Staff Development Engineer

Anduril • Costa Mesa, CA

2d • Onsite

About The Position

ABOUT THE TEAM Enterprise Test Capabilities (ETC) develops, operates, and scales the shared physical test infrastructure, technical expertise, and execution systems required to validate Anduril's products across the company. The team provides specialized testing that is capital-intensive, technically complex, safety-critical, or broadly reusable across multiple programs, spanning environmental testing (thermal, vibration, shock, HALT, TVAC), battery testing (cell/module/pack characterization, abuse testing, BMS validation), propulsion testing (engine test cells, thrust/torque measurement, fuel/feed systems), aerodynamic testing (wind tunnel operations, flow visualization, force/moment measurement), and structural testing. We partner with product test teams from early development through qualification and sustainment to identify technical risk, select appropriate test methods, execute testing safely, and generate trusted engineering evidence. The test operations team within ETC owns the lab facilities, equipment fleet, calibration program, and operational support team that keeps this diverse test enterprise running. Within ETC is the Internal Capabilities Development (ICD) team, which develops the equipment and test capabilities used by ETC and the broader product teams (Ground Systems, Maritime, Space, Air Dominance & Strike, and Drones). Over the last 3 years, ICD has built large-scale test equipment that has consistently beaten competitive build-vs-buy requests and timelines. We are the "tiger team" that enables Test & Evaluation (T&E) to move at a high pace. Our ground-up builds include Walk-In Thermal Chambers, shipping-container-sized static-fire test stands, Salt Fog chambers, Server Electrical & Heat Load Simulators, Modular Test Chambers, Sand & Dust chambers, and other environmental test equipment built to the MIL-STD-810H standard. ABOUT THE JOB We are seeking a Staff Development Engineer to join the Internal Capabilities Development (ICD) team within ETC in Costa Mesa, CA. This is a hands-on technical leadership role for an engineer who can take a large-scale test capability from concept to commissioned hardware while building the team and processes that let ICD scale. You will design and build equipment to MIL-STD-810H requirements (thermal chambers, static-fire stands, load systems, environmental chambers, and more), owning the mechanical design, fabrication packages, structural and hydraulic considerations, electrical integration, and controls/DAQ that make these systems work. This role is primarily mechanical, though strong candidates from Electrical or Aerospace backgrounds with solid mechanical design, machining, assembly, and fabrication fundamentals will be considered. You are equally comfortable producing a fabrication drawing package for our machine shop (or external shop) and working hands-on with laser cutting, waterjet, welding, and assembly on the floor. You will lead a small team of engineers, technicians, and interns (2–5 people), take ambiguous capability needs and run with them, and escalate only critical decisions. You will also bring structure to how ICD works by standardizing intake, design reviews, documentation, and build processes as the team grows.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering (Electrical or Aerospace Engineering also considered)
• 8+ years of hands-on experience designing and building test equipment or complex electromechanical systems
• 2+ years leading or mentoring engineers or technicians (formal or informal), ideally teams of 2–5
• Expert mechanical design and CAD proficiency (SolidWorks, NX, or equivalent), including fabrication drawings and GD&T
• Basic hands-on fabrication experience, including any of the following: welding, cnc machining or 3D printing, and assembly
• Ability to delegate to technicians and correct drawing callouts for machine shop to perform: welding, bending, laser cutting, waterjet, machining, and assembly
• Experience designing and integrating hydraulic and/or pneumatic systems
• Working knowledge of PLC controls, NI DAQ/LabVIEW, electrical enclosures, and instrumentation, sufficient to design, integrate, and direct others
• Demonstrated ability to own ambiguous problems end-to-end and deliver working hardware with minimal oversight
• Experience establishing or improving engineering processes in a fast-paced, high-mix environment
• Eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. Security Clearance

Nice To Haves

• Experience building large-scale environmental test equipment to MIL-STD-810H (thermal, salt fog, sand & dust, vibration, etc.)
• Experience with static-fire stands, dynamometers, or thrust/torque measurement systems
• Pressure-vessel design or testing experience (ASME BPVC, proof/burst)
• Structural analysis/FEA experience for test fixtures and load frames
• Closed-loop servo-hydraulic control experience (MTS, Instron, or equivalent)
• HMI or SCADA development for custom equipment
• Measurement uncertainty analysis and GR&R experience
• Experience with defense or aerospace test programs

Responsibilities

• Lead development of large-scale test capabilities from requirements and concept through overseeing fabrication, hands-on assembly work, commissioning equipment, and handoff to Development Teams
• Own mechanical design and CAD for custom test equipment, including structural, thermal/environmental, and hydraulic/pneumatic subsystems, designed to MIL-STD-810H test methods
• Produce fabrication-ready drawing packages (GD&T, weldments, sheet metal, machined parts) and work directly with our in-house machine/fabrication shop
• Personally perform and oversee fabrication work, including laser cutting, waterjet, welding, machining, and assembly
• Lead, mentor, and set technical direction for a team of 2–5 engineers, technicians, and interns
• Triage incoming capability requests, set priorities, and escalate only critical decisions to leadership
• Establish and standardize ICD processes, including request intake, design reviews, build procedures, documentation, and handoff criteria
• Oversee integration of PLC controls, LabVIEW/NI DAQ, instrumentation, and electrical enclosures across builds
• Lead build-vs-buy assessments and make the case for internal builds where ICD can beat vendor cost and timeline
• Partner with ETC and product teams as the capability-development subject matter expert, and support design and test readiness reviews on feasibility, risk, and safety
• Drive safety culture across lab and build spaces, and ensure proper maintenance of capital equipment
• Travel to test sites and remote labs as needed to support builds, field testing, or capability standup

Benefits

• 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: Benefits At 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 .

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior