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Salary: USD 129,000 - 171,000 / annual
Anduril Industries, a defense technology company, is seeking a DFx (Design for Excellence) Engineer to support design for manufacturability, assembly, and cost analysis across mechanical, structural, thermal management, and fluid systems (fuel, hydraulics, pneumatics) subsystems. This role spans Anduril's portfolio of autonomous aircraft, cruise missiles, and loitering munitions.
Working under the guidance of Staff and Senior DFx Engineers, you will develop expertise in how design decisions impact producibility, supplier selection, and unit cost. You will evaluate designs through the lenses of manufacturability, assembly, and cost—the three factors that determine whether hardware can be produced at rate by a qualified supplier at an affordable price point.
Key responsibilities include:
- Support DFx analysis across mechanical, structural, thermal, and fluid systems subsystems, focusing on manufacturability, assembly, and cost
- Participate in structured DFM/DFA/DFC reviews at key design milestones, identifying producibility and cost risks and recommending design changes
- Participate in DFMEAs with cross-functional teams and use outputs to drive design changes, inspection strategies, and control plans
- Work with manufacturing and design engineers to provide manufacturing and cost feedback on designs
- Support evaluation and qualification of contract manufacturers through facility reviews, process audits, and capability assessments
- Help build and maintain should-cost models and cost-driver analyses for mechanical and fluid system assemblies
- Develop and maintain DFx standards, guidelines, and scorecards specific to mechanical manufacturing processes including CNC machining, sheet metal fabrication, welding, brazing, composite layup and bonding, tube bending and swaging, and mechanical assembly
- Analyze designs across manufacturability/assembly, cost structure, specification adherence, process capability, and technology maturity
- Collaborate with supply chain, quality engineering, and operations teams
- Spend time on production floors and at supplier sites to build firsthand understanding of manufacturing
- Contribute to DFx toolkit development including templates, scoring rubrics, cost models, and training materials
- Travel to production sites and supplier facilities (~20% depending on business needs)
This is an inherently cross-functional role requiring daily collaboration with supply chain, quality, operations, program teams, manufacturing engineers, and design engineers. You will grow quickly in a fast-paced environment where programs move rapidly and the impact of your work is visible on the production floor and in cost models.
REQUIREMENTS:
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or related field
- 5+ years of experience in manufacturing engineering, process engineering, or related role with exposure to mechanical systems, thermal management, or fluid systems (co-op, internship, or capstone project experience in manufacturing environment counts)
- Foundational knowledge of mechanical manufacturing processes: CNC machining, sheet metal fabrication, welding, composite fabrication, or mechanical assembly
- Ability to read mechanical drawings, interpret GD&T, and review 3D models with an eye toward producibility
- Interest in understanding manufacturing cost drivers and how design decisions impact unit cost
- Familiarity with aerospace mechanical standards or willingness to learn and apply them quickly
- Strong communication skills and willingness to engage directly with design engineers, manufacturing engineers, quality, supply chain, and operations
- Comfort working in fast-paced environment across multiple programs simultaneously
- Genuine interest in manufacturing and drive to understand how things are built and what they cost to produce (personal experience in machine shop, fabrication shop, or hardware work is a strong plus)
- Attitude of world-class mission assurance, quality, attention to detail, and dedication
- Self-motivated and proactive; takes initiative, asks good questions, and closes the loop on commitments
- Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export controlled information or facilities
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Master's degree in engineering or related field
- Internship or co-op experience in aerospace or defense mechanical manufacturing
- Exposure to DFM/DFA review processes, producibility engineering, or cost analysis
- Familiarity with AS9100 or similar quality management systems
- Experience visiting or evaluating manufacturing suppliers
- Proficiency in CAD software (NX, CATIA, SolidWorks, or similar)
- Exposure to composite manufacturing, fluid system fabrication, or thermal management hardware production
- Experience with data analysis, cost modeling, or presentation development
- Currently possesses and able to maintain active U.S. Secret security clearance with Full-Scope Polygraph
