the unique demands of a tail-sitter platform including VTOL operations, efficient cruise flight, and charging. As the electric propulsion Lead, you will work closely with program leadership and cross-functional teammates to deliver a high-performance, reliable solution which seamlessly integrates with the rotor systems, powerplant, and cooling systems. You will own the propeller drive system as well as electric components of the on-board power generation, including battery, power management, and power conversion. You will drive component selection, manage supplier relationships, lead testing and validation efforts, and ensure the electric propulsion systems meet performance and integration requirements. This is a hands-on high ownership role where you will tackle hard technical problems, be the expert, and play a critical role in bringing a groundbreaking aircraft platform to operational reality. Join our dynamic team and help us build the next generation of autonomous flight systems.
WHAT YOU'LL DO
- Own the design of electric propulsion systems including motors, battery, inverters, and high voltage power management
- Lead electric performance analysis, voltage and thermal modeling, and energy optimization studies to meet mission requirements for electrical loads.
- Lead the development and execution of test plans for electric propulsion subsystems and combined power generation, including ground test stands, HILs, and flight test, building up to system verification to ensure compliance with project goals and industry standards
- Define and validate technical performance measures including power, efficiency, thermal limits, and fault tolerance across all operating modes
- Engage suppliers and create detailed technical specifications and interface control documents for electric propulsion components and assemblies as required
- Collaborate with other teams for solutions on system packaging, structural/thermal interfaces, and thrust/power control architectures
- Manage development schedules and technical risks in coordination with program management
- High-ownership and a bias toward action – if you see a problem, you want to fix it
- Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineer, Robotics, Physics, or related technical discipline
- 12+ professional years or be recognized as a seasoned expert with significant influence in their field
- Experience in engineering leadership and project execution for aerospace, automotive, or defense sectors with focus on electric or hybrid propulsion
- In depth knowledge of electric motors, generators, power electronics, battery systems, thermal management, and energy storage architectures
- Hands-on experience with propulsion system development, testing, and integration for aerospace platforms
- Strong project management skills, with experience using tools like JIRA and Confluence, and knowledge of Agile and Waterfall methodologies
- Exceptional communication and stakeholder management abilities, capable of engaging effectively with both technical teams and non-technical partners
- Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance
- Travel to test sites and vendors as needed
- Direct experience developing hybrid-electric or electric propulsion systems for aircraft, rotorcraft, eVTOL, or UAS platforms
- Proven track record leading propulsion systems through full qualification campaigns from early development through flight test and production
- Experience with propulsion system modeling and simulation tools
- Familiarity with aviation environmental and EMI standards (MIL-STD-810, MIL-STD-461, DO-160, or equivalent) and qualification campaigns for flight hardware
- Experience with Formula SAE, Baja SAE, Design Build Fly, or similar competitive engineering programs demonstrating hands-on vehicle integration experience
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:
Healthcare Benefits
- US Roles: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans at little to no cost to you.
- UK & AUS Roles: We cover full cost of medical insurance premiums for you and your dependents.
- IE Roles: We offer an annual contribution toward your private health insurance for you and your dependents.
Additional Benefits
- Income Protection: Anduril covers life and disability insurance for all employees.
- Generous time off: Highly competitive PTO plans with a holiday hiatus in December. Caregiver & Wellness Leave is available to care for family members, bond with a new baby, or address your own medical needs.
- Family Planning & Parenting Support: Coverage for fertility treatments (e.g., IVF, preservation), adoption, and gestational carriers, along with resources to support you and your partner from planning to parenting.
- Mental Health Resources: Access free mental health resources 24/7, including therapy and life coaching. Additional work-life services, such as legal and financial support, are also available.
- Professional Development: Annual reimbursement for professional development
- Commuter Benefits: Company-funded commuter benefits based on your region.
- Relocation Assistance: Available depending on role eligibility.
Retirement Savings Plan
- US Roles: Traditional 401(k), Roth, and after-tax (mega backdoor Roth) options.
- UK & IE Roles: Pension plan with employer match.
- AUS Roles: Superannuation plan.
The recruiter assigned to this role can share more information about the specific compensation and benefit details associated with this role during the hiring process.
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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: Our recruiters will only email you 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.
To view Anduril's candidate data privacy policy, please visit https://anduril.com/applicant-privacy-notice/.
Top Skills
Anduril Costa Mesa, California, USA Office
Anduril HQ is located in sunny Costa Mesa, California. Once a working newsroom, printing press and distribution facility for the LA Times, our office — dubbed “The Press” — has robust facilities for software & hardware engineering, business development and mission operations, G&A and more!
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