Senior Product Designer, Mission Autonomy

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer, Mission Autonomy

Company: Anduril Industries

Location: Washington, District of Columbia, United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / UX/UI (Defense Technology)

Date Posted: 2026-06-12T18:18:59

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the design vision and execution for the unified command and control of hundreds of autonomous vehicles, spanning fleet management, mission planning, live execution, autonomous collaboration, and generative AI.

• Drive product design initiatives from discovery through delivery, ensuring thoughtful scaling of capabilities across diverse platforms, mission types, and operational domains.

• Foster deep user empathy by conducting on-site workshops, field observations, and iterative prototyping with soldiers and subject matter experts.

• Translate technically complex software and ambiguous design challenges into clear, intuitive, and highly polished user interfaces that operators can easily adopt.

• Partner closely with engineering, product management, and stakeholders to define delivery timelines, prioritizing critical functionality for immediate operator use.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is specifically focused on the design of systems for autonomous vehicle command and control within the defense sector, requiring a strong emphasis on user trust, safety, and reducing cognitive burden for military operators. The "Mission Autonomy" and "Lattice OS" context highlight a specialized area within defense technology.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Develop and refine user experiences for complex autonomous systems, ensuring seamless integration across air, ground, surface, and subsurface domains.

• Create compelling product narratives, detailed user journey maps, intricate user workflows, high-fidelity mockups, and comprehensive documentation to inspire and guide development teams.

• Conduct user research, including customer discovery and usability testing, to gather insights and validate design hypotheses in real-world operational environments.

• Leverage and extend the existing design system to meet the unique requirements of operating complex autonomous fleets at scale, ensuring consistency and efficiency.

• Collaborate with engineering and product teams to define and manage design delivery timelines, balancing user needs with rapid deployment requirements.

• Actively participate in design critiques, mentor peer designers, and share best practices to elevate the overall design function within the organization.

• Identify opportunities for design reuse and standardization across Anduril's software ecosystem to promote efficiency and maintain a cohesive user experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a blend of strategic design thinking, hands-on execution, deep user engagement, and cross-functional collaboration, all within a highly technical and mission-critical domain. The focus on "transforming U.S. and allied military capabilities" underscores the high stakes and impact of this design role.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, HCI, Computer Science, or a related field is typically expected for a Senior Product Designer role, especially in a technical company like Anduril.

Experience: 5+ years of experience in product design, UX design, or Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), with a demonstrated track record of delivering high-craft, technically informed solutions.

Required Skills:

• Proven ability to execute high-craft, technically informed design solutions.

• Demonstrated autonomy in design execution, capable of independently driving feature-level and system-level work.

• Expertise in navigating complex ambiguities with sound judgment and decision-making.

• Deep expertise in visual and interaction design, with a portfolio showcasing elegant solutions for complex technical workflows.

• Strong systems thinking mindset, able to map user journeys across multiple user types and operational contexts.

• Proficient in prototyping to drive clarity and facilitate decision-making.

• Ability to articulate design rationale ("the why") and manage complex stakeholder requirements.

• Must be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. TS clearance with SCI eligibility. Preferred Skills:

• Experience designing for technical operator-focused software in domains such as aviation, autonomous systems, robotics, industrial control systems, or logistics.

• Familiarity with workflows involving planning, execution, monitoring, or debrief of autonomous or distributed systems.

• Track record of delivering high-quality design in fast-paced, mission-critical environments.

• Experience maturing products from early development to operational readiness.

• Experience working within and contributing to established design systems.

• Experience leading user research sessions, including customer discovery and synthesis of complex feedback.

• Strong facilitation skills for workshops and cross-functional alignment.

• Familiarity with designing for constrained or high-stakes/safety-critical environments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "high-craft," "technically informed solutions," and "complex technical workflows" points to a need for designers with a strong understanding of intricate systems and a meticulous approach to detail. The requirement for a TS/SCI clearance is a critical qualification for this role.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 5+ years of product design, UX, or HCI work, with a strong emphasis on technically complex systems.

• Demonstrate elegant solutions and high craft quality in visual and interaction design, particularly for intricate technical workflows.

• Include examples of systems thinking, mapping user journeys across multiple user types and operational contexts.

• Present evidence of strong prototyping skills used to drive clarity and decision-making.

• Feature case studies that illustrate the ability to navigate complex stakeholder requirements and communicate design rationale effectively.

• Highlight experience with autonomous systems, robotics, or similar complex operational contexts if available. Process Documentation:

• Detail your process for transforming ambiguous design challenges and technically complex software into polished, clear interfaces.

