Principal Flight Test Engineer, Air Dominance & Strike

Company: Anduril Industries
Location: Costa Mesa
Posted on: April 1, 2026

Job Description:

This position is looking for a highly motivated flight test engineer with emphasis in developmental test of a new and revolutionary Group 5 UAS, and experience performing test lead/manager responsibilities. You will work heavily with the program leadership and a wide spectrum of cross-departments to help build a team focused on solving hard problems and changing the industry forever. The role will be responsible for assisting on planning, coordination, execution and reporting on all facets of the test program. The Test and Evaluation team at Anduril works across the entire spectrum of products and business lines, as well as all flight operations and test range management. Our team conducts full system level development testing, new production acceptance testing, sub-component qualification testing and much more. In short, if it involves test, we support it. If you are interested in working in an extremely innovative and fast paced environment, where your work directly makes an impact and difference in the products that are fielded this a fantastic opportunity. WHAT YOU’LL DO As a Principal Flight Test Engineer, under minimal supervision, you will determine and develop and recommend various approaches to achieve T&E goals set by Anduril T&E leadership. You will manage and guide the technical efforts of the Fury T&E Flight Test Engineers and control room personnel. You will provide direct input to test event planning, preparation, execution and reporting. This position will focus heavily on new aircraft development, with emphasis on envelope expansion, flying qualities and vehicle autonomy. You will supervise a team that will author ground and flight test plans, develop a comprehensive flight test campaign, execute test events from a control room environment and direct the configuration of multiple test articles in support of high-risk test events. Test duties include the testing hardware and software in laboratory, ground and flight test environments, with emphasis placed on resource planning. You will be expected to seek process improvements to increase test efficiency across all test environments. You will facilitate and lead the technical interactions between disparate engineering teams. You will coordinate across the members of T&E IPT, including Flight Operations and Maintenance. You will directly contribute to periodic and milestone engineering reviews, often facilitating technical discussions between Anduril and customer representatives. Faced with numerous technical and execution challenges, you will be expected to develop creative solutions to unique problems. You will be biased for action — you are empowered to engage your team to solve and fix any problem you encounter without direct supervision. You will be part of an organization that challenges traditional T&E paradigms and is poised to affect the trajectory of the flight test industry. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS 15 years of experience as test conductor/director for developmental aircraft, weapons, or missile systems. A bachelor's degree or a related technical discipline from an accredited institution. May substitute equivalent engineering experience in lieu of education. Extensive experience as a test conductor/test director for developmental aircraft. Test engineering experience working with developmental systems of manned and/or unmanned aircraft to include requirements development, test planning and execution, and test reporting. Must have a complete understanding of Test & Evaluation engineering concepts, principles, codes, and theory; with experience demonstrating a broad application of those areas. This includes experience working across program Integrated Product Teams to influence system design or configuration. Previous experience with and current working knowledge of DCMA INST 8210, MIL-STD-516, 14 CFR, and service related T&E guiding documents. Foundational expertise and working knowledge of the National Airspace System, government restricted airspace and UAS operating rules and regulations thereof. Must possess the ability to understand new concepts quickly; apply them accurately; organize, schedule, and coordinate work phases; and determine the appropriate approach at the task level or, with assistance, at the project level to provide solutions to a range of complex problems. Strong computer and documentation experience. Must have strong communication (written and verbal) and interpersonal skills. Ability to work independently and as part of a team; able to perform complex tasks in one or more engineering areas. Experience with large aircraft development and working with the Department of Defense (DoD) Able to work extended hours as required. Ability to travel as required for test planning and execution Ability to immediately obtain a U.S. Top Secret-Level security clearance. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS 15 years experience in Test & Evaluation, or related technical fields. Previously held a role as the Lead Flight Test Engineer. Been a part of the first flight of a developmental aircraft, or major aircraft system. Bias for action – if you see a problem, you want to solve and fix it Experience managing individuals or teams of multiple individuals Experience with large UAS development Previous experience working within a Combined Test Force or equivalen US Salary Range $220,000 - $292,000 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: Healthcare Benefits US Roles: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans at little to no cost to you. UK & AUS Roles: We cover full cost of medical insurance premiums for you and your dependents. IE Roles: We offer an annual contribution toward your private health insurance for you and your dependents. Additional Benefits Income Protection : Anduril covers life and disability insurance for all employees. Generous time off : Highly competitive PTO plans with a holiday hiatus in December. Caregiver & Wellness Leave is available to care for family members, bond with a new baby, or address your own medical needs. Family Planning & Parenting Support: Coverage for fertility treatments (e.g., IVF, preservation), adoption, and gestational carriers, along with resources to support you and your partner from planning to parenting. Mental Health Resources: Access free mental health resources 24/7, including therapy and life coaching. Additional work-life services, such as legal and financial support, are also available. Professional Development: Annual reimbursement for professional development Commuter Benefits: Company-funded commuter benefits based on your region. Relocation Assistance: Available depending on role eligibility. Retirement Savings Plan US Roles: Traditional 401(k), Roth, and after-tax (mega backdoor Roth) options. UK & IE Roles: Pension plan with employer match. AUS Roles: Superannuation plan. The recruiter assigned to this role can share more information about the specific compensation and benefit details associated with this role during the hiring process. 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/ .

Keywords: Anduril Industries, Irvine , Principal Flight Test Engineer, Air Dominance & Strike, Engineering , Costa Mesa, California