Head Of Production, Altius 700
Anduril Industries · Costa Mesa, CA
- Level
- Director+
- Team
- Production
- Experience asked
- 10+ years
- Industry
- Aerospace & defense
- Posted
- 30+ days ago
The role in 30 seconds
A director-level production role at Anduril Industries (aerospace & defense) in Costa Mesa, CA. You will own the strategic development and execution for short to mid-term production goals, operational direction, and the vision for the department.
- They ask for
- 10+ years
- Tools it names
- AS9100, Casting, Tooling, MES
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of November 2, 2026
Production Engineer roles in California: typical posted base $122k–$175k.
Median of the low and high ends of 57 live postings that list pay, out of 138 production engineer openings in California, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
California plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 137 other live production postings in California.
- Base pay
- Not listed in this posting
- Experience asked
- More than usual (10+ vs 5+)
Typical $116k–$170k, from 46 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ New product launch 36%
- Lean 30%
- Root cause 29%
- Automation 28%
- Team leadership 23%
- Python 21%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for AS9100, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Production team at Anduril Industries
We found 2 people at this company and state: 1 in this kind of role, 1 leaders. Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. See them ↓
- 2
Send a short, curious note
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Write to Aaron → (free) - 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
This plant: Anduril Industries in Costa Mesa
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Full description from Anduril IndustriesAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Required qualifications
- ✓Manufacturing Leadership & Foundation-Building: Minimum of 10 years of progressive leadership experience in a Manufacturing/Production role within the hardware development industry, with a demonstrated track record of establishing, building, and scaling manufacturing operations from prototype to full-rate production (on the order of thousands of units). This includes proven success in developing and implementing the foundational processes and systems ("the playbook") necessary for hyper-growth.
- ✓Supply Chain Acumen: Significant leadership responsibility and proven success across supply chain, procurement, and warehousing functions essential for scaled manufacturing operations.
- ✓Domain Expertise: Deep experience with discrete manufacturing operations in a highly technical industry such as aerospace, defense, consumer electronics, medical devices, or automotive. Experience with complex electromechanical systems is highly valued.
- ✓Strategic & Tactical Acumen: A relentless drive for continuous improvement, a strong outcome orientation, and the ability to both define strategic initiatives and dive into tactical execution to achieve results.
- ✓Technical Collaboration: Demonstrated ability to engage and collaborate effectively with engineering, supply chain, and quality teams on a highly technical level.
- ✓Inspirational Leader: A positive and inspirational leader with a proven ability to assess, attract, develop, and retain high-quality talent, building high-perf
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
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.
We are seeking an exceptional and visionary Head of Production to lead our manufacturing operations for the Altius family of unmanned aircraft systems. In our facilities, we specialize in the design, development, and production of state-of-the-art unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), including those designed for ejection from host platforms or modular launch systems. Our mission is to deliver unique, high-performance solutions that meet critical operational needs. This is a senior leadership role responsible for the complete lifecycle of production, from strategic development and execution to fostering a culture of operational excellence and continuous improvement. As the TRS Head of Production, you will own the strategic development and execution for short to mid-term production goals, operational direction, and the vision for the department. Your top-level charter will be to define the future of our manufacturing processes ("the playbook") and lead its implementation, ensuring consistent, flawless execution across all product and Science & Technology (S&T) programs, transforming prototypes into scalable, high-volume production. If you thrive in a fast-paced, high-impact environment and are passionate about architecting, building, and scaling advanced manufacturing capabilities from the ground up for critical national security applications, we want to hear from you.
What you’ll do
- •Strategic & Operational Leadership: Serve as both a strategic leader and a hands-on operator, overseeing all aspects of Altius manufacturing operations in Atlanta, GA. You will report directly to the Atlanta Site Lead and manage an existing team of production leads.
- •Build the Future of Manufacturing: Architect and lead the development of our end-to-end production capabilities, from initial factory layout and infrastructure to defining optimal workflows and processes. This includes advising engineering on DFM (Design for Manufacturability), developing tooling strategies, and orchestrating efficient production execution.
- •Factory & Resource Management: Own and optimize the Atlanta manufacturing floor, including headcount planning, capital expenditure forecasting, and resource allocation to meet aggressive production targets.
- •Hyper-Growth & Scale: Drive the Production, Supply Chain, and Quality teams to execute against Anduril’s ambitious 5-year strategic vision to become a next-generation aerospace and defense manufacturer, capable of flexibly producing thousands of high-quality products annually.
- •Cross-Functional Partnership: Collaborate closely with Engineering, Deployment Operations, and Program Management to ensure seamless product maturation from low-rate prototypes to full-rate production.
- •Process & Systems Excellence: Establish, mature, and continuously refine robust manufacturing processes, operational playbooks, and systems throughout the product development lifecycle to enable efficient scaling and consistent quality.
- •Performance Management: Define, track, and manage key performance indicators (KPIs) for financial performance, quality, and on-time delivery, using data to drive continuous improvement and business impact.
- •Digital Transformation: Advise on the development and oversee the implementation of cutting-edge digital manufacturing technologies, including PLM, ERP, custom MES, and QMS systems, to maximize efficiency and meet program requirements.
- •Quality & Compliance: Ensure strict adherence to AS9100D guidelines and other relevant industry standards, fostering a culture of unwavering quality and regulatory compliance.
- •Executive Partnership: Act as a key partner to Anduril’s SVP of Manufacturing, contributing to the broader manufacturing strategy and vision for the company.
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