Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer

Company: Anduril Industries

Location: Costa Mesa, California, United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / UX/UI Design

Date Posted: May 05, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Design and own end-to-end user experiences for critical manufacturing and production software applications, specifically the Forge platform.

• Contribute significantly to product roadmap shaping and the strategic direction of design initiatives.

• Develop and mature a scalable design system, creating reusable components for mobile, tablet, and desktop interfaces.

• Conduct on-site user research, embracing the Gemba philosophy to gain deep insights into manufacturing and production workflows.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including engineering, product management, and the central Product Design team, to ensure cohesive and impactful design solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within the ProductionOS team, focusing on software that directly accelerates hardware production and delivery for Anduril's defense technology products. The emphasis on "Forge" as a flagship product and the "Gemba philosophy" for on-site research indicates a hands-on, deeply embedded design role within a complex operational environment.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the design process from discovery and ideation through prototyping, user testing, and implementation for the Forge platform and its associated applications.

• Craft compelling narratives and use storytelling techniques to effectively communicate design rationale and gain stakeholder buy-in.

• Balance the need for immediate tactical design solutions with the long-term strategic development of the design system, ensuring scalability and consistency.

• Create and advocate for design tenets that align with business objectives and evolve into strategic design work.

• Identify opportunities for collaboration with the central Product Design team to share best practices, leverage existing components, and contribute to a unified design language across Anduril.

• Design user interfaces and interaction patterns for diverse devices (mobile, tablet, desktop) considering the unique physical constraints and demands of manufacturing floors and high-rate production settings.

• Conduct in-depth on-site user research at shop floors and workstations to understand user needs, pain points, and environmental factors impacting their workflows.

• Develop and maintain a robust design system, focusing on creating reusable, accessible, and efficient components that enhance user experience and streamline development.

• Evangelize design decisions and best practices within the ProductionOS team and to broader stakeholders, fostering a design-centric culture.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities clearly indicate a senior-level Product Designer role with significant ownership and strategic influence. The requirement to balance short-term needs with long-term design system development, coupled with on-site research, suggests a role that requires both strategic thinking and practical execution in a dynamic, hardware-focused production environment.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Not specified, but a Bachelor's degree in Design, HCI, Computer Science, or a related field is typically expected for this experience level.

Experience: 6+ years of professional software design experience, with a strong track record in visual and interaction design.

Required Skills:

• Demonstrated mastery of visual design craft, including layout, typography, color theory, and micro-interactions.

• Proven expertise in interaction design, with the ability to design intuitive and efficient user flows.

• Strong portfolio showcasing multimodal experiences across various platforms (mobile, tablet, desktop).

• Exceptional storytelling and communication skills to articulate design decisions, processes, and impact to diverse stakeholders.

• Proficiency in creating scalable design components suitable for different devices and physical environments.

• Experience in developing, implementing, and maintaining comprehensive design systems.

• Comfort and experience with conducting on-site user research, particularly within manufacturing, production, or logistics settings.

Preferred Skills:

• Familiarity with hardware-related industries such as supply chain, manufacturing, or logistics.

• Advanced knowledge of Gestalt principles and their application in user interface design.

• Proficiency with industry-standard design tools such as Figma, Sketch, or Adobe Creative Suite.

• Understanding of accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG) and their practical application in design solutions.

• Experience with animation and motion design to enhance user engagement and provide clear feedback.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "multimodal experiences," "scalable components," and "design systems" points to a need for a designer who can think holistically about user journeys and create robust, reusable design assets. The requirement for on-site research and travel indicates that adaptability and an ability to work in diverse environments are critical.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase end-to-end product design projects that demonstrate a clear understanding of user needs, problem definition, and solution design.

• Include case studies detailing the design process, from initial research and ideation through wireframing, prototyping, and user testing.

• Highlight projects that involved the creation or significant contribution to a design system, including examples of reusable components and their impact.

• Present multimodal experiences, demonstrating design solutions for desktop, tablet, and mobile interfaces, and how they adapt to different contexts.

Process Documentation:

• Detail your approach to user research, particularly on-site or contextual inquiry methods, and how findings informed design decisions.

• Illustrate your process for collaborating with engineering and product management teams, including handoff procedures and iteration cycles.

