Strategic Real Estate Operations
Costa Mesa, California, United States
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.
Position Summary
As a Strategic Real Estate Operator, you will architect and execute enterprise-wide real estate strategies that propel Anduril's business. Reporting to the Director of Strategic Real Estate, this senior role demands an independent operator who can execute on behalf of a 5M+ sq ft portfolio—spanning R&D labs, agile manufacturing hubs, and global offices—with explosive growth, talent imperatives, and mission-critical initiatives. In a landscape of rapid technological evolution and business growth, you will deliver data-fueled optimizations that enhance operational readiness, agility, cost leadership, and innovation velocity. The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker with deep expertise in capital deployment, real estate planning and/or investing within industrial or tech sectors, capable of navigating complex stakeholder needs in a high-stakes defense environment.
Key Responsibilities
- Real Estate Portfolio Optimization: Pioneer portfolio transformations—strategic expansions, developments, and acquisitions —leveraging divisional geo strategies and analytics to align real estate plans with workforce dynamics, supply chain resilience, and market opportunities. Develop and maintain real estate master plans, including scenario modeling for mergers, acquisitions, or divestitures, and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements specific to defense and security sectors.
- Financial & Operational Excellence: Spearhead cost leadership initiatives, achieving efficiencies through advanced analytics, lease restructurings, and capital financing structures, and capital project investment frameworks.
- Stakeholder & External Leadership: Cultivate strategic partnerships with brokers, attorneys, capital market players, regulators, and government entities to navigate defense-specific compliance and accelerate site acquisitions.
- Business Level Real Estate Demand Forecasting & Strategy: Orchestrate cross-divisional forecasting of headcount, technology, and space demands, delivering master plans that integrate scenario modeling for 5-10 year horizons. Collaborate with business divisions across engineering, R&D, manufacturing, and administrative teams, to forecast headcount growth and associated space needs, ensuring accurate projections for office, R&D, and production environments.
- Corporate Strategic Alignment: Align divisional real estate needs and priorities with overarching corporate goals, portfolio considerations, business line investment frameworks including innovation initiatives, talent acquisition strategies, growth and P&L targets and strategic international growth.
- Executive Communications: Prepare and present to C-suite level and Division Leaders regarding real estate strategies and other related key decision points utilizing data driven analytics and comprehensive financials, budgets, and forecasts.
Qualifications and Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Real Estate, Business Administration, Finance, Urban Planning, Engineering, or a related field; Master's degree or MBA preferred.
- Minimum of 5 years of experience in real estate investing (equity or credit), development, strategic real estate planning, or corporate development, with at least 2 years in a managerial role.
- Excellent communication and negotiation abilities, with a demonstrated capacity to influence cross-functional teams and senior executives.
- Ability to travel up to 25% for site visits, stakeholder meetings, and industry events.
- U.S. citizenship required; eligibility for security clearance preferred.
Preferred Skills
- Strategic Foresight. Anticipates business, technological, and geopolitical shifts to craft 5-10 year real estate roadmaps that enable our business and fuel growth.
- Portfolio Stewardship. Optimizes diverse assets (office, R&D, industrial) for efficiency, scalability, and value—balancing cost, location, and mission needs.
- Analytical Mastery. Harnesses data modeling and predictive tools to forecast needs, audit utilization, and drive evidence-based optimizations.
- Executive Influence. Builds consensus and influence C-level decisions through compelling insights, negotiation, and cross-functional alignment.
- Financial Acumen. Delivers ROI-focused budgeting, risk assessments, and capital strategies that maximize asset returns in capital-intensive settings.
- Collaborative Leadership. Unites engineering, manufacturing, and operations teams to co-create real estate solutions that advance shared objectives.
- Change Catalyst. Orchestrates seamless transitions (e.g., relocations, M&A) with minimal disruption, fostering adaptability in dynamic environments.
- Team & Talent Builder. Develops high-performing, accountable teams while designing workplaces that attract and retain mission-critical talent.
US Salary Range
$165,000 - $210,000 USD
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: