Senior Program Manager, Carrier Integration - Active Clearance at Andurilindustries

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. ABOUT THE TEAM The Air Dominance and Strike Division is one of Anduril's fastest growing, most technically complex divisions. We develop and build collaborative combat aircraft, missiles, and the software that powers these autonomous weapons. We are looking for a Program Manager - Carrier Integration to support development efforts for carrier-based Group 5 autonomous platforms. This role blends program execution, internal R&D leadership, and deep carrier operations domain expertise into a single high-impact role. ABOUT THE JOB Success in this position hinges on three key facets: • Program Execution — Partnering with program and engineering leadership to drive cost, schedule, and technical performance for carrier-based Group 5 autonomous platforms. You will own critical program workstreams, manage customer relationships, and ensure Anduril delivers on its commitments. • Internal R&D Leadership — Leading internal research and development efforts that advance the platform's capabilities, reduce technical risk, and position Anduril for future growth. You will collaborate with senior leadership to shape the investment strategy, stand up and execute projects, and transition results into programs of record. • Carrier Operations Domain Expertise — As the authoritative voice on carrier flight operations, flight deck integration, launch and recovery, and the operational realities that inform design decisions for autonomous platforms. You will translate real-world carrier experience into actionable engineering requirements, architectures, and operationally relevant test scenarios. This role demands high ownership, a bias toward action, and the ability to move seamlessly between strategic program direction and tactical execution. You will be a trusted partner to Anduril's engineers, autonomy developers, and mission systems teams — and a credible voice to our customers. ABOUT THE JOB • Partner with program and engineering leadership for the development and deployment of Anduril's carrier-based Group 5 autonomous platforms to meet the operational needs of the U.S. Navy • Serve as the program's resident subject matter expert on carrier flight operations, carrier suitability, deck handling, launch and recovery, and shipboard aircraft integration • Translate operational carrier environment constraints — including EMCON conditions, flight deck procedures, launch and recovery operations — into technical requirements and autonomy architecture inputs • Lead internal R&D investments associated with carrier-based autonomous platforms — owning scope, schedule, budget, and technical outcomes — and ensure results transition effectively into programs of record • Develop strong, trusting relationships with customers and stakeholders, ensuring tight feedback loops that enable Anduril to shape solutions, rapidly iterate, and field capability faster • Support requirements decomposition and trade studies with carrier operations context, enabling data-driven decisions that balance design complexity, weight, performance, cost, and schedule against operational need • Work across IPTs including Systems Engineering, Cybersecurity, GNC, Subsystems, Survivability, Mission Systems, Manufacturing, and Test to ensure autonomous behaviors are operationally realistic, safe, and aligned with carrier air wing operations • Lead preparation for and execution of program reviews, milestone events, and customer deliverables REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS • Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Physics, Math, IT, CS, Business Administration or a related field (technical background preferred) • Minimum of 10 years of combined experience in program management, naval aviation, and/or carrier-based aircraft development • Direct military or civilian experience working in U.S. Navy carrier flight operations or carrier-based aircraft design, integration, test, or sustainment • Proven track record of successfully managing complex, multi-million-dollar programs or major program workstreams and driving on-time, on-budget completion • Strong strategic thinking, analytical, and problem-solving abilities with the ability to move seamlessly between tactical execution and strategic program direction • Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to present complex technical and operational information clearly to diverse audiences including engineers, executives, and government customers • Currently possesses and is able to maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance • Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Top Secret security clearance PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS • BS or higher in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related technical discipline • Experience as a Naval Aviator, Naval Flight Officer, Aircraft Handling Officer or similar carrier flight operations role — or equivalent civilian experience in carrier air wing operations • Graduate of a military Test Pilot School (e.g., USNTPS, USAF TPS, Empire Test Pilots' School) or a Weapons and Tactics School (e.g., NAWDC, MAWTS-1) • Experience with autonomous systems, particularly in the context of unmanned aircraft operations • Familiarity with Anduril's Lattice platform or similar autonomous command-and-control architectures • Demonstrated understanding of carrier suitability requirements and procedures that drive aircraft design, integration, and test • Experience in development, integration, and/or test of U.S. Navy carrier-based manned or unmanned aircraft • Experience across multiple phases of carrier-based aircraft development: conceptual design, preliminary design, detailed design, EMD, production, and sustainment • Thorough understanding of and experience with deriving weapon system and aircraft requirements based on applicable Navy requirements documents and standards • Experience and working knowledge of DoD flight clearance and airworthiness certification processes • Experience managing internal R&D portfolios or technology investment programs • Experience coordinating multiple internal and external teams within a complex engineering or technology-focused organization • Works diligently to make continuous progress, fosters a high-performance culture within the team, maintains a positive attitude, is optimistic and pragmatic US Salary Range$166,000—$220,000 USDThe 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: Benefits At Anduril, we invest in our people. Our comprehensive, competitive benefits package (available at little to no cost to employees) ensures you’re supported in health, recovery, and whatever comes next. For more information, Explore Our Benefits. 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 [Upgrade to PRO to see contact]. • 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 [Upgrade to PRO to see contact]. 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 [Upgrade to PRO to see link] By submitting your application, you consent to Anduril Industries using a third-party service provider to conduct pre-employment risk, integrity, and due diligence screening and assessing potential risks as part of your application process. This third-party service provider provides risk-intelligence services that may include analysis of sanctions and watchlists, adverse media, public-record information, and other lawful open-source or commercial data sources. This third-party service provider does not act as a consumer reporting agency. Use of this provider helps to ensure compliance with applicable laws and protect technology, intellectual property, and organizational security.