Prototype Manufacturing Engineer, Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Anduril • Costa Mesa, CA

7d • Onsite

About The Position

Anduril's Air Dominance & Strike (AD&S) Manufacturing Engineering team is seeking a Prototype Manufacturing Engineer to execute first builds and prototype manufacturing across our mechanical, structural, thermal management, and fluid systems (fuel, hydraulics, pneumatics) subsystems. This role spans the full AD&S portfolio of autonomous aircraft, cruise missiles, and loitering munitions – and is designed for an engineer who thrives in ambiguity, builds hardware with incomplete inputs, and treats every first build as an opportunity to generate the manufacturing knowledge that makes future production possible. As a Prototype ME, you are the first manufacturing engineer on a new build. You will work from incomplete design definitions – often without released drawings or established work instructions – to figure out how hardware goes together, build the first units, and document what you learn. Your output is not just a built prototype; it is the MVP work instructions, preliminary BOM structure, buildability feedback, and lessons learned that the DFx and SME teams use to drive producibility improvements and prepare for rate production. You are the bridge between a design engineer's intent and the physical reality of how something gets built for the first time. This is a cross-program role. You will move between AD&S programs based on where first builds are happening, bringing a consistent methodology to new hardware regardless of the product line. You will work closely with design engineers, DFx engineers, SME manufacturing engineers, and production technicians. The pace is fast, the inputs are messy, and the expectation is that you bring order to chaos – one build at a time.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in manufacturing engineering, prototype/development manufacturing, or NPI with hands-on involvement in building new hardware – not just sustaining existing production lines.
• Demonstrated experience executing first builds or first-article production of mechanical or electromechanical hardware with incomplete or evolving design inputs.
• Practical knowledge of mechanical manufacturing and assembly processes: CNC machining, sheet metal fabrication, welding, mechanical fastening, composite fabrication, tube bending/swaging, adhesive bonding, and mechanical integration.
• Ability to read mechanical drawings, interpret GD&T, and work from 3D models – and the judgment to know when something in the model won't work on the shop floor.
• Experience writing work instructions, assembly procedures, or process documentation – you've captured a build process well enough that someone else could repeat it.
• Strong communication skills and a willingness to give direct, specific design feedback to design engineers. You are not just flagging problems – you are proposing solutions.
• Comfort working across multiple programs simultaneously, shifting between products as first-build needs arise.
• A genuine interest in building things and a drive to figure out how hardware goes together.
• Personal experience in a machine shop, fabrication shop, or working on hardware (machining, welding, assembly, personal projects) is a strong plus.
• Self-directed and resourceful – you don't wait for complete inputs or perfect information. You find what you need, make reasonable assumptions, and close the loop.
• Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export controlled information or facilities.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in aerospace or defense prototype/development manufacturing, particularly with structural, thermal, or fluid system hardware.
• Exposure to Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) builds, integration test articles, or similar one-off/low-volume integration hardware.
• Familiarity with AS9100 or similar quality management systems – enough to understand how prototype builds connect to production quality requirements.
• Proficiency in CAD software (NX, CATIA, SolidWorks, or similar) sufficient to navigate models and identify manufacturing concerns independently.
• Experience with composite manufacturing processes (layup, cure, bonding, machining) in a prototype or development context.
• Experience with fluid system assembly – tube routing, fitting installation, leak testing, cleanliness requirements.
• Familiarity with BOM management, ERP systems, or PLM tools used to structure manufacturing data.
• Experience developing or sourcing prototype tooling and fixtures.
• Currently possesses and is able to maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Execute first builds of new mechanical, structural, thermal, and fluid system hardware across AD&S programs, working from preliminary or incomplete design inputs (unreleased models, draft drawings, verbal direction from design engineers).
• Develop MVP work instructions during and immediately after first builds – capturing assembly sequences, tooling needs, critical dimensions, torque values, and process notes sufficient for a technician to repeat the build.
• Establish preliminary BOM structures (Make/Buy determinations) based on first-build experience, identifying which components should be fabricated internally, procured, or sent to contract manufacturers.
• Provide structured design feedback to design engineers based on first-build observations – specifically addressing buildability, checkability (can you inspect it?), and repeatability (can someone else build it the same way?).
• Document lessons learned from every first build and feed them directly to DFx engineers for incorporation into formal DFM/DFA reviews and design trade studies.
• Build and support Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) units – Ironbirds, Copperbirds, and similar integration test articles – where the build method is undefined and must be figured out from scratch.
• Identify and resolve manufacturing issues in real time on the shop floor during first builds, including fit/interference problems, fastener access issues, routing conflicts, and assembly sequence challenges.
• Develop or source prototype tooling, fixtures, and assembly aids needed for first builds – balancing speed with enough rigor that the tooling concept can inform production tooling decisions later.
• Work with SME manufacturing engineers to validate process assumptions – confirming that the manufacturing processes assumed in design (welding methods, composite layup approaches, tube forming techniques, adhesive bonding sequences) are feasible as designed.
• Support the transition of hardware from prototype to early production by ensuring first-build documentation, lessons learned, and BOM structures are complete and transferred to the product-owning ME team.
• Collaborate with quality engineering to identify inspection points and acceptance criteria that emerge from first-build experience – particularly for characteristics not yet captured in drawings or specifications.
• Travel to production sites, supplier facilities, and integration locations to support first builds and prototype campaigns (~15-20%, depending on program needs).

Benefits

• Highly competitive equity grants are included in the majority of full time offers; and are considered part of Anduril's total compensation package.
• Top-tier benefits for full-time employees, including: 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: Mid Level