Production Program Manager – International Growth (Barracuda 500)
Costa Mesa, CA at a glance
- Rent
- #2 of 51$2,940/mo+46% vs US avg
- Weather
- #17 of 51366 mild days0 hot · 0 cold
- Income tax
- #1 of 5113.3% top rateCalifornia
What you need
- 10-12+ yrs ops program management in defense manufacturing
- Bachelor's in Engineering or Operations Management required
- Proven production line launch and manufacturing tech transfer experience
- International growth proposal and operational readiness assessment experience
- Willingness to travel 50% internationally; US security clearance eligibility
What you'll do
- Lead Barracuda 500 production line launch in partner nations
- Operationalize manufacturing for international growth and co-production agreements
- Drive production efficiency, scalability, and cost-effectiveness improvements
- Manage budgets, milestones, and transition to full-scale production
- Mitigate operational, supply chain, and regulatory risks globally
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.
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
If you possess a good foundation for manufacturing operational excellence coupled with determination/grit, join us in shaping the future of military might. Your work will not only translate prototypes for scalable production but also change the balance of defense capabilities on a global scale. Apply now and become a vital part of our mission to secure a safer tomorrow.
- International Production Launch – Lead the operational setup, line qualification, and launch of Barracuda 500 manufacturing, assembly, and test operations within partner nations/companies.
- Support Growth Opportunities – Collaborate closely with the growth and business development teams to evaluate, scope, and operationalize manufacturing requirements for international pursuits, foreign co-production agreements, and industrial participation plans.
- Process Optimization – Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance production efficiency, scalability, and cost-effectiveness in support of partner-nation production facilities.
- Budget & Cost Control – Monitor project budgets, track international production milestones, and ensure we are continually focused on identifying and solving issues to enable a successful transition to full-scale production.
- Resource & Supply Chain Management – Coordinate the allocation of materials, tooling, and labor to meet production readiness goals, while assisting in the qualification and readiness of partner-nation suppliers.
- Risk Management – Identify, assess, and mitigate operational, supply chain, regulatory, and technical risks that could impact international project timelines or operational readiness.
- Cross Functional Collaboration – Coordinate between engineering, supply chain, manufacturing, quality, program management, growth, and external partner company teams to align pre-production and launch efforts with business objectives.
- Stakeholder Communication – Provide regular updates to internal leadership and foreign partner teams, ensuring transparency on project status, risks, and solutions.
- Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Operations Management, or related field
- 10–12+ years of experience in operations program management, production, or manufacturing, preferably in defense, aerospace, or complex hardware industries
- Demonstrated experience launching new products, establishing new production lines, or executing manufacturing technology transfer programs
- Experience supporting growth opportunities, proposals, and operational readiness assessments for new business initiatives
- Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, supply chain management, and production workflows
- Experience with project management methodologies (Agile, Lean, TPS, Six Sigma, etc.)
- Proficiency in project management tools (Jira, Confluence, MS Project, Gantt Charts)
- Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and organizational skills
- Strong communication and leadership abilities to influence and align cross-functional and cross-organizational teams
- Ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with evolving priorities
- Willingness and ability to travel up to 50%, including international travel
- Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. security clearance
- Experience in defense, aerospace, or automotive manufacturing, especially with unmanned systems, aerospace structures, or munitions
- Experience with international defense programs, foreign co-production, and export compliance regulations (ITAR/EAR)
- Experience with ERP, MRP, MES, PLM systems
The 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 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.comaddress. - Via Agency Partner: If contacted by a recruiting agency for an Anduril role, their email will clearly identify their agency. If you suspect any suspicious activity, please verify the agency's authenticity by reaching out to [email protected].
- Direct from Anduril: If you receive an email from one of our recruiters, it will only come from an
-
Exercise Caution with Unsolicited Outreach: If you receive any communication that appears suspicious, contains grammatical errors, or makes unusual requests, do not engage. Always confirm the sender's email domain is @anduril.com before providing any personal information or clicking on links.
-
What to Do If You Suspect Fraud: Should you encounter any questionable or fraudulent outreach claiming to be from Anduril, please report it immediately to [email protected]. Your proactive caution is invaluable in protecting your personal information and upholding the security and trustworthiness of our recruitment efforts.
Data Privacy
To view Anduril's candidate data privacy policy, please visit https://anduril.com/applicant-privacy-notice/.
By submitting your application, you consent to Anduril Industries using a third-party service provider to conduct pre-employment risk, integrity, and due diligence screening and assessing potential risks as part of your application process. This third-party service provider provides risk-intelligence services that may include analysis of sanctions and watchlists, adverse media, public-record information, and other lawful open-source or commercial data sources. This third-party service provider does not act as a consumer reporting agency. Use of this provider helps to ensure compliance with applicable laws and protect technology, intellectual property, and organizational security.
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About Anduril Industries
Anduril Industries is a defense technology company that builds advanced autonomous systems and software for national security. Their Lattice platform integrates sensors, autonomous systems, and data to provide situational awareness and threat response across air, land, sea, and space domains.
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