Lab Lead, Space

Anduril • Costa Mesa, CA

14h • $147,000 - $196,000

About The Position

Anduril's Space Manufacturing team is seeking a hands-on Lab Lead to oversee the day-to-day operation, readiness, and discipline of three Space Manufacturing lab spaces: an operational space lab, a temporary cleanroom under construction, and a new facility under construction, graded ISO 5–8. The spaces support development and low-rate builds of spaceflight hardware, including assembly, integration, and testing of ground support equipment, PCBA, unit-level, and integrated systems.

This is a hands-on, floor-level role focused on keeping labs and cleanrooms operating to specification. The Lab Lead maintains and troubleshoots lab equipment and facility systems, runs gowning and contamination-control routines, manages consumables and material flow, supports safety and hazardous-material handling, and keeps spaces ready for build and test. The role also coordinates vendors and specialists for work beyond its scope. As the sites scale, the Lab Lead may help onboard and guide additional technicians or specialists, with potential growth into team-lead or people-manager responsibilities.

Requirements

• At least 4 years of hands-on experience maintaining and operating lab, cleanroom, or manufacturing facility equipment and systems in a controlled production or lab environment.
• Hands-on experience diagnosing, maintaining, repairing, and troubleshooting mechanical, electrical, and facility systems, such as HVAC/air conditioning, pumps, chillers, compressors, and DI water systems.
• Ability to read and interpret procedures, manuals, and instructions.
• At least 2 years of hands-on experience working in or supporting an ISO-classified cleanroom (ISO 5–8 or equivalent) or another contamination-controlled environment, including gowning and cleanliness discipline.
• Hands-on safety experience handling and storing hazardous materials and compressed or specialty gases, including serving as a floor- or lab-level safety point of contact.
• Experience maintaining lab equipment and supporting calibration/metrology scheduling, preventive maintenance, and inventory and consumables flow to maintain equipment availability and reduce downtime.
• High school diploma or equivalent; technical training, trade certifications, military technical experience, or equivalent hands-on experience.
• Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance.
• Subject to pre-employment and randomized substance screening, as required by the company.

Nice To Haves

• Hands-on experience in aerospace, defense, semiconductor, medical-device, or optics/sensor manufacturing, including support of prototype or flight-hardware testing.
• Familiarity with ISO 5 (Class 100) operations and ESD precautions and cleanliness requirements for sensitive hardware.
• Experience helping stand up or set up a new lab or cleanroom, including equipment moves, installation, and setup.
• Hands-on experience with specialty-gas and pressure systems, such as regulators, pressure relief valves, nitrogen purge, and gloveboxes, and with hazardous-waste handling or recycling programs.
• Prior experience as a team lead or supervising or scheduling a small facilities or technician team.
• Strong organization, multitasking, and documentation discipline, and comfort working in a fast-paced, resource-limited environment.
• Active U.S. Secret or Top Secret security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Keep the three Space Manufacturing lab spaces running day to day, including gowning and anterooms, air showers, test bays, subassembly and assembly zones, and storage, so build and test work can proceed without facility-driven downtime.
• Maintain, troubleshoot, and repair lab equipment and critical components, coordinate specialists or vendors for work beyond scope, and support regularly scheduled maintenance.
• Run cleanroom contamination-control routines, including gowning and air-shower discipline, particle monitoring, certification support, and stocking and managing garments, gloves, wipes, and other consumables.
• Operate and maintain cleanroom and facility support systems, including HVAC/air conditioning, environmental monitoring, compressed and specialty gases, nitrogen purge, pumps, chillers, compressors, and DI water systems; take readings, perform scheduled servicing, and coordinate vendors for larger work.
• Serve as a floor-level safety contact by following and enforcing safe work practices, safely handling and storing hazardous materials and specialty gases, ensuring safety instructions are in place before hazardous lab work, and supporting EHS with chemical handling, permits, and inspections.
• Manage lab equipment, assets, and material flow, including tool and fixture check-in/check-out and tracking, calibration and metrology scheduling, preventive maintenance, and receiving, kitting, stores, and consumables flow in coordination with supply chain and quality.
• Maintain audit readiness by keeping cleanroom operating procedures, gowning and contamination-control work instructions, safety procedures, and certification and monitoring records current.
• Support the stand-up and transition of work into the new facility, including setting up new areas, moving and installing equipment, and winding down temporary space as capabilities move.
• Partner with AI&T, manufacturing engineering, and program teams to keep work and WIP moving across sites, and communicate statuses, issues, and suggestions clearly.
• As the sites scale, help onboard and guide additional technicians or specialists.

Benefits

• Highly competitive equity grants are included in the majority of full-time offers and are considered part of total compensation.
• Top-tier benefits for full-time employees, described as a comprehensive, competitive package available at little to no cost to employees.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: High school or GED