Staff Materials Engineer, Thermoplastics

at Anduril

Location

Costa Mesa, California, United States

Compensation

$166k–$220k USD

Type

full time

Posted

Today

Market range · company + function + seniority

$149k—$194k—$220k

p25 · target · p75 · n=124

Posted $220k · in the market band

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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 JOB

Anduril’s Materials Engineering team is seeking a Materials Engineer with a specialized background in thermoplastics to join our rapidly growing team. As part of Anduril’s commitment to innovation in defense technology, our materials engineering team is essential in developing the advanced materials that are at the core of our revolutionary products.

In this role, you will have a significant impact on the materials we use and the efficiency with which we use them. You will be expected to possess a robust understanding of material science and the application of organic materials in high-performance environments. The right person doesn't just know the standards; they understand the fundamentals that explain why the standards exist and when it's appropriate to exceed them.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

Strategically select and evaluate polymeric materials for diverse applications.
Assist in the development and testing of new materials to meet engineering and performance specifications.
Conduct comprehensive material characterizations using techniques specific to polymers and adhesives, such as rheological testing, thermal analysis (DSC, TGA), spectroscopy (FTIR), and mechanical testing (tensile, compression, creep).
Design robust test plans and protocols for the substantiation of material processes, analyze data, and ensure material reliability.
Drive supplier development and qualification efforts, establishing robust a supply chain for injection molding plastics meeting Anduril’s high standards for performance and reliability.
Collaborate with design, manufacturing, and engineering teams to address material-related challenges, ensuring the manufacturability and reliability of products.
Maintain cutting-edge knowledge in polymer science and technology, incorporating the latest research and advancements into Anduril’s material strategies.
Document all phases of material development, from experimental setup to detailed analysis of results, and effectively communicate findings to the team and broader organization.
Mentor junior engineers and contribute to the development of the Materials Engineering team’s overall expertise in general polymeric materials.
Use first principles physics as a basis for every decision.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor’s or higher in Materials Engineering, Polymer Science, Chemical Engineering, Plastics Engineering, or a related field.
6-8 years of industry experience focusing on the application of thermoplastics, adhesives, foams. or other organic materials in product development.
Proven experience with Design for Manufacturing (DFM) principles, particularly as they pertain to thermoplastic and adhesive materials, ensuring that materials selection and application processes align with manufacturing capabilities and constraints.
Demonstrated ability to support engineering design teams, providing materials expertise that informs the creation of engineering drawings and specifications. This includes proficiency in interpreting and advising on material tolerances, finishes, and processing techniques that can be accurately depicted in engineering documentation.
Comprehensive knowledge of organic material properties, processing, and characterization techniques, with the ability to translate this knowledge into practical applications and manufacturing processes.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to apply engineering principles to novel applications and to troubleshoot materials-related challenges in design and production settings.
Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with experience in effectively conveying material requirements and justifications to diverse stakeholders, including design engineers, manufacturing teams, and executive leadership.
Quick learner, able to adapt to new technologies and challenges in a fast-paced environment.
Eligibility to obtain and maintain a U.S. Top Secret security clearance as needed.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Expertise in the selection, development, modeling and validation of injection molding plastics.
Demonstrated ownership of a comprehensive material characterization and development effort.
Familiarity with computer-aided design (CAD) software and materials simulation tools (i.e. Moldflow Analysis).
Working knowledge of manufacturing, design, and process substantiation.

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.

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.

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