Mechanical Engineer, Fluid Systems

Astro Mechanica • San Francisco, CA

1d • $135,000 - $170,000

About The Position

Astro Mechanica is seeking a hands-on Mechanical Systems Engineer specializing in fluid systems to own the design, integration, and maturation of critical vehicle fluid systems. The engineer will own one or more subsystems from early concept through detailed design, qualification, and flight test, making informed tradeoffs and developing robust, maintainable, high-performance systems across the full flight envelope. The work supports propulsion, actuation, thermal management, and vehicle operability in extreme conditions.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field.
• 2–5+ years of experience designing, integrating, or testing fluid or mechanical systems; internships and student projects count.
• Strong understanding of fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, and mechanical system fundamentals.
• Experience with system-level thinking, including requirements flow-down, interfaces, failure modes, and operational considerations.
• Proficiency in 3D CAD tools such as NX, CATIA V5, SolidWorks, or similar for routing, packaging, and component design.
• Hands-on hardware experience with plumbing, assembly, instrumentation, or testing.
• Clear communication skills and ability to work across disciplines and translate analysis into practical design decisions.
• Comfort operating in a fast-moving, evolving development environment.
• Willingness to travel to test sites and support field operations as needed.

Responsibilities

• Own the full lifecycle of one or more vehicle fluid systems, such as fuel, hydraulics, pneumatics, lubrication, or thermal management.
• Perform trade studies and first-order analyses, including pressure drop, flow sizing, transient behavior, and failure modes, to inform design and system architecture decisions.
• Design and integrate components including pumps, valves, accumulators, heat exchangers, plumbing, and sensors, ensuring functionality and manufacturability.
• Collaborate with propulsion, structures, avionics, controls, and manufacturing teams on system integration.
• Work with suppliers to specify, select, and qualify off-the-shelf or custom components.
• Assist in developing test plans and participate in component- and system-level validation and verification testing.
• Provide hands-on support during prototyping, vehicle builds, ground testing, and flight test campaigns.
• Lead technical reviews, generate documentation, and contribute to safety and hazard analyses.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level