Senior Low Observables Technician - Coatings

ABOUT THE TEAM

Anduril’s Low Observables Team is seeking a Senior Low Observable Technician to join our team. The Air Dominance and Strike Low Observable Team are advancing into the next generation of LO Technology to enhance the survivability and effectiveness of unmanned air systems. Our Low Observables team is responsible for designing, analyzing, testing, manufacturing, and sustaining LO aircraft ensuring our systems remain undetectable in contested environments.

We are looking for a skilled Low Observable (LO) Coatings Technician to join our advanced manufacturing team. In this role you will prepare, mix, and apply radar-absorbing materials (RAM), low observable coatings, and aerospace primers/topcoats to composite and metallic airframe structures. You will work directly on production hardware for autonomous air vehicles where signature performance is mission-critical. This is a hands-on manufacturing role — you will spray, squeegee, trowel, and hand-apply LO materials, maintain process discipline, and drive continuous improvement on a small, high-output team. If you take pride in craftsmanship, thrive in fast-paced environments, and want your work to directly impact national security — we want to talk to you.

The right person for this role can demonstrate past holistic ownership on solving a technical challenge with a creative, physical, solution that they either personally, manufacturing or oversee manufacturing on, in a fast-paced, resource-limited environment. If you are someone who thrives in such an environment, then this role is for you.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Prepare and apply low observable (LO) coatings, radar absorbing materials (RAM), and specialty aerospace coatings (primers, topcoats, edge treatments) to composite and metallic substrates.
• Perform surface preparation of carbon fiber/epoxy composite and metallic structures including solvent cleaning, hand abrasion, media blasting, masking, and surface energy verification.
• Mix multi-component coating systems (epoxy primers, polyurethane topcoats, RAM formulations) per process specifications, ensuring correct ratios, pot life tracking, and viscosity verification.
• Apply coatings via HVLP spray, airless spray, hand layup, trowel, squeegee, and brush methods to achieve specified thickness, surface finish, and electromagnetic performance requirements
  Perform in-process quality checks including wet film thickness, dry film thickness (DFT), surface profile, adhesion testing, and visual inspection per aerospace standards.
• Operate and maintain spray equipment, mixing stations, spray booths, and curing ovens.
• Interpret and work from engineering drawings, process specifications, work instructions, and MIL-spec documents.
• Maintain detailed process documentation including batch records, environmental logs, inspection records, and material traceability.
• Support development and qualification of new LO coating processes, materials, and application techniques alongside engineering teams.
• Perform rework and repair of nonconforming coatings including localized sanding, chemical stripping, and re-application.
• Identify process improvements and contribute to lean manufacturing initiatives — we expect everyone on the team to challenge the status quo.
• Maintain compliance with safety, environmental, and quality management system
• Support production schedule commitments with a sense of urgency — our warfighters depend on timely delivery.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• High school diploma or GED.
• Minimum 3 years of experience applying coatings (primers, topcoats,) in a production or research environment.
• Proficiency with HVLP and conventional spray equipment; demonstrated ability to control DFT within tight tolerances
• Experience with composite substrate surface preparation (hand abrasion, solvent wipe, media blast, peel ply assessment).
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, process specifications, and MIL-spec documents.
• S. Citizenship required. Must be able to obtain and maintain a U.S. Department of Defense Secret security clearance.
• Ability to wear required PPE including full-face respirator, supplied air hood, chemical-resistant suit, and safety harness for extended periods.
• Ability to stand, kneel, crouch, and work in confined spaces or elevated platforms for extended periods. Must be able to lift up to 50 lbs.
• Ability to travel domestically/internationally, up to 25% of the time in the near term.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• 5+ years of coatings experience on military aircraft programs (non-LO coatings)
  3+ years of LO coatings experience on military aircraft programs (F-22, F-35, B-2, B-21 or similar).
• Experience with both sprayable and hand-applied (trowel/squeegee) RAM systems.
• Experience with LO surface detail materials (conductive, molded parts, applique)
• Familiarity with LO quality checks and measurement equipment
• Experience with automated/robotic coating application systems.
• Knowledge of aerospace quality requirements; experience working within AS9100 or equivalent quality management systems.
• Background in composite manufacturing, bonding, or composite repair.
• Experience qualifying new coating processes (first article inspection, process validation).
• Active Secret or Top Secret clearance