• Illustrate your approach to user research, including customer discovery, field observations, and iterative prototyping with subject matter experts.

• Document your methods for creating product narratives, journey maps, user workflows, and high-fidelity mockups.

• Explain how you leverage and extend design systems to meet specific operational needs and ensure consistency.

• Provide examples of how you collaborated with engineering and product management to define and optimize delivery timelines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is critical for demonstrating a blend of aesthetic quality, technical understanding, and process rigor. For this role, it needs to specifically highlight experience with complex, data-intensive, and potentially safety-critical systems, showcasing an ability to simplify complexity for high-stakes environments.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $154,000 - $231,000 USD per year.

• 📝 Enhancement Note: This salary range is for the Washington D.C. area, which has a high cost of living and is a competitive market for specialized tech roles. The range reflects a Senior Product Designer level, considering the 5+ years of experience requirement and the specialized nature of defense technology and autonomous systems. The provided range is based on industry benchmarks for similar roles in major metropolitan areas, adjusted for the specific seniority and domain expertise.

Benefits:

• Highly competitive equity grants included in most full-time offers, contributing to the total compensation package.

• Top-tier benefits available at little to no cost to employees, covering health, recovery, and future support.

• Comprehensive benefits package includes (but not limited to): Health Insurance, Equity Grants.

• Specific details on comprehensive benefits can be explored by visiting the Anduril Careers page.

Working Hours: 40 hours per week is standard for full-time roles.

• 📝 Enhancement Note: While standard hours are 40 per week, the mission-critical nature of defense technology and the fast-paced environment may require flexibility and dedication beyond typical hours, especially during critical project phases or when engaging with field users.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Defense Technology, AI, Autonomy, Robotics, Software Systems. Anduril is positioned at the cutting edge of defense innovation, aiming to modernize military capabilities with advanced technology at an accelerated pace. This industry context means a focus on mission impact, rapid iteration, and addressing complex, high-stakes challenges.

Company Size: Anduril is a rapidly growing company, indicating a dynamic and evolving work environment. As a significant player in the defense tech space, it likely offers opportunities for impact and growth within a structured yet agile organization.

Founded: Anduril Industries was founded with the mission to transform military capabilities. Their approach is to bring the innovation and speed of 21st-century tech companies to the defense sector, focusing on AI-powered operating systems like Lattice OS to create real-time command and control centers.

Team Structure:

• The Product Design team functions as a central connective tissue, ensuring consistency and thoughtful scaling of products and workflows across Anduril's software ecosystem.

• Designers partner closely with Product Managers, Engineers, and customers to shape user experiences.

• This specific role is within the Lattice Mission Autonomy team, focusing on unified command and control of autonomous vehicles.

• The team likely operates with a high degree of cross-functional collaboration, essential for developing complex systems. Methodology:

• Focus on developing AI-powered operating systems (Lattice OS) for real-time command and control.

• Emphasizes bringing cutting-edge autonomy, AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and networking technology to market quickly.

• Prioritizes safety, reducing cognitive burden, and iterating directly with customers (military operators).

• Utilizes design system principles for scalable and consistent user experiences.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Anduril's culture is characterized by a strong mission-driven ethos, a fast-paced environment, and a commitment to technological innovation in the defense sector. This implies a need for designers who are adaptable, resilient, and motivated by significant impact.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Product Designer. This level signifies a high degree of autonomy, expertise in core design disciplines (visual, interaction, UX), and the ability to lead design initiatives for complex product areas. It involves significant ownership and strategic contribution.

Reporting Structure: The role reports to the Lattice Mission Autonomy team and contributes to the central design team function. This suggests a dual reporting or strong collaborative relationship with both the specific product team and the broader design organization, allowing for both specialized focus and cross-pollination of ideas and best practices.

Operations Impact: The Senior Product Designer directly influences how the military operates robots at scale across all domains. Their work is critical for building operator trust, expanding military capacity, and ensuring the effective deployment of advanced autonomous systems, thereby having a direct impact on national security and defense capabilities.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in designing for autonomous systems, AI-driven interfaces, and mission-critical software within the defense sector.

• Leadership: Advance into Lead Designer or Design Manager roles, mentoring junior designers and shaping design strategy for larger product areas or teams.

• Cross-functional Influence: Grow influence across product, engineering, and customer-facing teams, becoming a key strategic partner in product development.

