Mechanical & Aerodynamics Engineer

Mechanical & Aerodynamics Engineer - Build the airframe of a new class of interceptor systems

Hawthorne, California | On-site

Opportunity Summary

Join a recently funded seed-stage defense technology startup developing a new generation of low-cost interceptor systems for rapidly evolving airborne threats. The company has already built and demonstrated working flight hardware with military users and is now expanding its engineering team as it moves from early demonstrations toward deployable systems and scalable production. As a Mechanical & Aerodynamics Engineer, you will take real ownership of major parts of the physical vehicle, including airframe structures, control surfaces, mechanisms, and packaging. This is an early-career role on a small team: you will move between CAD, analysis, the shop floor, and flight testing, work closely with experienced engineers, and see your designs built and flown quickly.

About Us

We are a seed-stage defense technology company developing compact, highly maneuverable interceptor systems designed around lower cost, rapid iteration, and scalable manufacturing. The team is intentionally small, with engineers owning meaningful portions of the vehicle from initial design through flight testing. The company has completed successful customer demonstrations, recently secured additional financing, and is growing the core engineering team with motivated early-career engineers who want to learn fast and take on responsibility.

Job Duties

• Design airframe structures, control surfaces, mechanisms, and subsystem packaging from concept through fabrication and flight
• Run CFD and other aerodynamic analyses to understand vehicle performance and inform vehicle shape and control-surface sizing
• Perform structural and dynamic analysis using hand calculations and FEA
• Create and maintain CAD models, drawings, GD&T, and bills of materials
• Design parts for machining, sheet metal, composites, 3D printing, and other manufacturing processes with cost and simplicity in mind
• Build fixtures, tooling, and assembly approaches that make production faster and more repeatable
• Prototype and iterate quickly using in-house fabrication capabilities
• Plan and run static, vibration, shock, and other qualification tests
• Work with machine shops, fabricators, and suppliers on manufacturability, quality, cost, and lead time
• Support vehicle assembly, integration, ground testing, and flight tests, including time in the field
• Analyze flight and test data, compare results to models, and drive design improvements

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related discipline
• 0-3 years of professional experience; recent graduates with strong hands-on project experience are encouraged to apply
• Hands-on experience designing, building, and testing hardware through internships, research, or student teams (rocketry, UAS, Formula SAE, Design/Build/Fly, CubeSat, or similar)
• Strong mechanical design fundamentals and proficiency in 3D CAD (SolidWorks, NX, Onshape, or similar)
• Working knowledge of aerodynamics and exposure to CFD or other aerodynamic analysis tools
• Understanding of structural mechanics and exposure to FEA
• Familiarity with GD&T, tolerancing, and production drawings
• Familiarity with common manufacturing processes such as machining, sheet metal, composites, and additive manufacturing
• Experience using Python, MATLAB, or similar tools for analysis and data reduction
• Curiosity, ownership, and a drive to learn quickly in a fast-moving startup environment
• Ability to work on-site in Hawthorne, California

Preferred Experience

• Internship or project experience on missiles, UAS, rockets, aircraft, or other flight vehicles
• Exposure to stability and control analysis or vehicle-level aerodynamic design
• Wind-tunnel testing or experimental aerodynamics experience
• Experience designing control surfaces, actuators, or deployable mechanisms
• Experience with lightweight structures and tight mass constraints
• Composite layup or machine shop experience
• Experience with structural or environmental testing

Why Join Us

• Own real vehicle hardware early in your career rather than a narrow component within a large program
• Learn directly from an experienced, hands-on team on a small engineering staff
• Build on a platform that has already completed successful real-world demonstrations
• Take designs from CAD to fabrication, testing, and flight quickly
• Help shape hardware around scalable production and aggressive cost targets as the company grows
• Early-stage equity
• Performance-based bonuses for exceptional contributions
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Company-provided meals during working days and launch activities
• Paid time off and company holidays

Compensation Details

$90,000 - $140,000