Senior Controls & Automation Engineer

Job description

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 Enterprise Test Capabilities (ETC) develops, operates, and scales the shared physical test infrastructure, technical expertise, and execution systems required to validate Anduril's products across the company. The team provides specialized testing that is capital-intensive, technically complex, safety-critical, or broadly reusable across multiple programs, spanning environmental testing (thermal, vibration, shock, HALT, TVAC), battery testing (cell/module/pack characterization, abuse testing, BMS validation), propulsion testing (engine test cells, thrust/torque measurement, fuel/feed systems), aerodynamic testing (wind tunnel operations, flow visualization, force/moment measurement), and structural testing. We partner with product test teams from early development through qualification and sustainment to identify technical risk, select appropriate test methods, execute testing safely, and generate trusted engineering evidence. The test operations team within ETC owns the lab facilities, equipment fleet, calibration program, and operational support team that keeps this diverse test enterprise running. Within ETC is the Internal Capabilities Development (ICD) team, which develops the equipment and test capabilities used by ETC and the broader product teams (Ground Systems, Maritime, Space, Air Dominance & Strike, and Drones). Over the last 3 years, ICD has built large-scale test equipment that has consistently beaten competitive build-vs-buy requests and timelines... i.e. the "tiger team" that enables Test & Evaluation (T&E) to move at a high pace. Our ground-up builds include Walk-In Thermal Chambers, shipping-container-sized static-fire test stands, Salt Fog chambers, Server Electrical & Heat Load Simulators, Modular Test Chambers, Sand & Dust chambers, and other environmental test equipment built to the MIL-STD-810H standard. ABOUT THE JOB We are seeking a Senior Controls & Automation Engineer to join ETC in Costa Mesa, CA. This is a hands-on role focused on building and maintaining the LabVIEW and NI FlexLogger-based data acquisition, control, and automation software that the DevTest team relies on daily. You will own the development of a standardized hardware abstraction layer (HAL) and a library of reusable plugins/drivers that integrate our COTS instrumentation into centralized DAQ systems. This work directly improves data quality, traceability, and engineering efficiency, and displaces high-cost external development ($9K–$37K per plugin from outside firms). You will also lead automation initiatives, mentor engineers on LabVIEW best practices, and manage projects from requirements through deployment and support. WHAT YOU'LL DO • Develop, standardize, and maintain LabVIEW and NI FlexLogger applications for multi-channel data acquisition, closed-loop control, and test automation • Build and maintain a hardware abstraction layer (HAL) and reusable plugins/drivers for COTS instrumentation across serial, Ethernet, Modbus, GPIB, and other interfaces (e.g., power analyzers, e-loads, thermal chamber controllers, PLCs, current sensors), and package tools for team-wide distribution (e.g., NI Package Manager) • Integrate PLC-based control systems, custom hardware, sensors, and DAQ hardware into working test systems, applying basic electrical knowledge for wiring, signal conditioning, and channel configuration • Manage automation projects from requirements through design, development, validation, handoff, and support, partnering with DevTest engineers and stakeholders to turn needs into practical solutions • Develop documentation, work instructions, and training materials; mentor team members on LabVIEW and DAQ best practices, and support test readiness reviews with input on feasibility, risk, and resourcing REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS • Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related technical discipline, OR equivalent progressive experience in test systems and automation development • 5+ years developing LabVIEW-based test systems and automation software; Certified LabVIEW Developer (CLD) or equivalent demonstrated expertise • Proficiency with NI FlexLogger, NI DAQ hardware, and standardized/reusable software architecture • Experience integrating COTS instrumentation across serial, Ethernet, Modbus, GPIB, and similar interfaces, and integrating PLC-based control systems • Basic electrical knowledge (wiring, instrumentation, signal conditioning) and working knowledge of data acquisition, including sensor selection and channel configuration • Experience with Revel software • Demonstrated ability to lead projects, align cross-functional stakeholders, and thrive in a fast-paced, high-mix environment • Eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. Security Clearance PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS • Experience building hardware abstraction layers or plugin/driver architectures for DAQ systems • Familiarity with thermal chamber controllers (CSZ, TE, Espec, Thermotron, AES, Tenney) and PLC integration • Experience developing test systems in regulated environments (ISO/FDA or defense/aerospace standards) • Proficiency in Python, MATLAB, or C/C++ for supporting tooling and data processing • Experience mentoring engineers and developing training material US Salary Range $146,000—$194,000 USD T