Warhead Design Engineer - Modeling & Simulation
About The Position
Anduril is looking for a Warhead Design Engineer — Modeling & Simulation to join the team in Costa Mesa, CA. This role is for an engineer who can use academic literature, empirical data, first-principles reasoning, and computational modeling to help steer warhead design and related ordnance decisions from concept maturity through testing and toward production readiness. The objective of this role is not simply to run simulations. It is to use modeling and analysis as an engineering tool to improve decisions across design, explosive selection, initiation concepts, test planning, and post-test interpretation. The right person will help the team evaluate performance at a high level, build credible pre-test predictions, correlate model outputs to test data, and contribute to the broader engineering understanding needed to support complex munitions systems. This role will support work across multiple programs rather than sitting in a tightly bounded lane. It is a strong fit for someone who wants broad technical exposure, meaningful influence on real engineering decisions, and the opportunity to work alongside a deeply technical team on some of the hardest warhead and effects problems in the business. Steven Todd described the role as one that should not be overly pigeonholed and that may grow into broader ownership over time depending on the person’s strengths.
Requirements
- BS or higher degree in mechanical, aerospace, explosives, or another engineering discipline.
- 2-10 years’ work experience as an individual contributing engineer, focused on mechanical design, analysis, and testing of warheads or ordnance systems.
- Experience using multi-physics modeling and simulation tools such as ALE3D, Ansys Autodyn/LS-Dyna, CTH, EPIC, Matlab, Python, Sierra, Velodyne, Zapotec
- Test experience including data acquisition, data analysis, and project coordination
- Ability to travel as required for testing (surges up to 25%)
- Experience preparing engineering documentation (i.e. specifications, test procedures, technical reports, drawings, etc.)
- Passion for defending the United States and her allies
- Be able to obtain and hold a U.S. Top Secret security clearance
Nice To Haves
- Active U.S. security clearance (DoD Secret or Top-Secret or DOE L or Q)
- Expert level experience with multi-physics modeling and simulation tools
- Experience with munitions testing
- Experience with CAD design tools such as SolidWorks or NX CAD
- Prior experience in explosive operations and/or handling munitions
- Experience with the DoD Weapons Safety Boards
- Experience designing and scaling production of mechanical components at volume
- Experience developing or testing complex electrical or mechatronics systems
Responsibilities
- Leverage academic studies and literature, empirical data, and simulation to steer the design of warheads and missile/ordnance systems from concept design maturity to production.
- Analyze lethality and performance using hand-calculations (Gurney equations) and multi-physics modeling and simulation tools (CTH, Sierra, Zapotec, etc.)
- Create pre-test predictions and correlate models with test data.
- Manage arena and system testing of munitions products from end-to-end, including project planning, design of experiments, and safety.
- Capture test video, compile data from ground and flight tests, and analyze results.
- Assemble/disassemble explosive test articles and precision targets.
- absorb growing analysis demand across multiple active programs
- make better engineering decisions earlier in the development cycle
- reduce avoidable physical testing through smarter simulation and planning
- design more informative experiments and diagnostics strategies
- translate test data into better future designs, technical reports, customer-facing outputs, and proposal inputs
Benefits
- Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans at little to no cost to you.
- We cover full cost of medical insurance premiums for you and your dependents.
- We offer an annual contribution toward your private health insurance for you and your dependents.
- Income Protection: Anduril covers life and disability insurance for all employees.
- Generous time off: Highly competitive PTO plans with a holiday hiatus in December.
- Caregiver & Wellness Leave is available to care for family members, bond with a new baby, or address your own medical needs.
- Family Planning & Parenting Support: Coverage for fertility treatments (e.g., IVF, preservation), adoption, and gestational carriers, along with resources to support you and your partner from planning to parenting.
- Mental Health Resources: Access free mental health resources 24/7, including therapy and life coaching. Additional work-life services, such as legal and financial support, are also available.
- Professional Development: Annual reimbursement for professional development
- Commuter Benefits: Company-funded commuter benefits based on your region.
- Relocation Assistance: Available depending on role eligibility.
- Retirement Savings Plan: Traditional 401(k), Roth, and after-tax (mega backdoor Roth) options.
- Pension plan with employer match.
- Superannuation plan.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