• Provide examples of how you have contributed to or led the development and evolution of a design system, including component documentation and governance.

• Demonstrate your methodology for balancing short-term design needs with long-term strategic design system goals.

📝 Enhancement Note: For this role, the portfolio is crucial for demonstrating practical application of design principles in complex environments and the ability to build scalable design solutions. Emphasis should be placed on projects that involved hardware production, manufacturing, or operational workflows, and how design improvements led to tangible efficiency gains or enhanced user experience.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $146,000 - $194,000 USD per year.

Benefits:

• Highly competitive equity grants as part of the total compensation package.

• Top-tier benefits for full-time employees, including comprehensive health insurance.

• Specifics on health, recovery, and other benefits are detailed on the company's careers page.

• The company emphasizes investing in its people through a robust benefits package available at little to no cost to employees.

Working Hours: Assumed to be standard full-time hours (e.g., 40 hours per week), with potential flexibility given the company's focus on results and innovative work environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is an estimate based on industry benchmarks for senior Product Designers in the California tech market, considering the company's industry and the role's responsibilities. The inclusion of equity grants highlights a significant component of the total compensation, common in high-growth technology companies, especially in the defense sector.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Defense Technology. Anduril Industries is at the forefront of modernizing military capabilities by integrating advanced technology, AI, and autonomy into defense systems.

Company Size: Large (Likely 500-1000+ employees based on typical growth patterns for companies like Anduril in this sector). This size suggests a structured environment with established processes but still a dynamic, fast-paced culture.

Founded: 2017. Anduril is a relatively young company, indicating a culture of rapid innovation, agility, and a drive to disrupt established industries.

Team Structure:

• The ProductionOS team is a vital part of ArsenalOS, focusing on the software infrastructure that supports Anduril's hardware production.

• This team likely comprises product managers, software engineers, designers, and potentially operations specialists.

• Collaboration is expected to be cross-functional, with designers working closely with engineers and product managers to deliver on product roadmaps.

Methodology:

• Data-driven decision-making and a strong emphasis on AI, autonomy, and advanced technology are core to Anduril's approach.

• The "Gemba philosophy" is integrated into the team's methodology, emphasizing direct observation and understanding of user workflows in their actual work environment.

• Agile development methodologies are likely employed to facilitate rapid iteration and adaptation.

• A focus on building scalable systems and design solutions is central to accelerating production and delivery.

Company Website: https://www.anduril.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Anduril's mission-driven culture in the defense tech sector implies a demanding yet rewarding environment. The emphasis on speed, innovation, and technological advancement suggests a workplace where proactive individuals who can drive change are highly valued. The ProductionOS team's role is critical to scaling Anduril's hardware output, making this a high-impact position.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Product Designer. This role is for an experienced designer who can lead projects, influence strategy, and contribute to the growth of design systems and processes. The scope involves end-to-end ownership and significant autonomy.

Reporting Structure: Likely reports to a Design Lead or Head of Product Design within the ArsenalOS or ProductionOS organization. Collaboration will be extensive with Product Managers and Engineering Leads.

Operations Impact: The designer's work directly impacts the efficiency, throughput, and quality of Anduril's hardware production and deployment. By improving the Forge platform, this role contributes significantly to the company's ability to scale its operations and deliver advanced defense technologies to customers more rapidly.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Advancement: Deepen expertise in designing for complex operational environments, manufacturing workflows, and hardware production. Develop advanced skills in design systems, multimodal design, and potentially specialized areas like industrial UX.

• Leadership Potential: Opportunity to become a design lead within ProductionOS or a specialist in design systems. Mentorship of junior designers and contribution to design strategy at a higher level are potential paths.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Gain deep insights into hardware production, supply chain logistics, and defense technology development, broadening professional expertise beyond core design skills.

• Impactful Projects: Work on mission-critical software that has a direct and tangible impact on national security and military capabilities.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers substantial growth potential for a designer passionate about operational efficiency and building impactful digital products within a mission-critical industry. The combination of strategic design leadership, hands-on execution, and industry-specific challenges provides a unique career acceleration opportunity.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: On-site in Costa Mesa, California. Anduril emphasizes in-person collaboration and immersion in the work environment.

