Director, Imaging Hardware Engineering

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 Anduril Imaging team develops state-of-the-art imaging systems across both hardware and software, deployed to tackle the most significant security challenges of America and its allies. The team is heavily involved in utilizing computer vision, perception, electro-optical, infrared, and sensor data to give our war fighters and allies an advantage.

ABOUT THE JOB

We are looking for a Director, Imaging Hardware Engineering to join our rapidly growing team. You will own the coordination of all resources and the build out of the team for successful execution across programs and internal R&D efforts. You will guide the team through product development, establish long term goals, as well as be own the technical architecture for the group. You will be involved in developing cutting-edge optical hardware to support mission-critical needs within the DOD space. If you are someone who likes strategically solving complex technical problems through leadership and owning the development of products that will have a tremendous impact, this role is for you.

WHAT YOU'LL DO:

• Lead and Grow Your Team: Own the recruitment, mentoring, and professional development of a diverse team of hardware engineers (e.g., Electrical, Optical, Opto-Mechanical, Mechanical, Manufacturing). Foster a culture of technical excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Strategic & Technical Vision: Define the strategic roadmap and technical architecture for hardware development, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and program requirements. Establish best practices, design standards, and robust verification processes, particularly for optical and precision mechanical systems.
• Program Execution: Coordinate resources and technical expertise across multiple programs, ensuring successful execution from initial concept and design through prototyping, test, qualification, and transition to manufacturing.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Operate effectively within a matrixed organization, collaborating closely with Program Management, Systems Engineering, Software, Test, and Manufacturing teams to ensure seamless integration and delivery of complex systems.
• Problem Solving & Innovation: Guide the team in solving complex physical, optical, and electromechanical problems, leading efforts in trade studies, risk mitigation, and innovative design solutions for challenging defense environments (e.g., SWaP-C optimization, precision alignment, thermal stability for optical performance, ruggedization, EMI/EMC).
• Process & Quality: Implement and enforce rigorous engineering processes, design reviews, and configuration management to ensure product reliability, manufacturability, and adherence to industry and defense standards.
• Supplier & Partner Management: Interface with key suppliers and external partners to evaluate new technologies, ensure component availability, and manage technical aspects of outsourced development or manufacturing efforts, particularly for custom optics, sensors, and precision components.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• BS/MS in Optics, Optical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Physics, or a related field, or equivalent experience.

• Significant experience (8+ years) leading and managing cross-disciplinary hardware engineering teams in highly regulated industries such as Defense, Aerospace, or Medical Devices.

• Significant experience (8+ years) leading and managing cross-disciplinary hardware engineering teams in highly regulated industries such as Defense, Aerospace, or Medical Devices.

• Strong engineering background with demonstrated expertise in at least two of the following areas:

  • Digital and Analog Circuit Design (e.g., FPGAs, microcontrollers, high-speed interfaces, power management).
  • Mechanical Design and Analysis (e.g., CAD, thermal management, structural analysis, materials selection, packaging).
  • Optics/Photonics (e.g., sensor integration, laser systems, optical component design).
  • Design for Manufacturing (DFM) and Assembly (DFA), and manufacturing process integration.
  • Opto-Mechanical Design & Analysis: (e.g., precision mechanism design, tolerancing stack-ups for optical alignment, thermal management for optical stability, vibration isolation, structural analysis for optical instruments, kinematic mounts, materials selection for optical performance and stability).

• Proven ability to quickly understand and navigate complex systems, detailed performance requirements, and real-world physical constraints.

• Capable of solving complex technical problems with little oversight, driving to practical and implementable solutions.

• Clear communication, presentation, and organizational skills, including technical documentation, design reviews, and training material.

• Must be able to obtain and hold a U.S. security clearance

• Willingness to travel to test sites, as needed.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• 10+ years of experience in a senior leadership role, guiding hardware development programs from initial concept through test, qualification, and delivery to customers/production.
• Experience with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) principles applied to hardware development, especially for complex optical systems.
• Familiarity with industry standards and processes for defense hardware qualification (e.g., MIL-STD-810, MIL-STD-461, DO-160), with a focus on environmental testing for optical performance.
• Experience supporting hardware development and acquisition within the United States Intelligence Community or Department of Defense.
• Proficiency with relevant engineering tools (e.g., Zemax/Code V/LightTools for optical design, SolidWorks/Creo/CATIA for CAD, Ansys/COMSOL for FEA/CFD/thermal analysis, MATLAB/Simulink, Altium/Cadence for EDA).
• Willingness to travel periodically for supplier visits (especially optical vendors), field testing, or customer engagements.

US Salary Range

$254,000—$336,000 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: 

Healthcare Benefits 

• US Roles: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans at little to no cost to you. 
• UK & AUS Roles: We cover full cost of medical insurance premiums for you and your dependents. 
• IE Roles: We offer an annual contribution toward your private health insurance for you and your dependents.

 

Additional Benefits 

• 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 

• US Roles: Traditional 401(k), Roth, and after-tax (mega backdoor Roth) options. 
• UK & IE Roles: Pension plan with employer match. 
• AUS Roles: Superannuation plan.

 

The recruiter assigned to this role can share more information about the specific compensation and benefit details associated with this role during the hiring process. 

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.

Data Privacy

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