VP, Chief Security Officer (Costa Mesa)

About the Job

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.

What You'll Do

• Develop and Execute a Holistic Security Strategy: Design and implement a comprehensive strategy to protect Anduril’s most critical assets: our people, our physical intellectual property, and our classified programs.
• Lead a Unified Security Organization: Integrate security teams into a cohesive, high‑performing organization structured around business outcomes, preventing traditional silos.
• Partner with Information Security: Work as a key strategic partner to the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) to ensure a seamless security posture that fuses cyber, physical, and human‑domain protections.
• Lead Internal Investigations: Own and conduct sensitive internal investigations related to security incidents, counterintelligence concerns, and insider threats, ensuring timely resolution and mitigation.
• Own Risk Management: Implement a dynamic risk management framework that continuously assesses and prioritizes threats across all divisions and locations. You will provide clear, actionable intelligence on our risk exposure to executive leadership.
• Ensure Mission Compliance: Guarantee unwavering compliance with all DoD, IC, and other government contractual security obligations, serving as the primary senior liaison to our government partners on all security matters.
• Common Sense Security Culture: Champion a company‑wide culture of security rooted in common sense, personal accountability, and a deep understanding of the threat landscape.
• Operational Effectiveness: Drive quantifiable outcomes with the Security organization leaders via initiatives and metrics.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• 15+ years of progressive leadership experience in multifaceted security roles.
• Proven experience as a CSO or in a comparable senior security leadership role at a public technology or defense company, or extensive experience in a senior security leadership role within the military or intelligence community.
• Deep, first‑hand expertise across core security disciplines: Physical Security, Industrial Security (NISPOM, SAPs, SCI), and Counterintelligence.
• Demonstrated success building, leading, and mentoring high‑performing, cross‑functional security teams in a fast‑paced environment.
• Currently possesses and is able to maintain an active U.S. Top Secret security clearance.
• Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Top Secret SCI security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience securing complex hardware R&D, manufacturing, supply chain, and global test site environments and knowledge of securing complex software.
• Experience in a high‑growth, venture‑backed technology company.
• A pragmatic, first‑principles approach to security that prioritizes risk and impact over rigid, compliance‑only frameworks.
• Current SCI eligibility.

Compensation

US Salary Range

$252,000 - $400,000 USD

Benefits

Anduril offers top‑tier benefits for full‑time employees, including a comprehensive competitive package available at little to no cost to employees. These benefits ensure support in health, recovery, and whatever comes next.

Additionally, 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 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.