• Skill Development: Opportunities to contribute to and extend Anduril's design system, potentially leading initiatives in UI/UX best practices and research methodologies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title indicates a level of expected self-direction and ability to influence product direction. Growth opportunities likely involve taking on more complex or strategic design challenges, leading design initiatives, and potentially moving into management or principal-level individual contributor roles.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This position is listed as "On-site," implying a requirement to work from the Anduril Industries office in Washington, D.C. This suggests a collaborative, in-person work environment that facilitates spontaneous interaction and team cohesion.

Office Location(s): Washington, District of Columbia, United States. This location offers access to a major metropolitan hub with significant government and defense sector presence.

Workspace Context:

• The workspace likely supports a highly collaborative environment, with designers working closely with product managers, engineers, and potentially military subject matter experts.

• Access to state-of-the-art tools and technology is expected, given Anduril's focus on advanced technology.

• Opportunities for direct interaction with the end-users (soldiers) through field observations and on-site visits are a key aspect of the role's context.

Work Schedule: The standard working hours are 40 per week. However, the mission-critical nature of defense technology and the fast-paced environment may necessitate flexibility and occasional extended hours to meet project deadlines and operational demands.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement suggests a preference for in-person collaboration, which is often crucial for rapidly iterating on complex designs and fostering strong team dynamics, especially in a defense context where direct user feedback is paramount.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process: While not explicitly detailed, a typical process for a Senior Product Designer role at a company like Anduril would likely include:

• Initial Screening: HR or Recruiter call to assess basic qualifications, interest, and cultural fit.

• Portfolio Review & Design Challenge: A deep dive into the candidate's portfolio, often followed by a design exercise or case study presentation. This stage assesses design craft, problem-solving skills, and communication abilities.

• Hiring Manager Interview: Discussion with the hiring manager to evaluate strategic thinking, leadership potential, and alignment with team goals.

• Team Interviews: Meetings with cross-functional team members (engineers, product managers, other designers) to assess collaboration style and technical acumen.

• Executive/Senior Leadership Interview: For senior roles, a final interview with senior leadership may occur to assess strategic impact and alignment with company vision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight Complexity: Focus on projects that demonstrate your ability to handle complex technical workflows, ambiguous problems, and intricate systems.

• Showcase Craftsmanship: Ensure your visual and interaction design is polished, precise, and demonstrates a high level of attention to detail.

• Articulate Process: Clearly explain your design process, from problem definition and user research to ideation, prototyping, and final execution. Emphasize your "why" for design decisions.

• Demonstrate Impact: Quantify the impact of your design work whenever possible (e.g., improved efficiency, reduced error rates, increased user adoption). For this role, focus on how your designs enhance operator trust and capacity.

• Tailor to Mission Autonomy: If possible, include projects with similar themes (e.g., complex control systems, data visualization, autonomous operations, military/aerospace applications) or explain how your transferable skills apply.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared to discuss your approach to designing for users in high-stakes, mission-critical environments where safety and clarity are paramount.

• Practice articulating how you would balance rapid development timelines with rigorous design quality.

• Prepare to discuss your experience with design systems and how you would contribute to or extend an existing one for specialized needs.

• Be ready to present a case study from your portfolio that best demonstrates your ability to solve complex technical design problems.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a TS/SCI clearance suggests that background checks and security assessments will be a significant part of the process. Candidates should be prepared for thorough vetting. The portfolio review will be heavily weighted towards demonstrating experience with complex systems and technical user needs.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator), InVision, Principle, Framer, or similar industry-standard tools for high-fidelity mockups and interactive prototyping.

• User Research: Tools for conducting and synthesizing user research (e.g., Dovetail, UserTesting.com platforms, survey tools like SurveyMonkey or Typeform).

• Collaboration & Documentation: Jira, Confluence, Slack, Google Workspace, or similar platforms for team communication, project management, and knowledge sharing.

Analytics & Reporting: While not a direct responsibility of the designer, an understanding of how user behavior is tracked and analyzed within complex systems is beneficial. Familiarity with tools like Amplitude, Mixpanel, or custom analytics dashboards would be advantageous.

CRM & Automation: Not directly applicable to this design role, but awareness of how design integrates with broader product development pipelines is helpful.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core tools will be standard design and prototyping software. The ability to use these tools to create high-fidelity, technically informed designs and to clearly communicate complex workflows is paramount. Experience with tools that facilitate rapid iteration and collaboration will be highly valued.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Mission First: A strong commitment to the company's defense mission and the impact of their technology on national security.

