Reliability engineer Jobs in Irvine, CA

Manager, Missiles Reliability Engineering

Costa Mesa, California, United States

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

We are seeking an experienced Reliability Engineering leader to join our rapidly growing team in Costa Mesa, CA, driving reliability excellence for our Missiles programs. As a Reliability Engineering leader at Anduril, you will play a critical role in developing and implementing robust reliability frameworks across the missile systems within our product portfolio. Your expertise will be instrumental in guiding product teams through the Reliability lifecycle, from initial concept through qualification, production, and field deployment. You will drive continuous improvement initiatives, lead the development of risk mitigation strategies, and foster a culture of operational resilience across the organization. Leveraging your deep knowledge of reliability tools (FMEA, FMECA, HALT/HASS, Weibull, etc.), predictive methodologies, and product test campaign planning, you will ensure that our systems perform reliably under diverse and demanding operating conditions. The ideal candidate is a hands-on, results-oriented leader with a proven track record in managing Reliability efforts for complex hardware and software integration programs, capable of analyzing performance data, uncovering trends, and implementing actionable improvements that uphold Anduril's commitment to excellence.

What You'll Do

• Lead and manage the performance of a team of Reliability Engineers, providing technical guidance and mentorship on reliability principles, best practices, and artifact development
• Manage resource allocation and capacity planning to support multiple concurrent programs, and drive recruiting efforts to maintain growth trajectory
• Conduct performance management, career development planning, and succession planning
• Develop and implement tailored reliability & maintainability program plans aligned with Anduril and customer needs
• Define and communicate the Reliability organization's vision, goals, and framework to standardize development efforts across the business and integrate Reliability processes across all stages of product development
• Conduct and review complex reliability artifacts, including FMEA/FMECAs, Fault Tree Analysis, and Qualification Test Plans
• Develop reliability requirements and collaborate with design teams to implement solutions at system, sub-system, and component levels
• Lead shelf-life, storage, and environmental qualification efforts for munitions systems
• Manage product/program risk databases and ensure proper risk mitigation strategies are in place
• Liaise with customers, regulatory bodies, and internal stakeholders on reliability-related matters
• Drive continuous improvement in reliability processes, methodologies, and tools
• Ensure compliance with relevant military and industry Reliability standards
• Contribute to proposal efforts and support business development activities, as required
• Provide management-level reporting and communications on team performance, program status, and strategic initiatives

Required Qualifications

• B.S. Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, or equivalent technical discipline
• 7+ years of experience in Reliability Engineering, with at least 1 year in a leadership role
• Proven track record building, scaling, and managing technical teams of 5+ engineers for complex advanced hardware programs
• Technical expertise in reliability analysis techniques, including FMEA/FMECA, predictive modeling, Weibull analysis, and Fault Tree Analysis
• Extensive knowledge of MIL-STD-810, MIL-HDBK-217, MIL-STD-461, and MIL-STD-1629, and other relevant military and munitions industry standards
• Experience with safety-critical hardware and software systems in defense or aerospace, preferably with missile systems, munitions, propulsion systems, or guided weapons programs
• Understanding of shelf-life analysis, environmental stress screening, and qualification testing for munitions
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with ability to influence cross-functionally at all levels
• Strategic thinking with ability to balance hands-on technical work with management responsibilities
• Eligibility to pursue a U.S. security clearance, as required

Preferred Qualifications

• M.S. Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, or equivalent technical discipline
• 10+ years of experience in Reliability Engineering, with at least 3 years in a leadership role
• Experience managing teams through periods of rapid growth (2x+ team expansion)
• Experience with MIL-STD-1316, MIL-STD-2105, MIL-HDBK-340, MIL-HDBK-344, or other munitions-specific standards
• Experience with propulsion systems (solid rocket motors, air-breathing engines, or hybrid systems) or guidance, navigation, and control system reliability
• Experience with insensitive munitions (IM) testing and certification
• Executive-level communications, reporting, and roadmap presentation experience
• Technical writing experience developing standards, specifications, user guides, and policies
• Experience with Relyence, Teamcenter, Confluence, and JIRA software suites
• Experience drafting requirements for software and hardware systems
• Active U.S. security clearance

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.

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