Why a California Startup is Telling Boston Engineers: 'Don't Work Here!'

Anduril Industries Takes a Bold Approach to Recruitment

Anduril Industries, a controversial California-based defense startup, is making waves with its unconventional recruitment advertisements in Boston. The ads, strategically placed in South Station and along the Red Line subway, prominently feature the phrase "Don't work at Anduril.com" in massive, graffiti-style letters.

The campaign, launched in February, aims to attract a specific segment of the workforce by promoting the company’s culture of hard, mission-driven work and vocal support for American troops. According to Jeff Miller, the company’s vice president of marketing, “Anduril is not for everyone. That’s the point.”

Targeting Tech Giants and Universities

The ads are displayed near major tech hubs and institutions, including Harvard and MIT. Anduril's military projects include cutting-edge technology like autonomous drones and an AI system named Lattice, designed to monitor battlefields with advanced sensors and cameras.

Currently, Anduril has over 40 open positions in the Boston area, with an office established near Fenway Park since 2020. The company expanded its footprint in Lexington after acquiring Copious Imaging in 2021.

A Nationwide Campaign

The “Don’t work at Anduril” campaign has also spread to Seattle and Atlanta, leveraging LinkedIn ads and even producing a short film featuring a fictional disgruntled employee.

Founded in 2017 by Palmer Luckey, known for creating Oculus VR, Anduril emerged during a time when many tech firms distanced themselves from defense contracts. Luckey stated, “You need people like me who are sick in that way and who don’t lose any sleep making tools of violence in order to preserve freedom.”