Senior Thermal Engineer- Air Vehicles

Company: Anduril Industries
Location: Costa Mesa
Posted on: April 1, 2026

Job Description:

ABOUT THE TEAM The Thermal Engineering team's work is essential to support our rapid innovation cycle and maintain the performance and reliability of advanced defense technologies. ABOUT THE JOB We are looking for a Sr. Thermal Analysis Engineer to work in Costa Mesa, Ca, with In-depth understanding of heat transfer and fluid dynamics. WHAT YOU’LL DO Own the thermal design and analysis of a drone, aircraft, or missile. Use first principles as a basis for every decision and discern the right level of analysis to apply. Execute hand calculations, spreadsheet, and MATLAB/Python first-order models to inform path forward before jumping into detailed design. Define good thermal architecture to withstand rugged environments and demanding flight envelopes. Define hot, cold, and any other edge cases that need to be analyzed based on industry standards and intended use. Work with engineers in other disciplines to document power dissipations under different operating modes. Communicate pros/cons of system architecture with respect to thermal considerations. Own the thermal FEA/CFD models and predict system performance. Define red/yellow design limits for test and operation. Define and execute prototype builds and tests to verify thermal designs (do CAD, select sensors and DAQ equipment, post-process data, summarize results, etc.). Present thermal status at formal reviews internally and with customers. Provide clear understanding of timelines and technical status. Develop internal tools to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of analysis. Support failure reviews and root-cause analysis with test data and thermal analysis. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS Currently pursuing or have obtained a MS or higher degree in engineering or applied physics with focus on heat transfer and fluid dynamics In-depth understanding of heat transfer and fluid dynamics Experience in the aerospace industry and an aircraft, rocket, or missile program 5 years of experience designing thermal systems for integrated hardware products Practical experience designing passive and active thermal management systems Thermal testing experience –sensor selection, data acquisition, data post-processing Thermal FEA experience –STAR-CCM, ANSYS, Icepak, or Flotherm CAD experience with SolidWorks or Siemens NX Passion for defending the United States and her allies Be able to obtain and hold a U.S. Top Secret security clearance PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS Experience developing code in higher-level languages like Python or MATLAB for applications like lumped thermal capacitance steady state and transient analysis US Salary Range $146,000 - $194,000 USD 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. 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 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 contact@anduril.com . 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 contact@anduril.com . 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/ .

Keywords: Anduril Industries, Rancho Palos Verdes , Senior Thermal Engineer- Air Vehicles, IT / Software / Systems , Costa Mesa, California