Compute Systems Architect - Expeditionary AI/HPC Data Centers
Anduril · Costa Mesa, United States · 1mo ago
Anduril Industries is a defense technology company with a mission to transform U.S. and allied military capabilities with advanced technology. By bringing the expertise, technology, and business model of the 21st century’s most innovative companies to the defense industry, Anduril is changing how military systems are designed, built and sold. Anduril’s family of systems is powered by Lattice OS, an AI-powered operating system that turns thousands of data streams into a realtime, 3D command and control center. As the world enters an era of strategic competition, Anduril is committed to bringing cutting-edge autonomy, AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and networking technology to the military in months, not years.
ABOUT THE JOB
Anduril Expeditionary Systems (AES) is building AI Factories and Command/Control centers—specialized, high-performance computing centers designed to process petabyte-scale data and convert it into decisions at machine speed from forward operating bases. These are not traditional data centers. They are air-transportable, power-constrained, hardened systems optimized for AI inference at the tactical edge and deeply integrated with Lattice.
We are seeking a High Performance Compute Systems Architect to design and build these tactical AI/HPC data centers from the ground up. This is a new and highest priority role. You will architect the complete electrical infrastructure—compute node selection, power distribution, thermal management, battery backup system, and physical hardening—that enables AI processing in austere, contested, and DDIL (degraded/denied/intermittent/limited) environments. This capability does not exist today as a fielded system. You will define what this category looks like and build systems that will be deployed in some of the most challenging environments on earth.
Exact candidate title and leveling to be determined based upon technical acumen, professional experience, leadership ability, and assessed capabilities through the interview process.
WHAT YOU'LL DO
- Own the end-to-end architecture of AI Factory tactical data centers from compute hardware through power architecture, networking, and thermal cooling systems
- Design GPU-accelerated compute clusters optimized for AI inference and training workloads at the tactical edge (NVIDIA H100/A100, AMD MI300, or similar)
- Engineer advanced thermal solutions for high-density compute without traditional data center infrastructure (liquid cooling, immersion cooling, hybrid systems)
- Design air-transportable, modular systems (containerized, palletized, vehicle-mounted) that are rapidly deployable and operationally credible
- Build infrastructure optimized for austere and contested environments—extreme temperatures, limited grid power, SCIF-accreditable, electromagnetic hardening
- Work in tight coupling with Lattice and AI/ML teams to ensure physical infrastructure meets mission-critical software requirements
- Partner with defense customers to translate operational requirements and needs into technical architectures
- Lead prototyping, field testing, and operational validation through military exercises and real-world deployments
- Drive systems from concept through production at scale, working across hardware, software, supply chain, and program teams
- Define standards and best practices for tactical AI compute infrastructure across AES product lines
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related technical field
- 5+ years of experience designing and deploying data center infrastructure, HPC clusters, large-scale compute systems, or tensor / accelerator compute nodes.
- 8+ years of engineering experience designing and deploying electrical products
- Deep expertise in GPU-accelerated computing architecture for AI/ML workloads (NVIDIA, AMD, or similar platforms)
- Strong understanding of power distribution systems for high-density compute including PDUs, power shelves, UPS systems, generators, chillers, power distribution, and energy management
- Experience with thermal management for high-power-density systems—liquid cooling and chiller systems.
- Proven track record building and deploying production infrastructure from concept through operational scale
- Systems thinking ability to optimize across competing constraints (performance, power, thermal, weight, cost, reliability)
- U.S. Person status required (U.S. citizen, permanent resident, refugee, or asylee)
- Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance (U.S. citizenship may be required)
- Must be able to travel up to 15% of the time
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Background in AI/ML infrastructure supporting large-scale inference, computer vision, or autonomous systems
- Experienced with high speed compute infrastructure networking and network topologies
- Familiarity with edge computing architectures, distributed inference systems, or autonomous vehicles
- Background in 3-phase power distribution or HV battery systems
- Experience with tactical military systems, ruggedized computing, or deployable infrastructure in austere or contested environments
- Knowledge of military environmental standards (MIL-STD-810, MIL-STD-461) and expeditionary deployability requirements
- Hands-on experience with containerized or modular data center designs (ISO containers, mobile facilities)
- Experience with expeditionary or forward operating base (FOB) infrastructure
- Knowledge of electromagnetic hardening and operation in GPS-denied or communications-contested environments
- Experience with SCIF design or accreditation for classified environments
- Background in aerospace, defense, autonomous vehicles, EVs, or safety-critical industries with rigorous qualification requirements
- Advanced degree (MS/PhD) in relevant engineering discipline
- Holds Active Secret Clearance or higher
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:
Benefits
At Anduril, we invest in our people. Our comprehensive, competitive benefits package (available at little to no cost to employees) ensures you’re supported in health, recovery, and whatever comes next. For more information, Explore Our Benefits.
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