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Staff Welding Engineer

Anduril Industries · Santa Ana, CA

Level
Senior
Team
Manufacturing
Degree
Required
Experience asked
7+ years
Industry
Aerospace & defense
Posted
30+ days ago

The role in 30 seconds

A senior manufacturing role at Anduril Industries (aerospace & defense) in Santa Ana, CA. Develop, qualify, and maintain Welding Procedure Specifications (WPS), Procedure Qualification Records (PQR), and Welder Performance Qualifications (WPQ) supporting Maritime production.

They ask for
7+ years · degree required
Tools it names
Lean, Six Sigma, Root cause, Robotics, Welding, Tooling

Read from the posting. The full description is below.

From the plant jobs report · week of October 19, 2026

Manufacturing Engineer roles in California: typical posted base $117k–$170k.

Median of the low and high ends of 128 live postings that list pay, out of 348 manufacturing 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 347 other live manufacturing postings in California.

Base pay
Not listed in this posting

Typical $111k–$159k, from 113 postings that list pay.

Experience asked
More than usual (7+ vs 5+)

Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.

Skills these teams ask for most

  • ✓ Tooling 51%
  • New product launch 49%
  • ✓ Root cause 39%
  • Automation 35%
  • CATIA / NX 27%
  • Machining 27%

✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.

It asks for 7+ years. If you're close, apply anyway: requirements are a wish list. Talk to someone doing this work there first.

At a glance

Lifts up to 35 lbs

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. 1

    Pick 2–3 people on the Manufacturing team at Anduril Industries

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  2. 2

    Send a short, curious note

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  3. 3

    Turn a reply into a short call

    Questions worth asking about this team:

    • What does a normal week look like on your team?
    • Is the work mostly new product launches or sustaining existing lines?
    • How much time do you spend on the floor versus at a desk?
    • How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
  4. 4

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  5. 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 Santa Ana

33 other open roles at this site · 2 people we found in manufacturing roles at Anduril Industries.

All 34 roles at Anduril Industries →
Full description from Anduril IndustriesAs posted on their careers site.Show

About the role

Anduril's Maritime team is building the next generation of autonomous underwater and surface vehicles to give the United States and our allies a decisive advantage at sea. The Equipment team within Maritime designs, fabricates, and qualifies the tooling, fixtures, and structural assemblies that make rapid, high-quality production possible. As a Welding Engineer, you'll be the technical authority on welding processes that bring cutting-edge defense hardware to life—working shoulder-to-shoulder with Tooling Fabricators, Tool Makers, manufacturing engineers, and production leadership on the shop floor.

Qualifications

(WPQ) supporting Maritime production.

  • ✓Ensure all welding operations meet applicable codes and standards (AWS, ASME Section IX, MIL-STD, NAVSEA) and maintain associated certification and compliance documentation.
  • ✓Lead root-cause analysis on weld defects and failures across FCAW, GMAW, GTAW, and SAW processes, and implement corrective and preventive actions.
  • ✓Specify appropriate base metals, filler materials, and welding techniques for thin-wall aluminum, stainless steel, titanium, and carbon steel applications.
  • ✓Direct and interpret non-destructive testing (UT, RT, MT, PT, VT) and destructive testing to validate weld quality and procedure soundness.
  • ✓Optimize welding parameters and fixturing to improve quality, throughput, and cost, and provide hands-on technical guidance to Tooling Fabricators and welders.
  • ✓Drive continuous improvement by standardizing welding processes, documenting best practices, and leading initiatives that improve repeatability and efficiency across structural welding operations.

Required qualifications

  • ✓Bachelor's degree in Welding Engineering, Materials/Metallurgical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field—OR an equivalent combination of education and 7+ years of hands-on welding engineering experience.
  • ✓10+ years of welding engineering experience in a manufacturing or industrial environment.
  • ✓10+ years of experience developing and qualifying WPS, PQR, and WPQ documentation.
  • ✓Strong working knowledge of welding processes: FCAW, GMAW, GTAW, and SAW.
  • ✓Proficiency with welding codes and standards (e.g., AWS D1.1 / D1.2 / D1.6, ASME Section IX).
  • ✓Experience reading and interpreting engineering drawings, specifications, schematics, and diagrams.
  • ✓Working knowledge of NDT methods (UT, RT, MT, PT, VT) and weld inspection criteria.
  • ✓Strong root-cause analysis and problem-solving skills, with strong attention to detail and a commitment to safety.
  • ✓Ability to lift, push, and pull up to 35 pounds frequently within an 8-hour shift.
  • ✓Must be eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance.

Preferred qualifications

  • ✓AWS Certified Welding Engineer (CWEng) or Certified Welding Inspector (CWI).
  • ✓Experience qualifying procedures for thin-wall aluminum, stainless steel, and titanium.
  • ✓Familiarity with defense/maritime standards (MIL-STD-1689, NAVSEA S9074-AQ-GIB-010/248).
  • ✓Experience in a defense, aerospace, or maritime manufacturing environment.
  • ✓Experience with robotic or automated welding systems.
  • ✓Lean / Six Sigma certification and experience leading continuous improvement initiatives.

$166,000 — $251,000 USD

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 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 @anduril.com address.
  • ✓Via Agency Partner: If contacted by a recruiting ag
Show full description ↓

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.

What you’ll do

  • •Develop, qualify, and maintain Welding Procedure Specifications (WPS), Procedure Qualification Records (PQR), and Welder Performance

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