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Salary: USD 129,000 - 171,000 / annual
Anduril Industries, a defense technology company, is seeking a Test Engineer to join the Maritime Manufacturing Technology team in Santa Ana, CA. This role bridges requirements and design engineering with physical execution, owning the hardware test lifecycle from initial requirements through hands-on floor testing and operational evaluations.
You will serve as the functional owner of the test organization within the Systems Engineering & Integration (SEIT) group, defining test plans and programs for hardware-level components and systems. Key responsibilities include:
• Developing comprehensive Test & Evaluation Plans, Verification Cross Reference Matrices (VCRM), Design Verification Plans & Reports (DVP&R), and standard operating procedures from customer and system-level requirements.
• Owning Hardware-in-the-Loop (HITL) test architectures and executing functional qualification testing across major maritime and unmanned assets, validating system sequencing, sensor/actuator response (including Moog actuation systems), and fault modes under real-world conditions.
• Designing, building, and overseeing high-pressure hydrostatic proof, burst, and cyclic pressure test setups for mission-critical subsea hardware and pressure-boundary structures, ensuring adherence to safety boundaries and deep submergence qualification criteria.
• Designing, fabricating, and validating specialized test fixtures, mechanical rigs, and electrical ground support equipment to capture critical performance metrics.
• Leading hands-on integration, functional testing, environmental validation, and troubleshooting on the production floor and during operational and on-water trials.
• Selecting, calibrating, and installing instrumentation (sensors, data loggers, DAQ modules) to acquire, process, and troubleshoot empirical test data against system-level performance targets.
• Leading root-cause failure analyses (8D, FMEA, fault tree) and driving corrective design and process actions.
• Partnering with internal facilities and external ISO/IEC 17025 accredited mechanical and calibration testing laboratories to scope, schedule, and conduct complex environmental and structural test plans.
• Serving as the technical interface across engineering, manufacturing, and program operations, working directly with hardware suppliers for component qualification and leading technical briefs for stakeholders and customers.
• Mentoring junior engineers and technicians, helping shape standards and cadence of the growing test and evaluation team.
The Maritime Manufacturing Technology team operates as a test-first organization, prioritizing evidence-based proof of capability. Your scope spans end-to-end verification from coupon-level mechanical and weld evaluations to full-scale HITL functional qualification of advanced surface and undersea systems. As hardware lines expand, this position offers a clear path into establishing test standards and scaling a world-class test and evaluation team.
REQUIREMENTS:
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Marine Engineering, Mechatronics, or related technical discipline.
• 3–7+ years of experience spanning test engineering, integration, and operational evaluation of complex systems.
• Demonstrated ability to navigate the full test lifecycle: ingesting front-end engineering requirements, defining test methodologies, building test rigs, and managing test execution.
• Hands-on proficiency with mechanical/electrical instrumentation, sensor integration, wiring harnesses, and data acquisition tools.
• Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export controlled information or facilities.
• Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
• Background in aerospace flight test, ground operations, or prime defense contractor test environments applying rigorous qualification standards.
• Familiarity with Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) tools (e.g., Cameo) and digital thread traceability platforms (e.g., Teamcenter, Jama).
• Proficiency with 3D CAD tools (SolidWorks, Fusion 360, NX) and experience scripting automated test sequences and data processing routines in Python, MATLAB, or LabVIEW.
• Demonstrated track record or ambition to mentor engineers and technicians and grow into a technical or people leadership role.
• Active U.S. DoD Secret or Top Secret security clearance.
