Air Dominance & Strike - Technical Program Manager, Mission Autonomy

As the Technical Program Manager for Air Dominance & Strike at Anduril Industries, your primary responsibilities include leading the development and integration of advanced systems with government and industry partners, managing the lifecycle of projects, and ensuring all deliverables meet the required performance standards. You will collaborate closely with various stakeholders, engage directly with Department of Defense users, and gather feedback to enhance Anduril’s autonomy products.

To qualify for the Technical Program Manager role in Air Dominance & Strike at Anduril, you must have a BS/BA in a technical field along with a minimum of 7 years of professional experience. Candidates should be capable of obtaining a U.S. Top Secret security clearance. A strong background in science or engineering is preferred, alongside practical project management experience and familiarity with defense technology.

To excel as a Technical Program Manager with Anduril Industries, candidates should possess a systems and engineering mindset, allowing for the assessment of technical concepts and project dependencies. Strong communication and organizational skills are essential for managing diverse projects and collaborating with internal teams and external stakeholders. Additionally, adaptability and problem-solving abilities are crucial for navigating complex, changing environments.

A Technical Program Manager at Anduril Industries is crucial for steering the creation and implementation of mission autonomy software, serving as the liaison between the engineers and government entities. By managing user feedback and aligning project goals with operational needs, the Program Manager drives improvements that enhance user experience and system efficiency, thus ensuring that the software meets the high standards required for national defense.

At Anduril Industries, a Technical Program Manager has significant opportunities for advancement not only within the program management domain but also towards engineering or leadership positions. As the organization continues to innovate in defense technology, driven individuals who demonstrate technical proficiency and strong project leadership skills can expect to find a supportive environment for career growth.

In answering this question, provide specific examples of technical projects you've managed, emphasizing your leadership role, the outcomes achieved, and how you navigated challenges. Highlight any experiences with cross-functional teams and explain how you communicated project goals to all stakeholders.

Discuss your approach to creating user feedback loops, focusing on how you collect, analyze, and prioritize feedback for implementation. Highlight any systems you've used to track feedback and improvements, showcasing your ability to enhance project workflows based on user insights.

Emphasize that systems engineering involves understanding technical dependencies, architecture, and risks that impact project success. Provide examples of how you’ve utilized a systems engineering perspective to inform your decision-making process and project outcomes.

Provide a clear narrative of a past project where priorities changed, detailing how you adapted your approach and kept your team focused on achieving goals. Highlight your problem-solving skills and communication strategies in managing stakeholder expectations under changing conditions.

Talk about your methods for fostering clear communication, such as regular status updates, project dashboards, and collaborative tools. Explain how these strategies help keep everyone aligned and aware of project developments, which is essential in complex project environments.

Illustrate your risk assessment process, which includes identifying potential risks, analyzing their impact, and implementing mitigation strategies. Use a specific example to show how your proactive approach has helped reduce risk in a past project.

Share your experience in working with diverse teams, emphasizing the importance of building relationships and fostering collaboration for project success. Highlight specific examples where effective collaboration led to successful project outcomes.

Discuss your philosophy on team motivation, emphasizing the significance of setting clear goals, recognizing achievements, and providing support. Share anecdotes of times when your motivational tactics directly contributed to a team's resilience and success.

Mention specific project management tools you've utilized, such as JIRA, Trello, or Microsoft Project, and explain how you've leveraged these tools to track project progress, manage resources, and facilitate communication among teams.

Highlight your conflict resolution skills by providing an example where you successfully navigated a disagreement within a team. Discuss your approach to understanding different perspectives and finding a compromise that aligns with project goals.