Office Location(s): Costa Mesa, California, United States. This location is known for its vibrant tech and aerospace presence.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative workspace designed to foster interaction between design, engineering, and product teams.

• Access to cutting-edge technology and tools necessary for advanced design and development.

• Environment conducive to hands-on research, potentially including visits to manufacturing floors and production facilities.

• A fast-paced, innovative atmosphere where rapid iteration and problem-solving are encouraged.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours, with an expectation of dedication to project goals. The on-site nature of the role allows for seamless collaboration and immediate feedback loops within the team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement is a key aspect of this role, reflecting Anduril's culture of close collaboration and the practical need for designers to be immersed in the production environment they are designing for. This offers an opportunity for deep engagement and understanding of operational challenges.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of resume and portfolio to assess qualifications and experience.

• Portfolio Presentation: A dedicated session where the candidate presents their work, focusing on end-to-end case studies, design process, and impact. Prepare to discuss your contributions, challenges, and design rationale in detail.

• Design Challenge/Exercise: Potentially a take-home assignment or an in-person design critique/exercise focused on problem-solving within a manufacturing or production context.

• Stakeholder Interviews: Meetings with Product Managers, Engineering Leads, and potentially other designers to assess collaboration skills, technical understanding, and cultural fit.

• Final Round: Interviews with senior leadership to discuss strategic alignment and long-term vision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-4 of your strongest projects that best demonstrate your skills in visual design, interaction design, design systems, and on-site/contextual research. Prioritize projects with quantifiable impact or clear problem/solution narratives.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the design process, key decisions made (and why), challenges encountered, and the final outcome/impact. Use visuals effectively to guide the narrative.

• Highlight Design System Work: If you have experience building or contributing to design systems, showcase this prominently. Detail component creation, documentation, and how it improved efficiency or consistency.

• Emphasize Operational Context: If possible, include projects related to manufacturing, logistics, or complex operational workflows. Explain how you adapted your design approach to the unique constraints of these environments.

• Be Ready to Discuss: Prepare to answer detailed questions about your design choices, trade-offs you made, how you handled feedback, and how you measured success.

Challenge Preparation:

• Familiarize yourself with common design challenges in manufacturing, production, or logistics software. Think about efficiency gains, data visualization for operational metrics, and user flows for task-oriented applications.

• Practice articulating your thought process clearly and concisely. For any design exercise, explain your assumptions, the problem you're solving, and your proposed solution with clear rationale.

• Be prepared to discuss how you would approach research in a manufacturing environment and what key metrics you would track to measure the success of your design solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily weigh the candidate's portfolio and their ability to articulate their design process and impact, especially in the context of operational software. Demonstrating an understanding of the Gemba philosophy and experience with hardware-related industries will be a significant advantage.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator) are explicitly mentioned as preferred. Figma is often the industry standard for collaborative design.

• Design Systems: Tools for component libraries, style guides, and documentation (e.g., Storybook, Zeroheight, or internal tools).

• User Research: Tools for usability testing, surveys, and feedback collection (e.g., UserTesting.com, Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey).

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly listed for the designer, an understanding of how analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics, Amplitude, Mixpanel) are used to track user behavior and product performance would be beneficial.

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to the designer's core tools, but an awareness of the broader system context (e.g., how production software might integrate with ERP or other operational systems) is valuable.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma or Sketch is essential, alongside a strong grasp of design system principles and tools. The role requires the ability to create scalable components and potentially work with tools that facilitate collaboration and handoff to engineering teams.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Mission-Driven: A strong commitment to Anduril's mission of transforming military capabilities. This translates to a focus on impactful work and dedication to the company's goals.

• Innovation & Agility: A culture that encourages rapid iteration, embracing new technologies, and adapting quickly to changing needs. Expect a fast-paced environment where new ideas are welcomed.

• Excellence & Detail: High standards for quality in both technology and design. The role requires meticulous attention to detail in visual and interaction design, as well as in understanding complex operational workflows.

• Collaboration & Ownership: A strong emphasis on teamwork and individual accountability. Designers are expected to take ownership of their projects and collaborate effectively across disciplines.

