Senior Tracking Software Engineer, Space

Anduril Industries is a defence technology company with a mission to transform U.S. and allied military capabilities with advanced technology.

Anduril's Space team is dedicated to expanding AI-powered capabilities into space, enhancing Space Domain Awareness, Space Control, and Command and Control for U.S. military and allied partners.

We are looking for a Senior Tracking Software Engineer to join our rapidly growing team in Costa Mesa, CA. In this role, you will lead the development of advanced 2D and 3D tracking algorithms that maintain custody of space objects, processing sensor detections and messages into actionable tracks for space situational awareness missions.

Responsibilities

• Lead systems engineering and algorithm development tasks supporting space and missile defence tracking missions, providing technical direction and guidance to team members.
• Architect and implement advanced object tracking and state estimation algorithms, including track initiation, maintenance, correlation, and termination.
• Design and evaluate multi-target tracking and multi-sensor fusion approaches for EO/IR, RF, or hybrid sensor architectures.
• Lead the implementation of advanced data association techniques including JPDA (Joint Probabilistic Data Association), MHT (Multiple Hypothesis Tracking), nearest neighbour, and track-to-track fusion methods.
• Drive innovation in data association techniques, exploring novel approaches and optimisations for complex operational scenarios.
• Build sophisticated physics-based models and conduct modelling and simulation including Monte Carlo analysis, recorded sensor playback, and hardware-in-the-loop testing to validate tracking performance.
• Lead performance analysis, trade studies, and simulation-based assessments of tracking robustness under challenging conditions (manoeuvring targets, clutter, countermeasures, degraded sensing).
• Collaborate with and mentor software engineers to transition tracking algorithms from MATLAB/Python prototypes to production C/C++ code optimised for real-time operational systems.
• Drive the systems engineering lifecycle including requirements decomposition, trade studies on tracking approaches, verification and validation planning, and design reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR).
• Lead technical documentation efforts and present at design reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR) and customer engagements.
• Mentor engineers in tracking algorithm development, state estimation theory, and best practices.
• Serve as a technical subject matter expert for tracking systems, advising programme leadership on algorithm performance, risks, and opportunities.

Requirements

• Currently possesses and is able to maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance.
• Bachelor's degree or higher in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Applied Mathematics, Physics, Computer Science, or related technical field.
• 8+ years of experience designing, implementing, and testing multi-target tracking algorithms for aerospace, defence, or autonomous systems.
• Demonstrated technical leadership in tracking algorithm development, including leading design efforts, mentoring team members, or serving as a subject matter expert.
• Deep theoretical and practical expertise with state estimation techniques, including Kalman Filters (EKF, UKF), multi-target tracking concepts, and Interacting Multiple Model (IMM) filters.
• Proven experience developing tracking algorithms that handle track initiation, maintenance, correlation, and termination in operational systems.
• Expert proficiency in algorithm development using MATLAB and/or Python with demonstrated experience transitioning algorithms to C++ for production deployment.
• Extensive experience with modelling, simulation, and testing workflows including Monte Carlo analysis, sensor data playback, or hardware-in-the-loop environments.
• Strong ability to work collaboratively with software engineers, systems engineers, and test teams to integrate tracking algorithms into operational systems.
• Excellent communication skills with experience presenting technical concepts to diverse audiences including engineers, programme managers, and customers.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree (MS or PhD) in Engineering, Physics, Applied Mathematics, or related technical field.
• 10+ years of experience in tracking algorithm development for defence or aerospace applications.
• Experience in one or more of the following domains: missile defence or space systems; EO/IR or RF sensors; kill vehicles, interceptors, or countermeasures.
• Extensive experience handling challenging tracking scenarios including track fragmentation, ghost tracks, sensor outages, and high-clutter environments.
• Deep familiarity with real-time system constraints, embedded systems, or edge compute optimisation.
• Demonstrated experience leading efforts within the systems engineering design cycle, including requirements decomposition and traceability, algorithm design and trade studies, verification and validation (V&V), and documentation and design reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR).
• Experience with MBSE tools (Cameo, Rhapsody, DOORS).
• Experience with advanced tracking techniques such as Random Finite Set (RFS) methods, Probability Hypothesis Density (PHD) filters, or machine learning-enhanced tracking.
• Publication record in peer-reviewed journals or conferences related to tracking, state estimation, or sensor fusion.
• Experience briefing and interfacing with government customers (DoD, IC, or similar).
• Track record of delivering tracking solutions into operational systems or fielded products.

Benefits

• Competitive salary: $191,000-$253,000 USD per year.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans.
• Income protection: life and disability insurance.
• Generous time off: highly competitive PTO plans with a holiday hiatus in December.
• Family planning and parenting support: coverage for fertility treatments, adoption, and gestational carriers.
• Mental health resources: access to free mental health resources 24/7.
• 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: traditional 401(k), Roth, and after-tax (mega backdoor Roth) options.