Head of Production Automation

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 Manufacturing team is seeking a Head of Production Automation to join our team. Your role encompasses the strategic oversight and tactical management of production automation and controls to support high-volume products at Arsenal. You are charged with creating the infrastructure for automation to support key programs as we scale rapidly. This position demands an innovative approach to enhancing our automation, advancing scalability, and lowering the barrier to entry into our company systems.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

• Direct the production automation team, set objectives, guide initiatives, and assess team outcomes.
• Architect and oversee the automation and controls strategy to ensure scalable operations at Arsenal, transitioning from pre-production to full-scale output.
• Provide long-term factory integration strategy and recommendations as well as hands-on contribution to factory automation and integration efforts.
• Communicate strategic visions to key stakeholders, integrating production automation and controls initiatives under a unified digital framework
• Enable real-time data flow and actionable insights through effective connectivity of factory systems
• Collaborate and partner with cross functional teams across production (manufacturing, testing, tooling, etc.) to ensure cohesion between all factory systems and to seamlessly deploy process improvements.
• Champion initiatives that enhance safety, reduce costs, improve quality, and increase productivity.
• Administer production automation budgets and predict resource requirements for personnel, equipment, and materials.
• Implement comprehensive training and documentation to elevate team expertise and support knowledge transfer.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical/Electronics Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field
• Minimum of 7 years of relevant industry experience leading production automation
• Experience with high volume production automation and controls systems
• Experience implementing factory system automation within ERP/MES platforms
• Hands-on expertise in IoT, industrial robotics, ERP/MES, or SCADA systems
• Familiarity with AI, machine learning, or big data applications in manufacturing
• Ability to code and debug in programming or scripting languages for automation (e.g., Python, JavaScript, or PLC programming)
• Knowledge of ERP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics) and their workflows
• Strong understanding of factory automation equipment, network protocols, and communication standards (e.g., OPC UA, MQTT)
• Strong collaboration and communication skills across technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export controlled information or facilities

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience working with third party integrators for automation
• Experience building and training a team from the ground up
• Experience architecting native ERP systems and their requirements using Foundry or other applicable software packages
• Experience with building, verifying, or validating complex systems and their associated reporting and data collection requirements
• Upstream or Downstream experience relative to Manufacturing – Supply Chain, Finance, Business Development, Field Deployment, Design, etc.

US Salary Range$190,000—$285,000 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:

• Platinum Healthcare Benefits: For U.S. roles, we offer comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans at little to no cost to you.
  • For UK roles, Private Medical Insurance (PMI): Anduril will cover the full cost of the insurance premium for an employee and dependents.
  • For AUS roles, Private health plan through Bupa: Coverage is fully subsidized by Anduril.
• Basic Life/AD&D and long-term disability insurance 100% covered by Anduril, plus the option to purchase additional life insurance for you and your dependents.
• Extremely generous company holiday calendar including a holiday hiatus in December, and highly competitive PTO plans.
• 16 weeks of paid Caregiver & Wellness Leave to care for a family member, bond with your baby, or tend to your own medical condition.
• Family Planning & Parenting Support: Fertility (eg, IVF, preservation), adoption, and gestational carrier coverage with additional benefits and resources to provide support from planning to parenting.
• Mental Health Resources: We provide free mental health resources 24/7 including therapy, life coaching, and more. Additional work-life services, such as free legal and financial support, available to you as well.
• A professional development stipend is available to all Andurilians.
• Daily Meals and Provisions: For many of our offices this means breakfast, lunch and fully stocked micro-kitchens.
• Company-funded commuter benefits available based on your region.
• Relocation assistance (depending on role eligibility).
• 401(k) retirement savings plan – both a traditional and Roth 401(k). (US roles only)

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.

Anduril is an equal-opportunity employer committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. The Anduril team is made up of incredibly talented and unique individuals, who together are disrupting industry norms by creating new paths towards the future of defense technology. All qualified applicants will be treated with respect and receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, uniform service, Veteran status, age, or any other protected characteristic per federal, state, or local law, including those with a criminal history, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the CA Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance. We actively encourage members of recognized minorities, women, Veterans, and those with disabilities to apply, and we work to create a welcoming and supportive environment for all applicants throughout the interview process. If you are someone passionate about working on problems that have a real-world impact, we’d love to hear from you!

To view Anduril’s candidate data privacy policy, please visit https://anduril.com/applicant-privacy-notice/.