Program Manager, Southern Border

Anduril Industries • Irvine, CA

23h • Onsite

About The Position

The Air Defense team is responsible for developing and fielding CUAS capabilities around the world. We are seeking a Program Manager to join our growing team focused on protecting critical national security assets within the United States. This role is designed for a strong operator who will help scale our domestic, civilian, and commercial deployments, with a specific focus on supporting operational missions along the Southern Border. Operating CUAS capabilities inside the United States requires a combination of technical rigor, operational excellence, and regulatory awareness. Our systems must integrate seamlessly with civilian airspace operations while meeting federal, state, and local legal authorities governing counter-drone activity. Deployments must also integrate with active military and interagency operations, often in austere, remote, and communications-constrained environments with evolving threat profiles. Our customers depend on precise execution, regulatory compliance, and professional fielding in environments where safety, legal authority, and public trust are paramount. This role is responsible for driving program execution to protect critical infrastructure, government facilities, and operational mission sets along the Southern Border. You will serve as the operational expert for domestic Air Defense deployments—ensuring systems, personnel, training, documentation, and regulatory requirements are aligned for mission success. You will build repeatable deployment processes, manage cross-functional coordination, and serve as the connective tissue between technical teams and customers, including DoD and interagency partners operating at the tactical and operational levels. You will operate at the intersection of technology development, operational deployment, and customer engagement - serving as a key integrator across teams and ensuring the program executes effectively and efficiently at scale. You will directly support program cost, schedule, risk management, executive reporting, and strategic execution, while ensuring alignment with real-world operational constraints present in border security missions. This role is ideal for an operator who thrives in ambiguity, is comfortable in front of customers and executives, wants to scale at speed, and build long-term sustainable operations in dynamic, mission-critical environments.

Requirements

• 6+ years of experience in deployment operations, defense programs, aerospace systems, logistics, or technical project management
• Demonstrated experience managing complex, cross-functional programs involving hardware and software systems in high-stakes or regulated environments
• Experience coordinating with third-party vendors for the installation, integration, and sustainment of hardware and software components
• Experience integrating and fielding systems within operational military or interagency environments
• Experience working with domestic government entities, critical infrastructure operators, or regulated commercial customers
• Strong operational rigor—ability to build structured plans, manage concurrent workstreams, and execute against tight timelines
• Proven ability to cut through ambiguity and drive cross-functional alignment without formal authority
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; comfortable briefing senior leadership and customer executives, including military leadership
• Willingness to travel up to 30% as program and deployment needs require, including travel to remote and austere locations along the Southern Border
• Eligible to obtain and maintain a SECRET security clearance

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with the domestic CUAS operating environment with direct experience work on sensor networks, autonomy, or ISR platforms
• Operational knowledge and experience with deployment of technology in austere or remote environments, particularly along the southern border
• Understanding of Counter-UAS (C-UAS) systems and technologies beyond the Anduril family of systems
• Experience integrating first-party and third-party CUAS systems into a unified operational architecture
• Knowledge of FAA coordination, regulatory compliance, and operational integration within civilian infrastructure
• Familiarity with military command structures, operational planning processes (MDMP or similar), and C2 systems
• Prior experience in a Deputy Program Manager, Program Analyst, or Technical Program Management role
• Familiarity with domestic airspace regulations, FAA coordination, or CUAS legal frameworks
• Background in DoD, DHS, or critical infrastructure protection programs
• Experience scaling operations from early-stage deployments to sustained production and fielding
• MBA or advanced degree in Business, Public Policy, Engineering, or a related technical discipline

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain program execution frameworks, milestones, and reporting structures to ensure alignment across technical and operational teams
• Drive program coordination across engineering, product, growth, compliance, supply chain, and field operations teams supporting Southern Border missions
• Develop executive-level reporting, dashboards, and briefings to communicate program health and progress to leadership and government stakeholders
• Identify program risks early and drive mitigation strategies across technical and operational stakeholders, including risks associated with austere environments, communications limitations, and evolving threat tactics
• Ensure program execution aligns with applicable federal, state, and local regulatory frameworks governing domestics - CUAS operations, as well as DoD and DHS operational requirements where applicable
• Coordinate with regulatory and policy stakeholders to support deployments operating within FAA, DHS, DoD, and other relevant authorities
• Serve as subject matter expert to ensure operational concepts and deployment strategies reflect real-world legal and regulatory constraints as well as operational realities in active border security environments
• Support integration of CUAS capabilities into existing military and interagency command structures, concepts of operation (CONOPS), and the Standing Rules for the Use of Force (SRUF)
• Oversee planning and coordination of CUAS deployments — from planning and logistics through on-site activation to long-term sustainment, particularly in remote and infrastructure-limited border regions
• Develop structured deployment plans, readiness gates, and operational checklists to ensure repeatable execution
• Coordinate cross-functional teams to deliver mission-ready capabilities to customer sites
• Coordinate with third-party vendors for the installation, integration, and sustainment of hardware components at deployment sites, including integration of third-party CUAS and sensor systems
• Ensure successful integration and fusion of multiple sensor inputs and software systems into a unified operational picture within C2 environments
• Lead after-action reviews and capture lessons learned to continuously improve deployment velocity and quality, incorporating feedback from operational users in the field
• Serve as senior program representative during key deployments and operational activities, including forward-deployed environments along the Southern Border
• Ensure clear, proactive communication across internal stakeholders and external customers
• Drive stakeholder alignment across technical, operational, and regulatory teams to ensure program decisions are made quickly, transparently, and in support of mission success
• Ensure coordination between program leadership, field operations, and customer stakeholders to maintain readiness and program credibility
• Coordinate closely with DoD units, DHS components (including CBP), and other interagency partners to ensure seamless operational integration and mission alignment

Benefits

• Highly competitive equity grants
• Comprehensive, competitive benefits package (available at little to no cost to employees) ensures you’re supported in health, recovery, and whatever comes next.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed