Sr. Prototype Fabrication Technician

About the Team

The Dev Manufacturing Team is part of Anduril’s Mechanical Engineering organization and supports rapid hardware development across prototype fabrication, machining, composites, additive manufacturing, and manufacturing development.

This team helps turn early engineering concepts into physical hardware. The work spans prototype structures, sheet metal assemblies, welded components, test articles, production-intent hardware, and rapid iteration builds across Anduril’s defense product portfolio. The team operates in a fast-paced R&D environment where technicians, fabricators, machinists, engineers, and shop leaders work closely together to solve practical hardware problems quickly and safely.

About the Job

Anduril is looking for a Senior Prototype Fabrication Technician to join our team in Costa Mesa, CA. In this role, you will fabricate, form, weld, modify, and support the build of a wide variety of parts, assemblies, and structures used across Anduril’s rapidly evolving hardware programs.

This is a senior hands-on role for someone with deep fabrication experience, strong welding capability, sheet metal expertise, and the ability to work through complex prototype and R&D builds with limited oversight. You will partner closely with engineers, shop leaders, and other fabricators to translate drawings, models, technical instructions, and evolving design inputs into accurate, functional hardware.

You will also help raise the overall capability of the team by mentoring newer team members, supporting onboarding, contributing to interviews, and improving shop workflow, safety, and execution.

Your Impact

• Build prototype and development hardware that supports Anduril’s defense product portfolio.
• Support rapid design iteration by fabricating, modifying, and repairing complex parts and assemblies.
• Partner with engineers and shop leaders to translate drawings, models, and early concepts into functional hardware.
• Help improve fabrication quality, shop execution, and build turnaround time in a fast-moving development environment.
• Mentor teammates and contribute to stronger onboarding, training, and shop standards.

What You’ll Do

• Fabricate and weld parts, structures, and assemblies in support of prototype and development hardware.
• Operate fabrication tools and equipment safely, including grinders, bandsaws, shears, drill presses, brakes, rollers, and related shop equipment.
• Perform precision fabrication work, including cutting, fitting, rolling, bending, forming, grinding, drilling, and finishing.
• Weld small and large structures and assemblies using processes such as MIG/GMAW, TIG/GTAW, and FCAW.
• Read and interpret blueprints, engineering drawings, technical instructions, and work orders.
• Work through R&D fabrication tasks where designs may be evolving, incomplete, or subject to change.
• Evaluate build requirements, identify material or fabrication needs, and support execution planning for assigned work.
• Partner with engineers, shop managers, shop leads, machinists, and other fabricators to resolve build and manufacturability issues.
• Inspect work for dimensional accuracy, fit, finish, and conformance to drawings or build requirements.
• Mentor teammates and support new team members as they ramp into the shop.
• Participate in interviews for new hires and support onboarding/orientation for new team members.
• Support shop organization, tool readiness, safety practices, and workflow improvements.

Required Qualifications

• 10+ years of welding experience using GMAW, FCAW, and/or GTAW.
• Experience welding steel, stainless steel, aluminum, exotic alloys, or similar materials.
• 10+ years of metal fabrication experience in an R&D, prototype, aerospace, automotive, motorsports, defense, manufacturing, or similar hands-on hardware environment.
• 10+ years of sheet metal fabrication experience using equipment such as press brakes, finger brakes, slip rollers, bead rollers, shears, or related forming equipment.
• Experience operating fabrication and machining equipment such as manual mills, manual lathes, bench grinders, saws, shears, drill presses, brakes, rollers, or related shop tools.
• Experience with technical documentation and evolving designs: Ability to read and interpret blueprints, engineering drawings, weld symbols, tolerances, technical instructions, and work orders. Experience working from incomplete information, evolving designs, or changing build requirements.
• Proficiency in fabrication and hardware development: Skilled in working on prototype, low-volume, custom, or development hardware. Capable of evaluating build needs, identifying material requirements, and executing fabrication work with minimal oversight.
• Experience mentoring, training, or supporting the development of junior technicians, fabricators, or shop team members.
• Experience performing cutting, fitting, bending, forming, grinding, drilling, welding, finishing, and assembly operations
• Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export controlled information or facilities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Waterjet and/or laser cutting experience.
• CAD experience, especially SolidWorks.
• Experience supporting prototype builds, development hardware, test articles, or production-intent fabrication.
• Experience working directly with engineers to resolve design-for-fabrication or design-for-manufacturing issues.
• Experience mentoring or training fabricators, technicians, welders, or machinists in a prototype or development shop environment.
• Experience in aerospace, defense, automotive, motorsports, robotics, advanced manufacturing, or other hardware-intensive environments.