Emerging Leaders Program Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

The Anduril People team is looking for emerging leaders to join its Rotational Program in Costa Mesa, CA. In this role, you will develop a comprehensive understanding of how Anduril's People team works to attract, develop, and support the company's most critical asset - its people. Over 18 months, you'll rotate across core People functions, building a foundational knowledge base and critical skills that will be a springboard for your career in human resources.

We are looking for problem solvers with strong analytical abilities, exceptional attention to detail, and a high degree of empathy. If you are a highly motivated recent grad who is eager to learn and make a visible impact on employee experience, this program is for you.

This program offers two distinct rotational tracks under the People organization: 

• Track 1 - Total Rewards: Rotations through Shared Services, Compensation, and Global Benefits.
• Track 2 - People Operations: Rotations through Shared Services, People Systems, and Global Mobility & Compliance.

Both tracks share the same program structure (three 6-month rotations over 18 months), mentorship model, and early-career development experience described below.

• Rotate through three key People teams over 18 months (~6 months each). You'll support core People processes, contribute to HR system data integrity, and provide analyses and support that enhance the employee experience.
• Translate complex People data into actionable insights through reports, dashboards, and presentations. You'll present findings in regular team syncs and contribute to strategic HR planning, making recommendations that drive improvements in equity, program utilization, and operational efficiency. You'll develop your communication skills by learning to convey the "so what" behind HR metrics to both People and non-People stakeholders.
• Join a cohort of high-potential early-career professionals with access to structured mentorship from People leaders (e.g., monthly 1:1s) and dedicated on-the-job skill-building workshops (e.g., compensation analysis, benefits compliance, HRIS systems, employee relations).
• Drive measurable improvements in day-to-day People operations, collaborating on cross-functional projects with Finance, Legal, Payroll, and business teams. Through this, you'll establish a deep understanding of how People partners across the business to enable mission success.
• Successfully complete the 18-month program through demonstrated HR acumen, stakeholder collaboration, and project delivery, while receiving regular feedback. Program participants are expected to graduate into full-time roles and hit the ground running within the People team, while providing continuity and mentorship for our next cohort of emerging leaders.

Rotation 1: Shared Services (6 Months) Build a foundation in People Operations by supporting employees through ticket management and case resolution, processing employee data updates, and learning how core People processes connect across the employee lifecycle.

• Provide tier-1 support to employees, answering inquiries and routing escalations to the right teams.
• Process employee data changes accurately and on time.
• Learn the operational workflows that underpin compensation and benefits programs.

Rotation 2: Compensation (6 Months) Support annual and mid-year compensation planning cycles while learning to design and manage competitive compensation programs aligned with market trends and organizational strategy.

• Learn compensation concepts through shadowing offers, salary range refresh, audits, analysis, and working with market data.
• Collaborate with People Operations on cycle implementation, data integrity and auditing, budget management, and UAT testing.
• Assist with job evaluation processes and conduct market pricing analyses to ensure competitive positioning.
• Provide support to People Business Partners and generalists throughout the compensation planning cycles.
• Build strong partnerships with People, Legal, Stock, and Payroll teams.

Rotation 3: Global Benefits (6 Months) Serve as a trusted resource for employees navigating benefits programs. Manage benefits administration, support open enrollment, and ensure compliance with federal and state regulations.

• Serve as a primary point of contact for employee benefits inquiries, providing accurate and empathetic support.
• Work directly with benefit vendors on eligibility issues, escalations, claims issues, etc.
• Facilitate benefits orientations, open enrollment meetings, and informational sessions.
• Manage full-cycle benefits administration including enrollments, changes, and terminations.
• Stay informed of benefits regulations (ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, FMLA) to ensure compliance.

Rotation 1: Shared Services (6 Months) Learn the foundations of People Operations, including ticket management, employee data updates, and case resolution.

• Provide tier-1 support via the Service Desk.
• Process employee data updates accurately and in a timely manner.
• Address employee inquiries and escalate issues to the appropriate People Operations teams.

Rotation 2: People Systems (6 Months) Gain hands-on experience managing People systems, supporting system administration, data reporting, and systems integrations.

• Perform configurations, run internal audits, and assist with troubleshooting systems like Rippling.
• Generate People reports and interpret data for optimization and action planning.
• Participate in feature testing and system improvement initiatives.

Rotation 3: Global Mobility & Compliance (6 Months) Develop specialized knowledge in compliance processes, background checks, contractor management, and global workforce support.

• Administer background check processes and adjudications aligned with company policies.
• Assist with compliance documentation and reporting tasks.
• Support contractor lifecycle functions: onboarding, offboarding, and IT asset management.

• Provide critical support for employee requests through ticket management and case resolution, contributing immediately to the success of the People Operations team.
• Maintain and update employee data in People systems, ensuring accuracy and supporting regular audits to enhance data integrity.
• Participate in People systems testing, configuration, and feature evaluation to improve processes tied to employee experience.
• Take ownership of background check administration and adjudication, manage start date adjustments, and ensure compliance requirements are met.
• Support onboarding and offboarding of contractors, ensuring smooth transitions including IT asset management and return.
• Analyze ticket trends and reporting metrics to discover inefficiencies, propose solutions, and improve workflow across People teams.
• Document foundational processes and uncover opportunities for automation to streamline workflows and increase team efficiency.

• Recent or upcoming graduate with a Bachelor's degree in Human Resources Management, Business Administration, Finance, Economics, Psychology, Sociology, Communications, or a related field (or equivalent work experience).
• Demonstrated strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate data and trends into insights.
• High proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint) or Google Workspace.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a natural ability to collaborate and build relationships in a fast-paced team environment.
• A positive attitude, a passion for learning, and the ability to thrive in a constantly evolving environment.
• High level of integrity and discretion when handling confidential information.
• Must be authorized to work in the United States.

• Prior internship experience in HR, compensation, benefits, or People Operations.
• Recent graduate with a graduation date ranging from December 2025-May 2026.
• Demonstrated leadership potential through extracurricular activities, academic projects, or work experience.
• Interest in technology and automation, with an eagerness to learn HRIS systems (experience with Rippling is a plus).