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Deputy Director, Flight Operations

Anduril


Job Location:

Costa Mesa, CA - USA

Monthly Salary: $ 220000 - 292000
Posted: 21 August 2026 (15 days ago)
Application Deadline: 19 November 2026
Vacancies: 1 Vacancy

Job Summary

Anduril is looking for a highly motivated Deputy Director of Flight Operations with emphasis on developmental test of a new and revolutionary medium and large conventional and VTOL UAS vehicles. You will work heavily with the program leadership and a wide spectrum of cross-departments to help develop mentor and lead a world-class flight test organization focused on solving hard problems and changing the industry forever. This role delivers a rare breadth of exposure spanning autonomous systems aerospace engineering robotics software operations systems validation safety assessments release decisions and regulatory compliance.

Anduril is a rapidly growing company and the right person for this role should be able to thrive in a fast-paced environment with many competing priorities. 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 Youll Do
  • Develop and implement flight operation strategies that align with company leadership directives.
  • Oversee the integration planning execution and operational oversight of flight tests and associated activities.
  • Collaborate with test engineers and control room personnel to provide input on test event planning preparation execution and reporting.
  • Navigate a complex product development roadmap focusing on system integration strategy development and program execution.
  • Facilitate engineering reviews technical discussions and ensure effective communication between Anduril and customer representatives.
  • Provide input and oversight for essential documentation including system manuals checklists and acceptance procedures.
  • Coordinate project and test progress status interfacing with program leadership and managing resource constraints.
  • Ensure compliance with all applicable laws regulations and company policies during flight operations.
  • Support hardware and software testing emphasizing resource planning and process improvement.
  • Manage and mentor flight operations staff including pilots crew and support personnel.
Required Qualifications
  • 10 years of experience in flight operations and/or test management for developmental aircraft and payload integration.
  • Experience with large UAS development.
  • Knowledge of DCMA INST 8210 MIL-STD-516 14 CFR and related T&E guiding documents.
  • Strong understanding of engineering concepts and principles with broad application in related technical specialties.
  • Ability to quickly understand and apply new concepts organize work phases and develop solutions to complex problems.
  • Experience working with the Department of War (DoW).
  • Strong leadership skills with a proven track record of team management.
  • Excellent communication leadership and interpersonal skills.
  • Ability to work under pressure and handle multiple priorities.
  • Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a team.
  • Willingness to work extended hours as needed.
  • Willingness to travel as required.
  • Must possess and maintain an active U.S. Top Secret security clearance.
  • In this role you will be subject to pre-employment and randomized substance screening as required by the Company.
Preferred Qualifications
  • 15 years of experience in flight operations high risk flight testing and/or test management for developmental aircraft and payload integration.
  • 10 years of Pilot-In-Command experience of large manned and or unmanned aircraft.
  • Involvement in the first flight of a developmental aircraft or major aircraft system.
  • Proactive problem-solving mindset.
  • Previous experience in a Combined Test Force or equivalent organization.

US Salary Range

$220000 - $292000 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 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.

Protecting Yourself from Recruitment Scams

Anduril is committed to maintaining the integrity of our Talent acquisition process and the security of our candidates. Weve 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 @ 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 agencys authenticity by reaching out to .
  • 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 senders email domain is @ 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. Your proactive caution is invaluable in protecting your personal information and upholding the security and trustworthiness of our recruitment efforts.

Data Privacy

To view Andurils candidate data privacy policy please visit 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.


Required Experience:

Director