Director of Engineering, Rocket Motor Systems

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 real‑time, 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

Anduril’s Tactical Recon & Strike (TRS) Division is seeking a Sr. Manager of Engineering to join our Rocket Motor Systems team. TRS is focused on building highly capable autonomous drones and solid rocket motors at scale. We transform concepts into fully operational capabilities by partnering closely with specialist engineering, operations, and production teams. Through our RMS team we design and manufacture solid rocket motors using advanced materials, proprietary formulations, and high‑volume production methods to deliver safe, reliable propulsion systems that meet a wide range of mission requirements. TRS hires software, hardware engineers excited to build across a diverse portfolio—from autonomous aerial systems to high‑performance solid rocket motors. Our teams contribute to highly capable autonomous robotics systems and propulsion products that operate reliably in demanding mission environments. We work closely with specialist teams to solve the hardest problems facing our customers.

About The Job

As the Sr. Manager of Engineering you will provide strategic oversight and tactical management for our engineering teams. You will develop new rocket motor products and enable scaling of high‑volume rocket motor production. You will ensure rigorous engineering development processes, drive delivery of superior quality products, and advance digital tools and methodologies to improve design, analysis, and execution. You will solve complex design and manufacturing challenges in a dynamic environment.

What You’ll Do

• Own the tactical execution of product development work, ensuring timely delivery of high‑quality engineering products.
• Cultivate a proactive, responsive team culture emphasizing ownership, quality, and appropriate engineering rigor.
• Set clear goals, objectives, and performance expectations; conduct regular performance reviews and provide constructive feedback.
• Manage and prioritize team resource allocation to support multiple product development programs.
• Recruit, hire, and retain top‑tier engineering talent, providing coaching, mentorship, and career development opportunities.
• Ensure alignment between product and technical roadmaps and overall business objectives.
• Establish and champion a Design Engineering Center of Excellence, driving best‑practice adoption across functional areas.
• Identify and advocate for new tools, technologies, and capabilities to support future product design needs.
• Establish and monitor KPIs to measure team effectiveness, responsiveness, and impact of process improvements.
• Serve as the primary escalation point for technical roadblocks, resource conflicts, and complex interdisciplinary challenges.
• Be accountable for quality, accuracy, and timeliness of all team deliverables, including design and analysis reports, test plans, material specifications, and technical recommendations.
• Ensure critical knowledge is captured and institutionalized by overseeing documentation of design, analysis, test results, and material data.
• Collaborate with the Director of Chief Engineering to communicate portfolio strategy, milestones, accomplishments, and risks to executive leadership.
• Build and maintain strong strategic partnerships with senior leaders in Program/Technical Program Management, Manufacturing, and Supply Chain for smooth product delivery.
• Proactively communicate portfolio execution status, resource constraints, and key successes to all stakeholders.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical, Industrial, or Electrical Engineering (or related technical field).
• Proven experience (typically 8+ years) in engineering leadership and management, focusing on end‑to‑end technical delivery.
• Demonstrated experience developing and scaling complex hardware products, specifically rocket motors or similar high‑volume, high‑precision systems.
• Strong background in establishing and optimizing rigorous engineering development processes, quality assurance, configuration management, and V&V strategies.
• Exceptional leadership skills with a track record of building, mentoring, and inspiring high‑performing engineering teams.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and project management skills.
• Ability to thrive in a fast‑paced, dynamic environment with an innovative and adaptable approach to complex problem‑solving.
• Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with solid rocket motors.

US Salary Range

$165,000—$218,000 USD

Benefits

• Competitive equity grants included in the majority of full‑time offers.
• Top‑tier health, recovery, and wellness benefits at little or no cost to employees.
• Core benefits package covering health, dental, vision, life insurance, PTO, and retirement savings.