Deputy Head of Production

ABOUT THE SITE

Anduril, a leader in autonomous systems and weapons manufacturing, is building Arsenal-1, its first hyperscale manufacturing facility, just south of Columbus, Ohio in Pickaway County. Arsenal-1 is redefining the scale and speed with which autonomous systems and weapons can be produced for the United States and its allies and partners. This is a monumental and essential step toward rebuilding America’s defense industrial base, strengthening warfighting capabilities, and enhancing deterrence amid rising international threats.

ABOUT THE PRODUCT

The Launched Effects team at Anduril is responsible for scaling the manufacturing and delivery of the Altius family of systems. As the premier Air-Launched Effects (ALE) platform for the U.S. military and its allies, Altius is redefining modern warfare. These tube-launched, autonomous aerial systems must be built to survive extreme deployment environments, requiring precision manufacturing of advanced composites, complex avionics, and modular payload integrations for ISR, Electronic Warfare, and kinetic strike capabilities.

ABOUT THE TEAM

The Altius Leadership Team will set the standard for building the future at Arsenal-1, our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. This team will have the opportunity to train alongside our world-class manufacturing teams both at headquarters in Costa Mesa, CA and alongside the main production lines in Atlanta for 3 months before bringing that standard of operational excellence back to launch and scale production in Ohio.

ABOUT THE ROLE

As the Altius Deputy Head of Production, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of defense manufacturing by leading the day-to-day operations and scaling of Anduril’s Altius product line at Arsenal-1. You will own the strategic development and execution of manufacturing operations, driving products from initial ramp to full-rate production while building a foundational culture of high performance and urgency.

This role requires a dynamic, factory-floor leader who can serve as both a strategic architect and a hands-on executor—rallying cross-functional teams, developing the next generation of manufacturing leaders, and serving as an inspiring communicator across the floor and to executive leadership.

What You'll Do:

• Production Ownership & Scaling: Own all day-to-day production outcomes and delivery schedules for the ALTIUS line at Arsenal-1. Execute ramp plans, scale manufacturing tooling and lines, and manage CapEx and project spend in accordance with program timelines.
• Leadership & Culture Building: Serve as an inspiring, visible leader on the factory floor. Build Arsenal-1’s operational culture from the ground up, instill a relentless sense of urgency, and actively mentor and develop frontline supervisors and technical leaders beneath you.
• Cross-Functional Execution: Direct and align on-site teams—including Technicians, Manufacturing Engineers, Quality, and tactical Supply Chain personnel—holding teams accountable to strict deadlines, output targets, and KPIs.
• Showpiece Facility Standards: Establish and maintain Arsenal-1 as a benchmark "showpiece" manufacturing facility—a world-class showcase of advanced aerospace manufacturing for customer, government, and VIP visits.
• Operational & Quality Excellence: Drive processes and systems needed to mature products to full-rate production. Embed an AS9100D-aligned "quality-first" culture and continuously optimize KPIs across scrap rates, efficiency, financial targets, and on-time delivery.
• Process & Technology Advancement: Advise on development and oversee the implementation of digital tools (PLM, ERP, MES, and QMS) to scale operations rapidly while maintaining tight configuration control.
• Own the 5 Pillars: Planning, Supply Chain, Production, Manufacturing Engineering, and Quality.

Required Qualifications:

• 8+ years of proven experience overseeing the production, assembly, and testing of complex electromechanical or aerospace hardware.
• Strong leadership experience managing large (100+ person) manufacturing operations, with direct experience leading technicians, manufacturing engineers, and production teams.
• Demonstrated experience building or scaling production lines from the ground up (e.g., prototype-to-production scaling, greenfield site launches, or high-growth startup environments).
• Exceptional executive presence and communication skills, with a track record of building team culture, winning buy-in across all-hands environments, and communicating effectively upward and downward.
• A strong background in quality assurance and process discipline, with accountability to standards such as AS9100D.
• High ownership mindset with the ability to manage CapEx, headcount, and schedule milestones with intense urgency.
• Must be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. Secret security clearance.
• Ability to work onsite five days a week at our Ashville, OH campus (Arsenal-1), with initial flexibility to complete an onboarding/training rotation at HQ in Costa Mesa, CA.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Military / Veteran background or experience leading defense-critical manufacturing operations.
• Demonstrated success establishing greenfield manufacturing facilities or standing up new production cells under tight timelines.
• Deep experience working with niche supply chains in aerospace, defense, or robotics.
• Hands-on experience implementing and leveraging modern digital manufacturing toolchains (custom MES, ERP, PLM, QMS).