Chief Machine Learning Engineer Lead

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

Job Description:

We are seeking a Chief Machine Learning Engineer Lead to drive innovations in autonomous vehicle technology using deep learning and reinforcement learning. In this dynamic role, you will design state-of-the-art algorithms and systems that enable safe, efficient, and intelligent autonomous capabilities. Today, employing mass quantities of “autonomous” robots requires heavy human oversight and execution. Anduril is leveraging AI approaches to offload operator burden and speed up execution via realtime monitoring, recommendations to users, and multi-modal interaction patterns. You will apply proven and un-proven approaches to create prototypes for expanding the capability of autonomous systems. What You’ll Do Develop Advanced Algorithms - Design and implement deep learning and reinforcement learning algorithms to improve sensor perception, prediction, and decision-making for autonomous vehicles. Apply Agentic Reasoning - Design and implement integrated agents and AI models to solve for end-user autonomous systems workflows. End-to-End System Integration - Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate research prototypes into robust, production-ready systems including simulation environments and real-world platforms. Research & Experimentation - Conduct research into reinforcement learning strategies and deep architectures, iterate on experimental designs, and evaluate performance using rigorous quantitative metrics. Data-Driven Innovation - Utilize real-world and synthetic data to enhance model robustness and generalization, leveraging scalable training pipelines on distributed systems. Required Qualifications PhD or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Robotics, Machine Learning, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience. Demonstrated proficiency in deep learning frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow, JAX) including LLM fine-tuning. Solid experience with reinforcement learning methods and their application to autonomous systems. Experience with simulation or real-world validation for autonomous vehicles is highly desirable. Proven experience in deep learning research and development, particularly in generative AI. This includes diffusion models and autoregressive generative models. Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Top Secret security clearance Travel up to 30% of time to build, test, and deploy capabilities in the real world Preferred Qualifications Novel application track record and experience including first author publications, participation in peer reviewed conferences, contribution to open source projects, and demonstrated contribution to the ML and AI community. Experience in multi-modal sensor data processing (e.g., cameras, LiDAR, radar). Familiarity with ML Ops best practices, including model versioning and reproducible research pipelines. Strong programming skills in Python and familiarity with C/C++ is a plus. General software engineering experience solving motion planning or related robotics problems. US Salary Range $254,000 - $336,000 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, Cypress , Chief Machine Learning Engineer Lead, Engineering , Costa Mesa, California