--- title: 'Senior Explosives System Safety Engineer at Anduril Industries' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-explosives-system-safety-engineer-anduril-industries-costa-mesa-rsg9c5xhybzz' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-09-19' --- # Senior Explosives System Safety Engineer at Anduril Industries - **Company:** Anduril Industries - **Location:** Costa Mesa California, United States - **Compensation:** $166k–$220k - **Posted:** 2026-09-15 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-19 - **Apply:** https://boards.greenhouse.io/andurilindustries/jobs/5238736007?gh_jid=5238736007 ## Job description 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 Explosive Engineering & Operations Team designs, tests, and fields complex munitions systems across multiple Anduril platforms — taking them from early prototype through full-rate production. This is hands-on, high-stakes ordnance work at the cutting edge of what's possible in defense technology. ## About the Role We're looking for a senior system safety engineer to own Anduril's munitions, warhead, and fuzing certification efforts end to end. You'll be the person who shepherds our programs through WSERB, FISTRP, and SSSTRP — building lasting relationships with the review entities and making sure we get through the process as fast and as thoroughly as possible. This isn't just an individual contributor role. Dave Veitch, the hiring manager, is looking for someone who can lead and grow a team of 3–10 safety engineers while staying deep in the technical work. You'll set the standard for how Anduril approaches weapons safety certification — creating frameworks that scale across future programs. ## What You'll Do - Lead Anduril's munitions, warhead, and fuzing certification programs through DoD weapons safety review boards (WSERB, FISTRP, SSSTRP), building strong relationships with the review entities - Build and lead a team of 3–10 system safety engineers — hiring, mentoring, setting technical direction, and driving professional development - Create, review, manage, and present safety documentation packages to internal stakeholders, customers, and fuze/safety boards - Partner with engineering, program management, and operations teams to embed safety practices into the product development lifecycle from day one - Plan and drive testing, analysis, and review milestones — taking a proactive approach to minimize certification timelines - Own root cause analysis and corrective actions relevant to the safety review process - Manage project deliverables including requirements documentation, change control, traceability, and reliability matrices - Create scalable frameworks and establish precedent for government reviews and system certifications across future Anduril programs - Flow down safety guidance and manage key vendors (ESAD, warhead, etc.) as needed Required Qualifications - BS or higher in mechanical, systems, aerospace, or another engineering discipline - 8+ years of experience in design, safety, certification, and systems engineering of ordnance systems - 2+ years of experience leading, managing, or technically directing a team of engineers - Warhead/fuze review board experience (WSERB, FISTRP, AFSRB, or equivalent) - Munitions system certification or qualification experience - Deep working knowledge of MIL-STD-882E, MIL-STD-1316, and MIL-STD-1901 - Experience in program management, customer and vendor management, and managing schedules and budgets - Ability to travel for testing and customer meetings (surges up to 25%) - Experience preparing formal safety documentation (specifications, test procedures, technical reports) - Strong written and verbal communication skills — you'll be presenting to safety boards, collaborating across engineering and ops, and managing external stakeholders - Must be able to obtain and hold a U.S. Top Secret security clearance - In this role, you will be subject to pre-employment and randomized substance screening, as required by the Company. ## Preferred Qualifications - Active U.S. security clearance (DoD Secret, Top Secret, or DOE L/Q) - Prior experience qualifying ordnance/munitions through multiple branches of the DoW - Established relationships with key members of the DoW System Safety qualification boards - Experience managing vendors providing services in support of safety qualifications - Track record of building or scaling a safety engineering function in a fast-paced or growth-stage environment - Experience mentoring junior engineers and establishing team processes, standards, and playbooks US Salary Range $166,000—$220,000 USD 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 (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](https://www.anduril.com/careers). 