Lead Manufacturing Engineer, Design Integration, TFXJOB DESCRIPTIONS:Santa Ana, California, United States
ABOUT THE JOBTactical Effects is the team at Anduril dedicated to delivering decisive advantages to U.S. and Allied forces. To counter new threats from autonomous systems, our products like Bolt, Anvil, and Ghost are rapidly scaling in production to meet urgent customer demand.
As the
Lead Manufacturing Engineer for Design Integration, you are the critical bridge between initial design and full-rate production for these systems. You will architect the New Product Introduction (NPI) process, ensuring that manufacturability, scalability, and quality are embedded into our products from the very first concept. This is a "player-coach" role where you will both lead a small team of NPI engineers and act as the primary manufacturing partner to Design Engineering. Your mission is to develop a robust NPI playbook that enables us to launch products faster, more efficiently, and with higher first-time quality, ensuring a seamless handover to the sustaining production teams.
WHAT YOU'LL DO- Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing team of MFG Engineers establishing the standards of excellence for NPI at Anduril.
- Architect and own the NPI playbook for the Tactical Effects division, creating and refining the standardized processes, phase gates, and checklists that govern the transition from design to production.
- Act as the primary manufacturing partner to Design Engineering from the earliest concept phase, providing critical DFM/DFA (Design for Manufacturability/Assembly) feedback to influence product architecture, part design, and material selection.
- Serve as the key liaison between the upstream design teams and the downstream product line Manufacturing Leads (e.g., Bolt Lead, Anvil Lead, Ghost Lead), ensuring all stakeholders (including the MFG Test Lead and Remanufacturing Lead) are aligned for a smooth production handover.
- Lead the technical transition of new products, including Bolt, Anvil, and Ghost, from prototype builds to rate production, overseeing build readiness reviews, initial line design, tooling preparation, and capacity analysis modeling.
- Drive critical early-stage manufacturing decisions, including facilitating Make vs. Buy analysis, supplier selection for key components, and initial tooling/fixture strategy.
- Own the creation and validation of the initial manufacturing bill of materials (MBOM) and preliminary work instructions, ensuring they are ready to scale.
- Analyze design changes for manufacturing impact, providing rapid and decisive feedback to the design team on cost, schedule, and quality implications.
- Champion a data-driven approach to NPI by establishing key metrics to track the success of product launches and identify areas for process improvement.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related technical field.
- 4+ years of experience in a manufacturing environment with a strong focus on New Product Introduction (NPI), manufacturing engineering, or design engineering.
- 1+ years of demonstrated experience in a leadership capacity (direct people management or cross-functional technical lead).
- Expert-level knowledge of Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA) principles.
- Proficiency in 3D CAD software (e.g., Siemens NX, SolidWorks, CATIA) for design review and interrogation.
- Broad knowledge of manufacturing processes, including CNC machining, sheet metal, composites, PCBA fabrication, and complex system assembly.
- Proven ability to lead projects and influence cross-functional teams (Design, Supply Chain, Quality) in a fast-paced environment.
- Must be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. Secret security clearance.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS- Master's degree in an engineering discipline or an MBA.
- Direct experience building an NPI process or DFM program from the ground up.
- Experience in the aerospace, defense, or automotive industries.
- Experience with Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems (e.g., Teamcenter) and Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES).
- Experience transitioning products to both internal production lines and external contract manufacturers.
- Previously held or currently active U.S. Security Clearance.
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:
BenefitsAt 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.
