Senior Flight Test Engineer - Mission Autonomy

Company: Anduril Industries
Location: Costa Mesa
Posted on: April 1, 2026

Job Description:

This position is looking for a highly motivated flight test engineer with emphasis in developmental test of flight systems. You will work heavily with the program leadership and a wide spectrum of cross-departments to help support and/or lead a team focused on solving hard problems and changing the industry forever. The role will be responsible for assisting on planning, coordination, execution and reporting on all facets of the test program. The Test and Evaluation team at Anduril works across the entire spectrum of products and business lines, as well as all flight operations and test range management. Our team conducts full system level development testing, new production acceptance testing, sub-component qualification testing and much more. In short, if it involves test, we support it. If you are interested in working in an extremely innovative and fast paced environment, where your work directly makes an impact and difference in the products that are fielded this a fantastic opportunity. WHAT YOU’LL DO Plan and execute system-level T&E of hardware and software with emphasis placed on resource planning, conducting ground and flight test, initial issue investigation, and process improvement/development. Work closely with program management and other engineering departments to develop requirements, and discuss test results to include collected data and observations. Act as lead test engineer for small UAS or weapon systems to include development, certification, and integration tests of subsystems to the AUR configuration. Perform safety and risk analysis for testing events. Collect test data and perform initial data analysis for the system under test. Conduct ground and flight testing at private and government-owned test ranges Work in a safe manner in accordance with established operating procedures and practices. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS A bachelor's degree or a related technical discipline from an accredited institution. May substitute equivalent engineering experience in lieu of education. 7 years of experience as a lead test conductor/test director for developmental weapon or missile systems on manned and/or unmanned aircraft to include requirements development, test planning and execution, and test reporting Must possess the ability to understand new concepts quickly; apply them accurately; organize, schedule, and coordinate work phases; and, determine the appropriate approach at the task level or, with assistance, at the project level to provide solutions to a range of complex problems. Must have a complete understanding of engineering concepts, principles, codes, and theory; experience demonstrating a broad application of those concepts; and, expanding knowledge of principles, concepts, theory, and practices in related technical specialties. Previous expertise and working knowledge of the National Airspace System and UAS operating rules and regulations thereof. Strong command-line interface (CLI) skills for system navigation and management. Must have strong communication (written and verbal) and interpersonal skills. Ability to work independently and as part of a team; able to perform complex tasks in one or more engineering areas. Ability to travel as required for test planning and execution Able to work extended hours as required Bias for action – if you see a problem, you want to solve and fix it Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Top Secret security clearance PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS Experience working with the Department of Defense (DoD) Prior experience with software code/script building using programming languages such as Go, Java, C++, Python, JavaScript, etc. Prior experience with Linux based systems and command line. Hands-on experience with simulation environments and tools used for testing autonomous systems. Working Knowledge with Ardupilot Small UAS autopilot and mission planning software. Experience working with manned aircraft and familiar with aviation terminology. Proficient in Linux environments US Salary Range $146,000 - $194,000 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/ .

Keywords: Anduril Industries, Diamond Bar , Senior Flight Test Engineer - Mission Autonomy, Engineering , Costa Mesa, California