Prototype Fabrication Manager

About the Team

The Dev Manufacturing Team is part of Andurils Mechanical Engineering organization and supports rapid hardware development across prototype fabrication machining composites additive manufacturing and manufacturing development.

This team helps convert early engineering concepts into physical hardware by partnering closely with design engineers project leads fabricators machinists and shop operations teams. The work spans prototype structures welded assemblies sheet metal parts machined components test articles and production-intent development hardware.

About the Job

Anduril is looking for a Prototype Fabrication Manager to join our team in Costa Mesa this role you will lead the prototype fabrication team responsible for building and modifying development hardware across Andurils product portfolio.

You will manage shop priorities people project flow resources safety quality and execution. This role requires someone who can understand technical drawings identify build risks before work starts prioritize competing requests allocate team capacity and partner with engineering to keep prototype hardware moving quickly without sacrificing safety or quality.

Your Impact

• Lead a skilled prototype fabrication team supporting fast-moving hardware programs.
• Improve shop throughput by creating clear prioritization scheduling and resource-allocation practices.
• Reduce build delays by identifying drawing material tolerance weld and manufacturability issues before work is delegated.
• Strengthen shop execution through consistent safety quality onboarding and workflow standards.
• Partner with engineering and project stakeholders to support rapid development from concept through completed hardware.

What Youll Do

• Manage a team of fabricators and machinists including onboarding training coordination work assignment performance management and day-to-day team support.
• Define and apply criteria for Jira ticket prioritization including due dates shop capacity personnel availability material readiness and product/program impact.
• Review drawings models files and work instructions before delegating tasks including material callouts weld symbols tolerances specifications and potential build risks.
• Delegate Jira tasks monitor progress and maintain schedules against project deadlines.
• Balance workload across the team especially for high-priority or schedule-critical projects.
• Create and maintain the overall shop schedule.
• Engage in design reviews and coordinate with engineers and project leads to understand scope technical requirements and delivery priorities.
• Monitor quality accuracy and execution approach across assigned parts and projects.
• Manage raw material and consumable inventory including welding gases abrasives fabrication supplies and related shop resources.
• Enforce safety policies and procedures within the fabrication shop.
• Partner with EHS to evaluate unclear safety situations identify hazards and support corrective actions.
• Participate in interviews for new hires and help establish an effective onboarding/orientation process.
• Oversee manual machining operations for mill and lathe work in the fabrication area.
• Support decisions around shop improvements tooling equipment needs and new equipment purchases.
• Maintain shop organization cleanliness safety and readiness.

Required Qualifications

• 10 years of experience in prototype fabrication job shop machine shop advanced manufacturing aerospace defense automotive motorsports or similar hands-on hardware environments.
• 3 years of experience managing leading or supervising fabricators machinists technicians or similar shop-floor teams.
• 3 years of experience creating or managing shop schedules work queues production priorities or project/resource plans.
• Experience reviewing technical drawings blueprints CAD outputs work instructions weld symbols tolerances specifications and material callouts.
• Experience with metal fabrication structural fabrication welding processes sheet metal fabrication and/or manual machining.
• Working knowledge of welding processes such as GMAW FCAW and/or GTAW.
• Working knowledge of manual mill and/or lathe operations.
• Experience managing raw materials consumables shop supplies tooling or equipment resources.
• Experience identifying fabrication machining material tolerance or manufacturability issues before or during a build.
• Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export controlled information or facilities

Preferred Qualifications

• CAD design software experience.
• Jira and/or Confluence experience.
• Project management experience in a prototype job shop fabrication machining manufacturing development or hardware engineering environment.
• Experience supporting design reviews build reviews or manufacturability reviews.
• Experience selecting justifying or implementing shop equipment tooling or workflow improvements.
• Experience in aerospace defense robotics automotive motorsports advanced manufacturing or other hardware-intensive environments.

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 Andurils 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 youre supported in health recovery and whatever comes next.For more information Explore Our Benefits.

Data Privacy

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