Staff Development Engineer

Costa Mesa · Costa Mesa, CA (OC-00) · USD 166,000-220,000 · 2+ years experience · Full-time · Remote · Posted Sep 28, 2026

At a glance

Anduril Industries is seeking a Staff Development Engineer to join the Internal Capabilities Development (ICD) team within Enterprise Test Capabilities (ETC) in Costa Mesa, CA.
This is a hands-on technical leadership role responsible for taking large-scale test capabilities from concept to commissioned hardware while building team processes.
The role focuses primarily on mechanical design and custom test equipment creation to MIL-STD-810H requirements, overseeing structural, thermal, environmental, and hydraulic subsystems.

Lead development of large-scale test capabilities from requirements and concept through overseeing fabrication, hands-on assembly work, commissioning equipment, and handoff to Development Teams
Own mechanical design and CAD for custom test equipment, including structural, thermal/environmental, and hydraulic/pneumatic subsystems, designed to MIL-STD-810H test methods
Produce fabrication-ready drawing packages (GD&T, weldments, sheet metal, machined parts) and work directly with the in-house machine/fabrication shop
Personally perform and oversee fabrication work, including laser cutting, waterjet, welding, machining, and assembly
Lead, mentor, and set technical direction for a team of 2–5 engineers, technicians, and interns
Triage incoming capability requests, set priorities, and escalate only critical decisions to leadership
Establish and standardize ICD processes, including request intake, design reviews, build procedures, documentation, and handoff criteria
Oversee integration of PLC controls, LabVIEW/NI DAQ, instrumentation, and electrical enclosures across builds
Lead build-vs-buy assessments and make the case for internal builds where ICD can beat vendor cost and timeline
Partner with ETC and product teams as the capability-development subject matter expert, and support design and test readiness reviews on feasibility, risk, and safety

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering (Electrical or Aerospace Engineering also considered)
8+ years of hands-on experience designing and building test equipment or complex electromechanical systems
2+ years leading or mentoring engineers or technicians (formal or informal), ideally teams of 2–5
Expert mechanical design and CAD proficiency (SolidWorks, NX, or equivalent), including fabrication drawings and GD&T
Basic hands-on fabrication experience, including any of the following: welding, cnc machining or 3D printing, and assembly
Ability to delegate to technicians and correct drawing callouts for machine shop to perform: welding, bending, laser cutting, waterjet, machining, and assembly
Experience designing and integrating hydraulic and/or pneumatic systems
Working knowledge of PLC controls, NI DAQ/LabVIEW, electrical enclosures, and instrumentation, sufficient to design, integrate, and direct others
Demonstrated ability to own ambiguous problems end-to-end and deliver working hardware with minimal oversight
Eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. Security Clearance

Experience building large-scale environmental test equipment to MIL-STD-810H (thermal, salt fog, sand & dust, vibration, etc.)
Experience with static-fire stands, dynamometers, or thrust/torque measurement systems
Pressure-vessel design or testing experience (ASME BPVC, proof/burst)
Structural analysis/FEA experience for test fixtures and load frames
Closed-loop servo-hydraulic control experience (MTS, Instron, or equivalent)
HMI or SCADA development for custom equipment
Measurement uncertainty analysis and GR&R experience
Experience with defense or aerospace test programs