Description
We are seeking a Senior Explosives Operations Engineer to join our team in Costa Mesa, CA. The successful candidate will have 10+ years of progressive experience in explosives operations, including practical experience with explosives safety, storage, transportation, and test or field execution. They will support hands-on explosives operations across test, field, and operational environments, lead and support range safety activities, and develop site laydowns, blast and fragmentation considerations, quantity-distance evaluations, and other mitigation strategies related to explosive operations.
The ideal candidate will have in-depth knowledge of the regulatory environment surrounding explosives and energetic materials, including DoD explosives safety regulations, ATF/ATFE requirements, DOT, OSHA, and related compliance considerations. They will also have experience developing or enforcing SOPs and supporting safe operating practices, incident investigations, and corrective actions.
This is a strong fit for someone who wants to work at the intersection of hands-on explosives operations, safety, compliance, and mission execution. The successful candidate will partner closely with engineering, manufacturing, program teams, legal, finance, business development, and other cross-functional stakeholders to translate product and customer requirements into operational plans that support systems deployed across land, sea, and air domains.
Key responsibilities include:
- Plan, organize, and execute explosives operations in support of current and future Anduril products.
- Support hands-on explosives operations across test, field, and operational environments.
- Lead and support range safety activities and contribute to the overall safety and compliance posture of explosive operations.
- Develop site laydowns, blast and fragmentation considerations, quantity-distance evaluations, and other mitigation strategies related to explosive operations.
- Draft and enforce explosive safety procedures and operating instructions, and ensure personnel understand and follow them.
- Ensure operations are executed in accordance with applicable DoD, ATF/ATFE, DOT, OSHA, and internal safety requirements based on the operational context.
- Serve as a subject matter expert on explosives operations, handling, safety, and compliance.
- Partner across legal, operations, finance, program leadership, business development, engineering, manufacturing, and EHS to support products involving explosives.
- Oversee explosives storage, including inventory, security, inspections, and forecasting.
- Improve explosives operations and training programs to meet regulatory, company, and customer requirements.
- Train and instruct others on safe handling and operational execution.
- Work effectively with Anduril customers, both USG and non-USG, and internal teams in austere environments.
The impact you'll have:
- Enable safe, scalable deployment across Anduril's product portfolio.
- Increase operational velocity without compromising compliance.
- Strengthen explosives operations as the business scales.
- Translate mission needs into real-world execution.
Required qualifications include:
- 10+ years of progressive experience in explosives operations, including practical experience with explosives safety, storage, transportation, and test or field execution.
- Hands-on experience executing or supporting explosive operations in operational, test, range, or field environments.
- In-depth knowledge of the regulatory environment surrounding explosives and energetic materials, including DoD explosives safety regulations, ATF/ATFE requirements, DOT, OSHA, and related compliance considerations.
- Experience developing or enforcing SOPs and supporting safe operating practices, incident investigations, and corrective actions.
- Ability to work cross-functionally in support of explosives-related activities across engineering, manufacturing, operations, and program teams.
- Ability to travel up to 25%–50%, including domestic test sites and occasional international travel.
- Must possess and maintain a U.S. security clearance (DoD Secret or DOE L).
Preferred qualifications include:
- Military EOD or equivalent explosives operations background.
- Active U.S. Top Secret or DOE Q security clearance.
- Experience with munitions field testing, explosives training, or leadership in explosive operations environments.
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related technical discipline is preferred, but hands-on explosives experience is more important than a specific degree path.
- Experience operating in austere environments and engaging effectively with internal teams and external customers in the field.