Senior Mission Systems Software Engineer
Content + Source + Freshness • 16 Dec 2025 • 95% confidence
Offer value
High value due to competitive compensation, advanced technology focus, and clear impact on defense capabilities.
- Salary range: $191,000—$253,000/year
- Impactful role in national defense and technology innovation
- Collaborative work environment with other engineers and disciplines
- Requires significant experience and clearance
Pros
- Competitive salary range ($191,000—$253,000/year) which is strong for the sector
- Opportunity to work on cutting-edge technologies in defense
- Role offers significant influence on mission systems software
Cons
- Requires active U.S. Secret security clearance
- High-pressure environment with critical responsibilities
- Potential for high workload given the cutting-edge nature of projects
Who it's for
Senior / Lead • On-site in Costa Mesa, CA (relocation assistance available)
Good fit
- Senior software engineers specializing in mission systems
- Candidates excited about working in defense technology
- Professionals with a diverse engineering toolkit
Not recommended for
- Junior developers or recent graduates
- Those unwilling to undergo security clearance process
- Candidates preferring remote or flexible work options
Motivation fit
Key skills
About the job
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.
WHY WE ARE HERE
We are seeking a senior software engineer for mission systems development of the Fury. Fury is a high-performance, multi-mission group 5 autonomous air vehicle (AAV) enabling trusted and collaborative autonomy for the high-end fight. Engineers in this role will architect, develop, deploy, and test software spanning the air vehicle. Our software engineers collaborate with other engineering disciplines to develop software for fire control, networking, sensor integration, and telemetry. We are looking for engineers excited to build the foundational mission systems software stack that supports a wide range of initiatives, from early concept simulation to first flight to live operations to large scale fleet management.
WHAT YOU'LL DO
- Design and write software services for controlling payloads, sensors, and radios, which are deployed to real hardware.
- Integrate 3rd party hardware into the greater ecosystem of a large air vehicle.
- Test software-hardware integrations in both virtualized and real-world environments.
- Enable and collaborate with multiple teams to plan, build, and test complex functionality.
- Drive software requirements and specifications with cyber and safety considerations.
- Own and maintain parts of the software roadmap, with detailed breakdown of work and milestones tracked against broader program deliverables.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Strong engineering background from industry or school, ideally in areas/fields such as Computer Science, Software Engineering, Mathematics, or Physics
- 5+ years working on Linux systems with a variety of programming languages such as C++, C, Rust, Python, Go, or Zig (to include internship experience)
- Experience deploying containerized software via orchestration tools such as Docker or Kubernetes
- A desire to work on critical software that has a real-world impact
- Currently possesses and is able to maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience working in air-gapped environments (without network connectivity) on RHEL systems
- Knowledge of defense technology and tactics, especially in the air domain
- Knowledge of distributed communication networks and message standards
- Knowledge of Nix and NixOS
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:
Healthcare Benefits
- US Roles: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans at little to no cost to you.
- UK & AUS Roles: We cover full cost of medical insurance premiums for you and your dependents.
- IE Roles: We offer an annual contribution toward your private health insurance for you and your dependents.
Additional Benefits
- Income Protection: Anduril covers life and disability insurance for all employees.
- Generous time off: Highly competitive PTO plans with a holiday hiatus in December. Caregiver & Wellness Leave is available to care for family members, bond with a new baby, or address your own medical needs.
- Family Planning & Parenting Support: Coverage for fertility treatments (e.g., IVF, preservation), adoption, and gestational carriers, along with resources to support you and your partner from planning to parenting.
- Mental Health Resources: Access free mental health resources 24/7, including therapy and life coaching. Additional work-life services, such as legal and financial support, are also available.
- Professional Development: Annual reimbursement for professional development
- Commuter Benefits: Company-funded commuter benefits based on your region.
- Relocation Assistance: Available depending on role eligibility.
Retirement Savings Plan
- US Roles: Traditional 401(k), Roth, and after-tax (mega backdoor Roth) options.
- UK & IE Roles: Pension plan with employer match.
- AUS Roles: Superannuation plan.
The recruiter assigned to this role can share more information about the specific compensation and benefit details associated with this role during the hiring process.
To view Anduril's candidate data privacy policy, please visit https://anduril.com/applicant-privacy-notice/.
