Technical Operations Team Lead, Bolt

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 The Tactical Recon & Strike (TRS) team at Anduril develops small aerial drones (Group 1-3) along with all the necessary equipment for testing, deployment, and operation. The team transforms products like Ghost, Anvil, Altius, and Bolt from initial concepts into operational systems. We work closely with specialized teams to tackle some of our customers' most complex challenges. Currently, we are seeking a technical operations engineer for the Bolt program where you will leverage your operational and technical expertise to shape and deploy a solution of maximum effectiveness and reliability. Your scope will include standing up forward-deployed operations in austere environments, ensuring the successful employment of Anduril products, and shaping the long-term sustainment of these products. In addition, you will be a core participant in customer demonstrations and customer trainings, as well as test events closer to home. About The Job As a member of the Technical Operations team for TRS, you will play a critical role in bridging product engineering and deployed operations. You will be involved in unmanned air vehicle development programs, using your technical and operational expertise to deliver reliable solutions in challenging, remote environments. As the lead for the Bolt team, you will be at the intersection of technical expertise and leadership, driving a growing team of Technical Operations Engineers as they tackle worldwide deployments and capture the product’s first Program of Record. You will interact directly with Business Line and Division leadership, being trusted to give your opinion and provide a roadmap to mitigate friction and ensure success in a fast-paced, high stakes environment. What You’ll Do Lead a team through worldwide operational deployments while building process and forecasting future growth Support military aviation projects by executing flight operations, conducting field maintenance, providing customer field support and training Tackle complex issues related to hardware, software, and networking in unstructured situations, driving them to resolution Drive events as the SME of the product, advising customers on operational employment and best practices Communicate field issue status to internal and customer teams, keeping them informed. Support the development and implementation of comprehensive operational and logistical plans for various events Maintain support plans for hardware and software Assist in event planning and resource allocation, keeping key stakeholders informed about Technical Operations requirements Incident response root-cause analyses (RCAs) for air systems in the field Conduct post-incident reviews and implement preventive measures Maintain up-to-date documentation Required Qualifications: 3+ years of experience of strong problem solving in unstructured environments at the interface of hardware, software, and networking, preferably in a leadership role Strong mechanical aptitude to troubleshoot and repair critical site product components and infrastructure. Demonstrated understanding of flight operations, aircraft systems, and sensors Willingness to work with energetic material (warheads) Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work independently or collaboratively in a team Willingness to travel up to 80% Eligibility to obtain and maintain a U.S. Top Secret/Secret security clearance Must be able to obtain and maintain 14 CFR Part 107 This position is based in Costa Mesa, CA, and is not eligible for remote or hybrid work Preferred Qualifications: Degree in aerospace engineering, computer science, mechanical engineering, or related field Experience with weapon systems for manned aircraft, UAS, or missiles Experience with munitions live fire testing or munitions handling Experience with VTOL quad copter air systems Demonstrated coding experience in Python, MATLAB, or similar programming languages (NixOS and Rust preferred) Background in military deployments with Special Operations Forces, or to hazard zones. US Salary Range$146,000—$193,000 USDThe 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 i