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 contact@anduril.com. - 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 contact@anduril.com. 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 https://anduril.com/applicant-privacy-notice/. 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. ## About Anduril Industries ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: A military technology company developing AI-powered autonomous systems and software for defense and national security. - **Entity Type**: Private (Series H) - **Headquarters**: Costa Mesa, California, USA - **Founded**: 2017 - **Founders**: Palmer Luckey, Trae Stephens, Matt Grimm, Joe Chen, Brian Schimpf ## Core Business - Primary industry: Defense, aerospace, artificial intelligence, robotics - Target customers: Primarily B2G – U.S. Department of Defense, allied governments (e.g., UK, UAE), and border security agencies (e.g., CBP) - Mission/purpose: To accelerate the adoption of advanced technology in defense, with a focus on autonomous systems, AI-driven decision-making, and rapid production at scale. ## Products & Services - **[Lattice](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anduril_Industries#Lattice)**: AI-powered software platform that fuses sensor data from multiple sources (Anduril and third-party) to detect, identify, and track objects in real time. Core to all Anduril systems. - **[Sentry Tower](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anduril_Industries#Sentry_Tower)**: Autonomous, solar-powered surveillance tower (33ft) with cameras, radar, thermal imaging, and comms – used for border security and military base protection. - **[Ghost](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anduril_Industries#Ghost)**: Small, portable unmanned aerial system (UAS) for reconnaissance and surveillance; used by U.S. Marines and other forces. - **Altius Family**: Tube-launched, fixed-wing UAVs (e.g., Altius 600, Altius 700M) that can be deployed from aircraft, ground vehicles, or larger UAVs. - **Fury (YFQ-44A)**: Semi-autonomous collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) developed for the U.S. Air Force’s CCA program; first flight in October 2025. - **IVAS (Integrated Visual Augmentation System)**: Anduril took over development from Microsoft in 2025; a heads-up display/goggle system for ground soldiers. ## Market Standing - **Valuation**: $61 billion (Series H, May 2026) – [en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anduril_Industries) - **Annual Revenue**: $2 billion (2025) – [en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anduril_Industries) - **Total Funding**: ~$12.7 billion (across all rounds, including $5B raise in May 2026) – [robotics.press](https://robotics.press/news/anduril-deep-dive/) - **Notable Investors**: Founders Fund, Andreessen Horowitz, Thrive Capital, 8VC, General Catalyst, Lux Capital, Valor Equity Partners, D1 Capital Partners, Sands Capital - **Notable Customers/Partners**: U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Space Force, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), UK Home Office, Royal Navy, Edge Group (UAE), OpenAI - **Growth Signals**: - Raised $5B in May 2026 at a $61B valuation, up from $14B in August 2024 - Constructing Arsenal-1, a $1B hyperscale manufacturing facility in Ohio, with partnerships from Ohio State University - Acquired multiple companies between 2021-2026 (Area-I, Adranos, Blue Force Technologies, Numerica, Klas, ExoAnalytic Solutions, etc.) - Won contracts for CCA development (Air Force), robotic combat vehicle software (Army), and CBP border surveillance - Took over IVAS program from Microsoft (2025) - Employees grew from ~90 in 2017 to 7,000 in 2026 ## Competitive Advantages - **Vertically integrated**: Designs, manufactures, and operates its own hardware (drones, towers, missiles) and software (Lattice), enabling rapid iteration. - **AI-first approach**: Lattice provides a common operating picture across domains, reducing decision latency in combat scenarios. - **Speed of production**: Arsenal projects aim to produce advanced autonomous systems faster than traditional defense primes. - **Government trust**: Deep relationships with DoD and allied agencies, demonstrated by multi-million-dollar contracts and classified work. - **In-person, security-focused culture**: Proximity to military bases, industrial equipment, and