Lead Electrical Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Anduril is seeking a Lead Electrical Engineer to join our Maneuver Dominance team. As a Lead Electrical Engineer, you will own the electrical architecture and technical direction of an aircraft development program from early concept through fielded production. This role serves as the primary electrical point of contact across the program, partnering closely with mechanical, software, firmware, and program leadership to ensure a cohesive, reliable system. You'll guide the vehicle through the full development lifecycle - from design and integration to rigorous testing - while setting technical standards and holding final sign-off authority on electrical designs. As a senior technical leader, you'll also mentor and grow a team of engineers, shaping both the platform and the people behind it. This is a unique opportunity to lead the electrical foundation of a next-generation autonomous aircraft, working at the intersection of innovation, speed, and real-world impact.
WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Own the electrical architecture and technical roadmap for a major subsystem or full vehicle platform, from concept through fielded production
• Lead full cycle PCB design efforts across multiple concurrent boards/subsystems, including requirements definition, schematic design, component selection, layout oversight, bring-up, test, debug, and system integration
• Serve as the technical lead for troubleshooting issues that span electrical, firmware, and software boundaries, guiding junior and senior engineers through complex root-cause analysis
• Drive the architecture and development of payloads and subsystems (sensors, payload interfaces, power management, and networking) across multiple programs or a single high-complexity program
• Define and own system interconnect diagrams and wire harness architecture at the vehicle or subsystem level, ensuring compatibility across all integrated electronic equipment
• Lead cross-functional collaboration with electrical, mechanical, software, firmware, and test engineering teams, acting as the primary electrical point of contact for program leadership
• Operate and lead teams in a fast-paced environment supporting new developments, customer-operated hardware, and rapid field iteration
• Lead and facilitate peer-level and cross-discipline design reviews, holding final technical sign-off authority on electrical designs within your scope
• Own the integration & testing strategy of a rotorcraft system through TRLs 3-8, including risk identification and mitigation planning
• Lead vehicle platform system design & analysis, setting technical direction and standards for the broader engineering team
• Own requirements analysis, verification planning, and compliance strategy at the program level, ensuring alignment with project goals and industry standards
• Mentor and develop Electrical Engineers and Senior Electrical Engineers, providing technical guidance, career development, and design oversight
• Partner with program management to inform scope, schedule, and resourcing decisions based on technical risk and complexity
• Represent the electrical engineering function in customer-facing technical discussions and design reviews as needed

• Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering or equivalent
• 8+ years of experience designing, testing, and troubleshooting complex board designs, with demonstrated ownership of full subsystems or platforms
• Proven track record leading electrical design efforts from concept through fielded/production hardware
• Deep knowledge of modern analog and digital electronics and electronic circuits
• Expert-level competence with test equipment such as oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, thermal chambers, current-probes, and automation of tests
• Strong familiarity with standard interfaces such as Ethernet, CAN, I2C, SPI, PCIe, USB, etc.
• Strong familiarity with common MCU, CPU, FPGA devices and technologies
• Familiarity with software development processes and tools such as git, Github, JIRA, etc.
• Advanced proficiency with electronic CAD tools (Altium preferred, Eagle and others acceptable)
• Demonstrated experience in design for signal integrity / power integrity at a system level
• Experience with battery systems and ability to lead alternate battery systems design efforts
• Extensive experience with high reliability systems, including design for redundancy and fault tolerance
• Experience with radio frequency-based systems
• Experience leading rapid payload/sensor integration efforts across multiple teams
• Experience designing and integrating high power electronics at scale
• Experience in fieldable system design, including lessons learned from fielded hardware
• Expert-level ability conducting worst case circuit or uncertainty analysis, and teaching this skill to others
• Demonstrated ability to lead and mentor engineers, with high ownership and a strong bias toward action
• Experience balancing multiple concurrent projects/programs and prioritizing competing technical demands
• Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance
• Ability to travel 25% with potential surges above 25%

• Proven experience designing and leading electrical and power systems for autonomous rotorcraft
• Extensive experience with battery systems, both primary and secondary chemistries
• Experience with High Voltage Power Electronics at a leadership/architecture level
• Experience with inverters and high power electric motors
• Deep understanding of MIL-STD-461, MIL-STD-810G, and experience applying them to lead design efforts
• Outstanding leadership and interpersonal skills, with experience managing or mentoring a team of engineers
• Experience leading a full qualification campaign for flight hardware, from planning through completion
• Deep familiarity with designing for rugged environments
• Extensive experience with electro-mechanical and electrical design concepts
• Experience with Formula SAE, Baja SAE, Design Build Fly, etc., particularly in a leadership/captain role
• Experience presenting technical work to executive leadership or external customers