Test Engineer, Maritime Production

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.

ABOUT THE TEAM

The Maritime Manufacturing Technology team is responsible for rapidly developing, manufacturing, and qualifying mission-critical defense hardware. Operating as a test-first organization, the team prioritizes tangible, evidence-based proof of capability over theoretical analysis alone. Our scope spans end-to-end verification: from coupon-level mechanical and weld evaluations to full-scale Hardware-in-the-Loop (HITL) functional qualification of advanced surface and undersea systems.

ABOUT THE JOB

We are seeking a versatile Senior Test Engineer to join our Maritime team in Santa Ana, CA. In this role, you will bridge the gap between design engineering and physical execution, owning the hardware test lifecycle from initial front-end requirements ingestion to hands-on floor test execution and operational evaluations. You will develop test strategies, design and build custom test rigs, instrument systems, and execute testing across both simulation platforms and operational maritime/unmanned platforms.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Requirements & Test Architecture: Ingest customer, system-level, and subsystem requirements to develop comprehensive Test & Evaluation Plans, Design Verification Plans & Reports (DVP&R), and detailed standard operating procedures.
• Test Rig Design & Build: Design, fabricate, and validate specialized test fixtures, mechanical rigs, and electrical ground support equipment to capture critical performance metrics.
• Floor & Field Execution: Lead hands-on integration, functional testing, environmental validation, and troubleshooting on the production floor as well as during operational/on-water trials.
• Data Acquisition & Analysis: Select, calibrate, and install instrumentation (e.g., sensors, data loggers, DAQ modules) to acquire, process, and troubleshoot empirical test data against vehicle-level performance targets.
• Root Cause & Failure Analysis: Lead investigations into hardware/system anomalies, executing root-cause failure analyses (e.g., 8D, FMEA) and driving corrective design actions.
• Cross-Functional & Vendor Interface: Act as the face of integration across engineering, manufacturing, and ground operations. Interface directly with critical hardware suppliers (e.g., off-site component qualification) and lead technical briefs for internal stakeholders and customers.
• Team Leadership & Scale: Serve as a technical anchor on the floor, mentoring junior engineers and technicians, with the opportunity to grow into a first-line engineering manager overseeing multi-line test execution.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Marine Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related discipline.
• 3–7+ years of experience (flexible leveling) spanning test engineering, integration, and operational evaluation of complex electro-mechanical hardware.
• Demonstrated ability to navigate the full lifecycle of test: ingesting front-end engineering requirements, defining test methodologies, building test rigs, and managing floor test execution.
• Hands-on proficiency with mechanical/electrical instrumentation, sensor integration, wiring harnesses, and data acquisition tools.
• Strong root-cause troubleshooting skills on electro-mechanical, power distribution, or control systems.
• Professional experience interfacing with hardware vendors, participating in design reviews, and delivering clear technical updates to cross-functional teams and leadership.
• Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export controlled information or facilities.
• Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance.
• Ability to travel (approx. 15–25%) to support operational testing, company sites (e.g., Atlanta, GA), and supplier testing facilities.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Prior experience with maritime systems, autonomous surface vessels (ASVs/MDUSVs), marine payloads, or unmanned platforms.
• Background in aerospace flight test/ground operations or prime defense contractor test environments applying rigorous qualification standards.
• Direct experience executing on-water trials, vessel launch/recovery systems, or marine propulsion and auxiliary systems.
• Proficiency with 3D CAD tools (SolidWorks, Fusion 360) and data processing software (MATLAB, Python).
• Demonstrated track record or ambition to lead and mentor a team of engineers and technicians as a first-line manager.
• Active U.S. DoD Secret or Top Secret security clearance.

US Salary Range

$129,000

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$171,000 USD

The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary offer may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations. 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.

Protecting Yourself from Recruitment Scams

Anduril is committed to maintaining the integrity of our Talent acquisition process and the security of our candidates. We've observed a rise in sophisticated phishing and fraudulent schemes where individuals impersonate Anduril representatives, luring job seekers with false interviews or job offers. These scammers often attempt to extract payment or sensitive personal information.

To ensure your safety and help you navigate your job search with confidence, please keep the following critical points in mind:

• No Financial Requests: Anduril will never solicit payment or demand personal financial details (such as banking information, credit card numbers, or social security numbers) at any stage of our hiring process. Our legitimate recruitment is entirely free for candidates.

• Please always verify communications:
  • Direct from Anduril: If you receive an email from one of our recruiters, it will only come from an @anduril.com address.
  • Via Agency Partner: If contacted by a recruiting agency for an Anduril role, their email will clearly identify their agency. If you suspect any suspicious activity, please verify the agency's authenticity by reaching out to contact@anduril.com. 

• Exercise Caution with Unsolicited Outreach: If you receive any communication that appears suspicious, contains grammatical errors, or makes unusual requests, do not engage. Always confirm the sender's email domain is @anduril.com before providing any personal information or clicking on links.

• What to Do If You Suspect Fraud: Should you encounter any questionable or fraudulent outreach claiming to be from Anduril, please report it immediately to contact@anduril.com. Your proactive caution is invaluable in protecting your personal information and upholding the security and trustworthiness of our recruitment efforts.

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To view Anduril's candidate data privacy policy, please visit https://anduril.com/applicant-privacy-notice/.

By submitting your application, you consent to Anduril Industries using a third-party service provider to conduct pre-employment risk, integrity, and due diligence screening and assessing potential risks as part of your application process. This third-party service provider provides risk-intelligence services that may include analysis of sanctions and watchlists, adverse media, public-record information, and other lawful open-source or commercial data sources. This third-party service provider does not act as a consumer reporting agency. Use of this provider helps to ensure compliance with applicable laws and protect technology, intellectual property, and organizational security.