Senior Thermal Engineer
Anduril Industries is seeking a Senior Thermal Engineer to join our team in Costa Mesa, California. In this role, you will be responsible for the thermal design and analysis of advanced defense systems, including drones, aircraft, and missiles. You will collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to develop innovative solutions that enhance the performance and reliability of our products in demanding environments.
As a Senior Thermal Engineer, your primary responsibilities will include owning the thermal design and analysis of various defense platforms. You will utilize first principles to guide decision-making, performing hand calculations and developing first-order models using tools like MATLAB or Python before engaging in detailed design. Additionally, you will define thermal architectures capable of withstanding rugged conditions and demanding flight profiles, identify critical thermal scenarios, and work closely with other engineers to document power dissipations across different operating modes.
The ideal candidate will possess a Master's degree or higher in engineering or applied physics with a focus on heat transfer and fluid dynamics. A minimum of five years of experience in designing thermal systems for integrated hardware products within the aerospace industry is required. Practical experience in both passive and active thermal management systems, proficiency in thermal testing—including sensor selection, data acquisition, and post-processing—and expertise in thermal FEA tools such as STAR-CCM+, ANSYS, Icepak, or Flotherm are essential. CAD experience with SolidWorks or Siemens NX is also necessary. Candidates must be able to obtain and maintain a U.S. Top Secret security clearance.
Anduril offers a competitive salary range of $146,000 to $194,000 USD for this position, along with highly competitive equity grants. Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, and vision plans at little to no cost, generous PTO plans with a holiday hiatus in December, caregiver and wellness leave, family planning and parenting support, mental health resources, professional development reimbursement, commuter benefits, and relocation assistance where applicable. We also provide income protection through life and disability insurance and offer retirement savings plans with employer match options.
At Anduril, we are committed to transforming U.S. and allied military capabilities with advanced technology. Our team is dedicated to bringing cutting-edge autonomy, AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and networking technology to the defense industry in months, not years. Joining our team means contributing to a mission-driven organization that values innovation, collaboration, and rapid development cycles to support national security.