Lights out and away we go… on your next job application.
But for this one, put aside your CV and interview-question AI bot. To secure the job, just place first in a global autonomous drone racing competition.
That’s how defense industry disruptor Anduril is recruiting for an engineering role.
The defense tech startup has launched an “AI Grand Prix” to find “the boldest engineers from around the globe.”
Anduril’s competition calls teams and individuals from around the globe to develop AI systems capable of piloting high-speed racing drones through professional-grade race courses with zero human control. The fastest drone to fly autonomously through a course wins.
“The competitive edge is gained entirely by optimizing the best code for the race,” Anduril said on its website.
The “AI Grand Prix” kicks off in April with two virtual rounds, followed by a two-week training and physical qualifier in California in September.
The big race day will be held in November in Ohio, where Anduril is building a 5 million-square-foot factory. Arsenal-1, as the factory is known, is just outside Columbus.
Participants can compete individually or in teams of up to eight. All ages are allowed to participate, but under-17s require parental consent and won’t be eligible for the job at Anduril following the competition.
If the event is won by a team, the $500,000 prize money will be split between its members, Anduril said.
The idea came from Palmer Luckey, Anduril’s founder, according to the AI Grand Prix website.
Luckey has long favored unconventional paths. He began taking college courses at 14 and was 19 when he dropped out of California State University to launch the virtual reality company Oculus VR in 2012.
He worked at Facebook (now Meta) before launching Anduril in 2017, alongside four co-founders, with the mission of modernizing the US military and developing autonomous weapons that “will save Western civilization.”
Luckey’s penchant for fun and games aside, unusual job campaigns are becoming a hallmark of Anduril’s recruitment strategy.
In 2025, the defense tech startup ran a reverse psychology hiring campaign with the slogan “Don’t work at Anduril,” which included a video ad that mocked nap pods, distant leadership, and the supposed lack of mission synonymous with modern tech jobs.
Luckey has previously said that over-reliance on Silicon Valley types can be a trap for businesses. Talent in the Bay Area is often “very mercenary-minded” and more interested in résumé building than mission, he told Lulu Cheng Meservey in an interview in September 2025.
Anduril deliberately recruits nationwide and makes a point of hiring armed forces veterans, Luckey said.
Anduril’s recruitment drive is likely to pick up. The startup is valued at $30.5 billion as of June 2025, and is considering an IPO in 2026.
As the United States races to modernize warfare, Luckey’s company has emerged as the face of the defense tech boom and proved it can compete for contracts with legacy defense contractors like Lockheed Martin and Boeing.
Anduril did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider sent outside regular business hours.
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