classified contract requirements create a unique operational moat. ## Strategic Focus - **Hyperscale manufacturing**: Build Arsenal-1 (Ohio) and subsequent “Arsenal” facilities to manufacture autonomous weapons at near-peer-competitive speed. - **Space domain**: Acquired ExoAnalytic Solutions (March 2026) to expand into space-based intelligence and surveillance. - **Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA)**: Fury is a key program; competing for Air Force’s CCA Increment 1. - **International expansion**: Partnership with UAE’s Edge Group; sales to UK (Royal Navy, Home Office); plans to serve other Five Eyes and allied nations. - **AI integration**: Partnership with OpenAI to enhance defense systems; Lattice already used by Space Force for surveillance networks. ## Why Work Here - **Mission-driven work**: Direct impact on national security and defense technology – opportunity to work on cutting-edge AI, robotics, and autonomous systems. - **Culture**: Emphasizes in-person collaboration due to security requirements, industrial equipment, and classified programs. Offices include Costa Mesa (HQ), Boston, Atlanta, Seattle, Washington D.C., London, and Sydney. - **Growth trajectory**: Company has grown from 90 employees to 7,000 in ~9 years; significant investment in new facilities and acquisitions indicates continued expansion. - **Engineering focus**: Heavy investment in software, AI, hardware, and manufacturing engineering – roles span from software engineers to aerospace engineers to production specialists. - **Notable perks/benefits**: Not detailed in public sources, but the company offers competitive compensation in a high-stakes, high-impact environment. The Ohio Arsenal-1 facility will employ many from Ohio State University’s applied science programs. ## Sources 1. [en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anduril_Industries) – Wikipedia: Anduril Industries (key facts, revenue, employee count, product details, funding, acquisitions) 2. [tracxn.com](https://tracxn.com/d/companies/anduril/__qqOI0HKR47lFXorj9FAQlDfmJOqfOpDNWiW3JcO--ss) – Tracxn: Anduril company profile, funding stage, founders 3. [robotics.press](https://robotics.press/news/anduril-deep-dive/) – Robotics Press: Deep dive on valuation, revenue, total funding, employee estimate 4. [anduril.com/careers](https://www.anduril.com/careers) – Official careers page (search result summary) 5. [anduril.com/open-roles](https://www.anduril.com/open-roles) – Open roles listing ## Other roles at Anduril Industries - [Manager, Supply Chain](https://feeny.ai/job/manager-supply-chain-anduril-industries-quonset-rhode-island-cgp47jmkzr7f) — Quonset Rhode Island, United States - [Product Support Engineer - Product Sustainment Lifecycle](https://feeny.ai/job/product-support-engineer-product-sustainment-lifecycle-anduril-industries-costa-7jj3pffmp9f3) — Costa Mesa California, United States - [Product Support Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/product-support-engineer-anduril-industries-costa-mesa-california-gd1kg5pjwrj4) — Costa Mesa California, United States - [Thermal Engineer, Thermal Protection Systems (TPS)](https://feeny.ai/job/thermal-engineer-thermal-protection-systems-tps-anduril-industries-mountain-hpkd54shmv7y) — Mountain View California, United States - [Thermal Engineer, Thermal Protection Systems (TPS)](https://feeny.ai/job/thermal-engineer-thermal-protection-systems-tps-anduril-industries-seattle-0qn1xmd6wgvy) — Seattle Washington, United States - [Thermal Engineer, Thermal Protection Systems (TPS)](https://feeny.ai/job/thermal-engineer-thermal-protection-systems-tps-anduril-industries-costa-mesa-bnxnz50k05fx) — Costa Mesa California, United States - [Senior Thermal Engineer, Expeditionary AI / HPC Data Centers](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-thermal-engineer-expeditionary-ai-hpc-data-centers-anduril-industries-6bwrn90gbpt5) — Mountain View California, United States - [Senior Thermal Engineer, Expeditionary AI / HPC Data Centers](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-thermal-engineer-expeditionary-ai-hpc-data-centers-anduril-industries-3f574qdbwerr) — Seattle Washington, United States - [Firmware Engineer, Manufacturing Test](https://feeny.ai/job/firmware-engineer-manufacturing-test-anduril-industries-atlanta-georgia-5vghztyxv1wq) — Atlanta Georgia, United States - [Senior Firmware Engineer, Manufacturing Test](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-firmware-engineer-manufacturing-test-anduril-industries-atlanta-georgia-fgmkpx5b4cz7) — Atlanta Georgia, United States