Deputy Head of Production, Roadrunner

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 that 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 America’s warfighting capabilities, and enhancing deterrence amid rising international threats.

ABOUT THE PRODUCT

The future of defense is being built right now, and Anduril’s Roadrunner product is at its leading edge. Roadrunner is a cutting-edge VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) counter-UAS interceptor, designed for autonomous air defense operations. It rapidly detects, tracks, and neutralizes hostile unmanned aircraft systems to protect critical assets and personnel.

ABOUT THE TEAM

The Roadrunner Team (RLT) will set the standard for building the future at Arsenal-1, our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Ashville, OH. This team will have the opportunity to train under our world-class manufacturing team at Anduril HQ in Costa Mesa, CA for 3 months before bringing that standard of excellence back to Ohio.

ABOUT THE ROLE

As the Roadrunner Deputy Head of Production, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of defense manufacturing by directly influencing the production of Anduril’s Roadrunner product line. You will own the short-to-mid-term strategic development and execution of manufacturing operations, driving products to full-rate production. This role requires a dynamic leader who can serve as both a strategic architect and a hands-on executor, leading cross-functional teams to meet aggressive timelines and deliver products of the highest quality for our customers. You will contribute significantly to Anduril's vision of becoming a next-generation aerospace and defense manufacturer.

What You'll Do:

• Production Ownership & Strategy: Own all production outcomes for the Roadrunner product line, including ramp plans, headcount, and the standing up of new manufacturing lines. Develop and execute a long-term strategy to rapidly scale production volumes to full-rate production.
• Leadership & Team Management: Serve as a strategic leader and tactical do-er, driving all people and resources across production to achieve outcomes. Lead cross-functional teams (including Production, Supply Chain, Quality, and Manufacturing Engineering) through strong leadership, advocacy, and a consistent on-site presence, holding them accountable to meeting demands, deadlines, and goals.
• Operational Excellence: Drive processes and systems needed throughout the product development lifecycle to mature products to full-rate production. Establish and manage the team to key performance indicators (KPIs) for financial, quality, and on-time delivery to optimize manufacturing operations' impact on the business.
• Quality & Compliance: Be accountable to AS9100D guidelines and drive a "quality-first" culture across all manufacturing operations.
• Process & Technology Advancement: Advise on development and oversee the implementation of digital technologies, from PLM and ERP to our custom MES and QMS systems, that enable our production operations to efficiently scale while meeting customer requirements. Shape corporate tools and processes to support the unique needs of aerospace production.

Required Qualifications:

• 8+ years of proven experience overseeing the production and test of complex electromechanical products.
• Strong leadership experience managing large (100+ person) manufacturing teams and directing large cross-functional teams across planning, supply chain, manufacturing engineering, quality, and production to deliver products of the highest quality.
• A strong background in quality assurance, with a track record of driving a "quality-first" culture in a production environment and accountability to standards like AS9100D.
• Past success operating in both low-rate prototype and high-rate manufacturing environments, with a proven ability to scale production.
• High ownership and the ability to effectively manage multiple large projects and priorities in parallel, at a rapid pace, and report out on progress regularly.
• Must be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. Secret security clearance.
• Ability to work onsite five days a week at our Asheville, OH campus (Arsenal 1).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Success scaling production operations in a high-complexity manufacturing environment.
• Deep experience with the niche supply chains for aerospace and robotics.
• Demonstrated experience implementing and leveraging digital manufacturing technologies (PLM, ERP, MES, QMS) to drive efficiency and scale.