• Innovation & Speed: A culture that values rapid development, cutting-edge technology, and bringing solutions to market quickly.

• Excellence & Craftsmanship: High standards for the quality and technical sophistication of products and designs.

• Collaboration & Trust: Emphasis on teamwork, open communication, and building trust among team members and with end-users.

• Customer Focus: Deep engagement with customers (military operators) to understand their needs and ensure products are effective in real-world scenarios.

Collaboration Style:

• Highly cross-functional, with designers working intricately with product managers, engineers, and domain experts.

• Emphasis on iterative design and feedback loops, especially through direct user engagement.

• Openness to design critiques and constructive feedback to continuously improve product quality and user experience.

• A proactive approach to problem-solving and a willingness to tackle ambiguous challenges together.

📝 Enhancement Note: Anduril's culture is likely intense, fast-paced, and highly focused on achieving ambitious goals. Designers who thrive in such environments, are adaptable, and are motivated by significant impact will be a good fit.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Complexity of Systems: Designing for hundreds of autonomous vehicles and complex command-and-control interfaces requires managing a high degree of technical detail and interconnectedness.

• Mission-Critical Environment: Ensuring safety, reliability, and operator trust in a defense context where errors can have severe consequences.

• Balancing Speed and Quality: Delivering cutting-edge features rapidly while maintaining high design standards and user experience quality.

• Ambiguity: Navigating evolving requirements, new technologies (like generative AI), and undefined operational needs.

• User Empathy: Bridging the gap between civilian design practices and the unique operational realities and cognitive loads of military operators.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Domain Expertise: Gaining deep knowledge in autonomy, AI, robotics, and defense operations.

• Technical Design Skills: Enhancing skills in designing for complex, real-time data visualization, distributed systems, and advanced user interfaces.

• Strategic Design Leadership: Developing the ability to influence product strategy and shape the future of military autonomy interfaces.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Refining skills in working effectively with highly technical engineering teams and military stakeholders.

• Mentorship: Opportunities to learn from experienced designers and engineers within a leading defense technology company.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are significant but also offer substantial opportunities for professional growth and the chance to work on truly impactful technology.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you designed a complex technical workflow. What were the key challenges, and how did you ensure clarity and precision in the final design?"

• "How would you approach designing a system for controlling hundreds of autonomous vehicles simultaneously, considering potential failure modes and operator cognitive load?"

• "Walk us through your process for collaborating with engineering teams to define delivery timelines for a complex feature, balancing user needs with rapid deployment." Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Anduril's mission and the defense technology space?"

• "How do you approach building user empathy with customers in highly specialized or operational environments?"

• "Describe a situation where you had to advocate for a design decision that faced resistance. How did you navigate stakeholder requirements?" Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly define the problem, your role, the solution you designed, and the impact. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) as a guide.

• Focus on Process & Rationale: Don't just show final screens; explain why you made certain design decisions, referencing user research, technical constraints, or strategic goals.

• Highlight Technical Acumen: Emphasize any experience with complex systems, data-heavy interfaces, or operational software. If you don't have direct defense experience, draw parallels to other technical domains.

• Showcase Craftsmanship: Ensure your visual and interaction design examples are polished, pixel-perfect, and demonstrate a strong understanding of UI principles.

• Prepare for Q&A: Anticipate questions about your design choices, trade-offs you made, and how your work aligns with the role's requirements, particularly around autonomy and mission control.

📝 Enhancement Note: Be prepared to discuss your experience with abstracting complex information into user-friendly interfaces, and how you ensure operator trust and reduce cognitive load in high-stakes situations. Your ability to articulate your design process and rationale will be a key differentiator.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided Greenhouse link.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight projects demonstrating complex technical workflows, systems thinking, and high-craft visual/interaction design. Prioritize any experience with autonomous systems, robotics, or operational software.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly states your years of experience in product design/UX/HCI and lists relevant technical skills and achievements. Emphasize your ability to drive design execution autonomously.

• Prepare Your Narrative: Practice presenting 1-2 key portfolio case studies that best showcase your ability to solve complex problems in technical, mission-critical environments. Be ready to articulate your design process and rationale thoroughly.

• Research Anduril: Understand Anduril's mission, products (especially Lattice OS), and company values. Be prepared to discuss why you are drawn to their specific work in defense technology and autonomy.

• Clearance Readiness: Be prepared to confirm your eligibility to obtain and maintain a U.S. TS clearance with SCI eligibility.

⚠️ 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.