• Practicality & Impact: A focus on delivering tangible results and solutions that have a real-world impact, especially in the context of production and operational efficiency.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Designers work closely with product managers, engineers, and other stakeholders on a daily basis. Strong communication and the ability to translate technical and business needs into design solutions are key.

• Feedback-Rich Environment: Expect regular design reviews and opportunities to provide and receive constructive feedback to refine designs and processes.

• On-Site Immersion: The emphasis on on-site research and working within the production environment fosters a collaborative style deeply rooted in understanding user realities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture at Anduril is likely characterized by a high-performance, mission-oriented mindset. Designers are expected to be proactive, collaborative, and deeply invested in the impact of their work on the company's operational success and broader mission.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for Complex Operational Environments: Adapting designs for manufacturing floors, high-rate production settings, and users who may have specific technical constraints or workflows requires deep empathy and innovative problem-solving.

• Balancing Tactical Needs with Strategic Vision: Effectively managing immediate design requests while making consistent progress on long-term design system development and strategic UX improvements.

• Stakeholder Alignment: Navigating diverse perspectives from engineering, product, and operations to ensure design solutions meet multiple requirements and gain broad acceptance.

• Rapid Iteration in a Fast-Paced Industry: The defense tech sector and Anduril's growth mean that priorities can shift, requiring designers to be adaptable and efficient.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Dive into Defense Tech: Gain unparalleled insight into the complexities and unique challenges of designing for the defense industry and advanced manufacturing.

• Advanced Design System Expertise: Contribute to and lead the evolution of a sophisticated design system, becoming an expert in scalable component design and governance.

• Operational UX Specialization: Develop a niche expertise in User Experience for operational technology, manufacturing, and supply chain software.

• Mentorship: Opportunities to mentor junior designers and contribute to the growth of the design team's capabilities.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role presents a unique opportunity to tackle complex design challenges within a mission-critical sector. The growth potential lies in developing specialized skills and contributing to the strategic direction of design within a rapidly evolving technology company.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to design for a user in a highly specific or challenging physical environment. How did you approach the research and design process, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on on-site research, adapting designs to constraints, and measurable impact.)

• "Walk us through your process for developing or contributing to a design system. How do you balance the need for consistency with flexibility, and how do you manage component updates and adoption?" (Highlight process, collaboration, and system thinking.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Anduril's mission and the defense technology industry?" (Show genuine interest and alignment with the company's purpose.)

• "How do you approach collaboration with engineering and product management teams, especially when there are differing opinions on design direction?" (Emphasize communication, empathy, and a solutions-oriented approach.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Begin with a brief overview of your career and design philosophy. For each case study, clearly state the problem, your specific role and contributions, the design process, key decisions, and the impact/results.

• Visuals: Use high-quality mockups, wireframes, prototypes, and potentially user flows. If you have photos or videos from on-site research (respecting confidentiality), use them to illustrate context.

• Narrative: Weave a compelling story for each project. Explain the "why" behind your decisions and how you arrived at your solutions. Be prepared to discuss trade-offs.

• Metrics: Quantify impact whenever possible. Discuss how your designs improved efficiency, reduced errors, increased user satisfaction, or contributed to business goals.

• Design System Focus: If applicable, dedicate time to showcase your design system work, explaining its architecture, key components, and benefits.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating a deep understanding of the entire design lifecycle, a strong portfolio showcasing relevant skills, and the ability to articulate design decisions and their impact within a complex operational context. Be ready to discuss your experience with manufacturing/production environments and your approach to building scalable design systems.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Greenhouse.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight projects demonstrating end-to-end design ownership, experience with operational or hardware-related software, and contributions to design systems. Prioritize case studies that showcase your ability to conduct on-site research and adapt designs to specific environments.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your 6+ years of software design experience, emphasizing skills in visual design, interaction design, design systems, and user research. Use keywords from the job description, such as "Forge," "design system," "multimodal experiences," and "on-site research."

• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio with a focus on storytelling, process, and impact. Prepare answers to strategy and behavioral questions, particularly those related to complex environments and cross-functional collaboration.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Anduril Industries, its mission, products (especially Lattice OS and Forge), and its culture. Understand the significance of the defense technology sector and Anduril's role within it.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.