Director Manufacturing Engineering Jobs in California

Anduril Industries is a defense technology company with a mission to transform U.S. and allied military capabilities with advanced technology. By bringing the expertise, technology, and business model of the 21st century’s most innovative companies to the defense industry, Anduril is changing how military systems are designed, built and sold. Anduril’s family of systems is powered by Lattice OS, an AI-powered operating system that turns thousands of data streams into a realtime, 3D command and control center. As the world enters an era of strategic competition, Anduril is committed to bringing cutting‑edge autonomy, AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and networking technology to the military in months, not years.

The Manufacturing Engineering Team is responsible for rapidly iterating and building cutting‑edge defense hardware, including static equipment, moving ground equipment, and flight vehicles. This responsibility includes everything in the manufacturing value‑chain, including, but not limited to, design for excellence work, tool design & selection, process creation & optimization, vendor sourcing & interaction, quality planning, and work documentation. The team is split into a separate functional and product disciplines. The functional teams is responsible for creating tools, systems, and processes that can be used across product lines while the product teams focus on technical depth and execution for specific product lines.

As the Director of Manufacturing Engineering for Core Tech, your role encompasses the strategic oversight and tactical management of manufacturing engineering to support both the development of new products and the scaling of high‑volume production. You are charged with ensuring rigorous manufacturing processes are in place, resulting in the consistent delivery of superior quality products to our customers. Your leadership will also guarantee the fulfillment of manufacturing’s capacity commitments while driving advancements in digital tools and methodologies to improve design, analysis, and execution. This role demands an innovative and adaptable approach to solving complex manufacturing challenges in a highly dynamic environment. The Core Tech Manufacturing Team rapidly iterates and builds cutting‑edge defense hardware, specializing in critical Core Technologies such as battery integration, advanced actuation systems, and energetics for Anduril’s sea and air vehicle platforms. This role encompasses the full manufacturing value‑chain: Design for Manufacturability (DFM), specialized tooling, process optimization for precision mechanical, electrical, and electromechanical assembly, vendor management, quality planning, and comprehensive documentation for high‑reliability hardware.

• Develop and implement a long‑term manufacturing engineering strategy aligned with company goals.
• Drive innovation in manufacturing processes, automation, and technology adoption to enhance efficiency and scalability for both development and high‑volume production.
• Define KPIs, measure performance, and ensure alignment with operational and business objectives.
• Architect the requirements and roadmaps for next‑generation digital manufacturing tools to improve manufacturing design, analysis, and production efficiency.

• Oversee the optimization of manufacturing methods, tooling, and processes to improve quality, reduce costs, and increase throughput.
• Lead initiatives in lean manufacturing to reduce waste and improve production attainment and efficiency.
• Develop scalable processes to support rapid growth and adapt to a highly dynamic production environment.
• Ensure all manufacturing practices meet safety, quality, and regulatory compliance standards, including classified product handling.
• Manage manufacturing plans across the product portfolio to adapt to fluctuations in capacity and demand, ensuring seamless production continuity and resource optimization.

• Build, lead, and mentor a high‑performing team of manufacturing engineers and technical staff.
• Foster cross‑functional collaboration across Production, Quality, Supply Chain, and Product Development teams.
• Promote a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.

• Partner with R&D, product, and manufacturing development teams to ensure seamless transition of new products from design to production.
• Drive Design for Manufacturability (DfM) and Design for Assembly (DfA) principles during product development, ensuring smooth scaling into production.
• Develop capacity plans and provide oversight for factory scoping, setup, and ramp‑up to support production scaling and operational readiness.

• Manage budgets, resources, and staffing for the manufacturing engineering department.
• Forecast future operational and headcount needs to support scaling efforts for high‑growth production environments.
• Plan for rapid response to large‑scale program demands, including classified systems, with short ramp‑up times.

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical, Industrial, or Electrical Engineering (or related field).
• 10+ years of experience in manufacturing engineering, with 5+ years in a leadership role.
• Strong ability to work cross‑functionally in an unstructured, ambiguous environment. Startup experience strongly preferred.
• Experience in managing New Product Introduction (NPI) and scaling manufacturing operations in highly dynamic and fast‑paced environments.
• Familiar with Product Life Cycle (PLM) systems, Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), and Test Execution Systems (TES).
• Excellent leadership, communication, and project management skills.

• Manufacturing or design engineering experience, specifically with high‑reliability mechanical, electrical, or electromechanical components or systems (e.g., advanced battery packs, precision motor/gearbox assemblies, energetic devices).
• Demonstrated ability to creatively deliver complex hardware solutions (e.g., advanced battery packs, precision actuators, energetic systems) in fast‑paced, resource‑constrained environments.
• Strong interest in manufacturing high‑performance defense hardware and a commitment to continuous technical mastery.

$220,000 — $292,000 USD

• Health, dental, and vision coverage.
• Generous paid time off and retirement plan.
• Comprehensive benefits package available at little to no cost to employees.