Manager, CUAS Systems Safety Engineering

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 Anduril's System Safety Engineering organization partners across Anduril's engineering, manufacturing, and operations organizations to ensure our autonomous systems are safe for development, testing, and deployment in complex operational environments. Our mandate spans the complete product lifecycle, from early concept design through production scale-up and fielded operations. We make our products safe by guiding product teams through safety analyses such as: Functional Hazard Analysis, Fault Trees, Hazard Management and Hazard Mitigation activities, identifying hazards early and partnering with design teams to engineer safety into hardware, software, and operations. ABOUT THE JOB We are seeking an experienced System Safety Engineering leader to join our rapidly growing team at Costa Mesa, CA to drive system safety excellence for our Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (CUAS) and Air Defense programs. As a System Safety leader at Anduril, you will play a critical role in developing and implementing robust safety frameworks across the air defense and counter-UAS systems within our product portfolio. Your expertise will be instrumental in guiding product teams through the System Safety lifecycle, from initial concept through qualification, production, and field deployment. You will drive continuous improvement initiatives, lead the development of risk mitigation strategies, and foster a safety culture across the organization. Leveraging your deep knowledge of system safety tools (FHA, FTA, SCFTA, SSA, FMECA, etc.) and hazard analysis methodologies, you will ensure that our systems operate safely under diverse and demanding operating conditions WHAT YOU'LL DO Lead and manage the performance of a team of System Safety Engineers, providing technical guidance and mentorship on system safety principles, best practices, and artifact development. Manage resource allocation and capacity planning to support multiple concurrent programs, and drive recruiting efforts to maintain growth trajectory. Conduct performance management, career development planning, and succession planning. Develop and implement tailored System Safety program plans aligned with MIL-STD-882E and the needs of Anduril and its customers. Define and communicate the System Safety organization's vision, goals, and framework to standardize development efforts across the business and integrate safety processes across all stages of product development. Oversee and review complex safety analyses, including FHA (Functional Hazard Analysis), Fault Tree, SCFTA (Safety Critical Functional Thread Analysis), and SAR (Safety Assessment Report). Develop system safety requirements and collaborate with design teams to implement safety solutions. Support Milestone Reviews such as PDR, CDR, and TRR representing System Safety. Liaise with customers, regulatory bodies, and internal stakeholders on safety-related matters. Drive continuous improvement in System Safety processes and methodologies. Ensure compliance with relevant military and industry safety standards. Contribute to proposal efforts and support business development activities, as required. Provide management-level reporting and communications on team performance, program status, and strategic initiatives REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS B.S. Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, or equivalent technical discipline 7+ years of experience in System Safety Engineering, with at least 1 years in a leadership role Proven track record building, scaling, and managing technical teams of 5+ engineers for complex advanced programs Strong background in safety analysis techniques, including FTA, FHA, SCFTA, and FMECA. Extensive knowledge of MIL-STD-882E, JSSSEH or other relevant safety standards. Experience with safety-critical hardware and software systems in the defense or aerospace industry, with a preference for Rotorcraft, Aircraft, or Weapon Systems Experience setting up a System Safety Engineering framework for a product or program, including early stage Design for Safety and Hazard Analysis experience Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with ability to influence cross-functionally at all levels Strategic thinking with ability to balance hands-on technical work with management responsibilities Eligibility to pursue and maintain a U.S. security clearance, as required PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS M.S. Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, or equivalent technical discipline 10+ years of experience in System Safety Engineering, with at least 3 years in a leadership role. Experience managing teams through periods of rapid growth (2x+ team expansion) Track record of developing talent and promoting team members into leadership roles Experience or familiarity with ISO 26262, ARP-4754, ARP-4761, and MIL-STD-516C Direct experience with sensors, sensor fusion, small UAS, or air defense products Experience with software safety, software assurance, or Level of Rigor for safety-critical software systems Executive-level communications, reporting, and roadmap presentation experience Technical writing experience developing standards,