Research Engineer, Machine Learning

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

Job Description:

ABOUT THE TEAM Anduril’s Lattice software platform integrates together many sensors into a single cohesive view of the world, providing needed context for our users. AI Engineers on Anduril’s Frontier AI team build edge-compatible, generative AI systems into the Lattice software platform to provide features and products that improve autonomy and reduce cognitive burden on the warfighter. Specific applications include but are not limited to automating mission planning, battle-space understanding, voice-control of assets, and enabling higher-levels of autonomy. WHAT YOU'LL DO Distill and fine-tune transformer architectures so they can be deployed onto edge devices or compute denied environments Propose and prototype LLM-based Agentic systems that help solve real world problems, leveraging the latest state-of-the-art techniques in the field Develop and maintain mission relevant benchmarks Work cross-functionally with different business lines across Anduril to help discover and scope new research problems REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS BS in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Electrical Engineering, or related field 5 years experience developing and benchmarking ML algorithms Experience pushing and maintaining ML algorithms in production Strong Python skills with experience in ML frameworks such as PyTorch Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS Experience fine-tuning transformer-based model Experience deploying deep-learning based models to edge devices or air gapped environments Prior experience in defense tech or start-up US Salary Range $220,000 - $292,000 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, San Marcos , Research Engineer, Machine Learning, IT / Software / Systems , Costa Mesa, California