Program Manager, Air Defense
Job Location:
Irvine, CA - USA
Monthly Salary:
Posted on:
Vacancies:
Job Summary
The Air Defense team builds robots that find other robots and knock them out of the sky. At a time when air superiority can no longer be taken for granted the Air Defense team provides mission critical capabilities to protect the nations most important assets. From detection to tracking identification deterrence and defeat our family of networked sensors effectors and Command & Control (C2) software enables our customers to rapidly close the kill chain against a broad range of UAS threats. Working across product engineering business development logistics and operations the Air Defense team develops tests deploys and sustains the Anduril Air Defense Family of Systems in challenging operational environments worldwide.
ABOUT THE JOB
Our Air Defense team is responsible for developing and fielding CUAS capabilities around the world. We are seeking a Deployment Manager to join our growing team focused on protecting critical national security assets for military customers worldwide. This role is designed for a strong operator who will help scale across U.S. and overseas operating environments.
Operating CUAS capabilities in support of military missions requires a combination of technical rigor operational excellence and regulatory awareness. Our systems must integrate seamlessly with military operations while meeting applicable U.S. and host-nation legal authorities governing counter-drone activity. Our customers depend on precise execution regulatory compliance and professional fielding in environments where safety legal authority and public trust are paramount.
In this role you will serve as the operational expert for Air Defense deploymentsensuring systems personnel training documentation and regulatory requirements are aligned for mission success. You will build repeatable deployment processes manage cross-functional coordination and serve as the connective tissue between technical teams and customers.
You will operate at the intersection of technology development operational deployment and customer engagement - serving as a key integrator across teams and ensuring the program executes effectively and efficiently at scale. You will directly support program cost schedule risk management executive reporting and strategic execution.
This role is ideal for an operator who thrives in ambiguity is comfortable in front of customers and executives wants to scale at speed and build long-term sustainable operations.
WHAT YOULL DO
Program Execution
- Develop and maintain program execution frameworks milestones and reporting structures to ensure alignment across technical and operational teams
- Drive program coordination across engineering product growth compliance and supply chain
- Develop executive-level reporting dashboards and briefings to communicate program health and progress to leadership
- Identify program risks early and drive mitigation strategies across technical and operational stakeholders
- Ensure program execution aligns with applicable U.S. and host-nation regulatory frameworks governing CUAS operations
- Coordinate with regulatory and policy stakeholders to support deployments operating within DoD host-nation and other relevant authorities
- Serve as subject matter expert to ensure operational concepts and deployment strategies reflect real-world legal and regulatory constraints as well as operational realities
- Oversee planning and coordination of CUAS deployments from planning and logistics through on-site activation to long-term sustainment
- Develop structured deployment plans readiness gates and operational checklists to ensure repeatable execution
- Coordinate cross-functional teams to deliver mission-ready capabilities to customer sites
- Lead after-action reviews and capture lessons learned to continuously improve deployment velocity and quality
- Serve as senior program representative during key deployments and operational activities
- Ensure clear proactive communication across internal stakeholders and external customers
- Drive stakeholder alignment across technical operational and regulatory teams to ensure program decisions are made quickly transparently and in support of mission success
- Ensure coordination between program leadership field operations and customer stakeholders to maintain readiness and program credibility
- 6 years of experience working with government program offices defense programs or technical project management
- Experience with government contracts government acquisition processes and proposal development
- Demonstrated experience managing complex cross-functional programs involving hardware and software systems in high-stakes or regulated environments
- Experience across the broader counter-UAS (CUAS) domain and working with military and government entities critical infrastructure operators or defense customers
- Strong operational rigorability to build structured plans manage concurrent workstreams and execute against tight timelines
- Proven ability to cut through ambiguity and drive cross-functional alignment without formal authority
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; comfortable briefing senior leadership and customer executives
- Willingness to travel up to 30% as program and deployment needs require
- Eligible to obtain and maintain a security clearance
- Manufacturing production or supply chain experience (beneficial though production responsibilities ultimately rest with the business lines rather than the PM)
- Familiarity with the CUAS operating environment with direct experience work on sensor networks autonomy or ISR platforms
- Knowledge of airspace coordination regulatory compliance and operational integration across U.S. and overseas operating environments
- Familiarity with airspace regulations military rules of engagement or CUAS legal frameworks
- General awareness of electronic warfare (EW) Radar and infrared concepts (this role focuses on Counter-UAS not electronic attack)
- Background in DoD DHS or critical infrastructure protection programs
- Experience scaling operations from early-stage deployments to sustained fielding partnering with business lines on production
- MBA or advanced degree in Business Public Policy Engineering or a related technical discipline
- You are a structured operator who brings clarity and discipline to complex fast-moving initiatives
- You are comfortable navigating both technical complexity and operational ambiguity
- You are detail-obsessed but capable of thinking strategically
- You are comfortable both in a warehouse coordinating shipments and in a boardroom presenting a program update
- You approach mission-critical work with high ownership and low ego
US Salary Range
$146000 - $194000 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.
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Required Experience:
IC
