Program Director, Rocket Motor Systems at Anduril in Costa Mesa, CA

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 TEAM Anduril’s Rocket Motor Systems division is seeking a Director of Programs to join our team. The Rocket Motor Systems group designs, develops, and manufactures next-generation solid rocket motors for defense and space applications at Anduril. ABOUT THE JOB The Director of Programs is responsible for making key decisions on overall business strategy. This role will play a critical part in the development and delivery of advanced rocket motor systems that serve the defense industry. The Director of Programs will manage the overall strategy for our portfolio of programs across development and full rate production.In this role, you will partner with the Director of Engineering to ensure successful technical delivery of current contracts while also aligning the technical roadmap with future program objectives. Additionally, this role serves as a key public representative of the business to customers and is responsible, in partnership with the Growth team, for driving topline revenue delivery through timely program execution. WHAT YOU'LL DO Oversee and lead multiple cross-functional teams in the strategic development, testing, and production of rocket motor systems to achieve project objectives. Autonomously execute on broad and/or ambiguous requirements from internal engineering, customers, and third party corporate partners to own successful delivery of outcomes on multiple programs simultaneously. Manage all aspects of program execution across the portfolio of Rocket Motor Systems programs, including schedule, budget, and risk management. Maintain relationships with customers, suppliers, and internal teams, ensuring clear communication and alignment on program goals and deliverables. Oversee subcontractor performance and procurement process, ensuring compliance with program requirements, quality standards, and on-time delivery. Prepare and present contractual deliverables, program status reports, proposals, and other documentation to internal and external audiences. Drive innovation and continuous improvement within the program, leveraging cutting-edge technologies and methodologies. Develop and implement lightweight processes, tools, and metrics for program planning, scope management, risk management, and customer communication to enable Anduril to move rapidly. Foster team development and provide ongoing training to ensure that team members are equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to excel in their roles, promoting a culture of continuous learning and professional growth. Oversee financial outcomes for the Rocket Motor Systems division, including responsibility for profit and loss, ensuring that all programs are managed effectively to meet financial targets and contribute to the overall profitability of the organization. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS Minimum of 8 years experience managing the development of complex technical systems throughout the product lifecycle. Proven track record of successfully managing complex, multi-million-dollar projects and driving their on-time, on-budget completion Experience leading manufacturing and productization efforts for Aerospace and defense customers. Excellent organizational, leadership, and decision-making skills. Ability to work effectively with cross-disciplinary teams, including engineering, operations, finance, and sales. Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills to interact with customers, team members, and senior leadership. Experience with Microsoft Office, Project, and Jira. Willingness to travel up to 50% supporting program objectives and customer engagements. If located outside of Huntsville in Costa Mesa, DC or Atlanta then travel will be up to 70%. Currently possesses and is able to maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS B.S. (minimum) in Aerospace, Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent technical discipline. Strong understanding of rocket motor systems, propulsion technologies, and relevant manufacturing processes. 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: 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.