Mechanical Engineer

Tiberius Aerospace Inc. • Newport Beach, CA

12d • $120,000 - $140,000 • Onsite

About The Position

Tiberius Aerospace is seeking a hands-on Mechanical Engineer to design, build, and test hardware for aerospace and defense systems. The role translates system requirements into practical mechanical designs, supports prototype builds, and uses analysis and test results to improve performance, reliability, and manufacturability. The engineer works with engineering, manufacturing, suppliers, and program teams to take components and assemblies from concept through detailed design, fabrication, integration, and testing.

The position is based in Orange County, California, or Tucson, Arizona, and involves hands-on work with hardware, suppliers, and test teams. Travel may be required between company locations, manufacturing partners, and test facilities. The engineer owns assigned component and assembly designs, supporting calculations, drawings, and technical documentation. System requirements, design release, qualification criteria, and changes affecting safety, cost, or schedule are reviewed with Shawn Gilmore and the appropriate technical leads.

Tiberius Aerospace develops weapon systems for the United States, the United Kingdom, and their allies, including SCEPTRE, INVICTUS, VAULT, and the GRAIL AI platform. The company describes its approach as Defense as a Service, integrating hardware and software through rapid iteration and continued system improvement after deployment. The role offers the opportunity to contribute directly to aerospace and defense hardware development and, as technical judgment and ownership grow, to lead increasingly complex component, assembly, and subsystem development efforts.

Requirements

• Minimum of three years of professional mechanical engineering experience.
• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related engineering discipline, or equivalent relevant experience.
• Experience designing and supporting the build of physical hardware, not solely creating CAD models.
• Proficiency with a professional 3D CAD system and production-quality engineering drawings.
• Working knowledge of mechanics of materials, statics, dynamics, material selection, and thermal expansion.
• Experience performing engineering calculations and interpreting analysis results to guide design decisions.
• Working knowledge of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, tolerance analysis, and mechanical interfaces.
• Familiarity with machining, sheet metal fabrication, additive manufacturing, or other relevant manufacturing processes.
• Experience supporting prototype assembly, hardware integration, or testing.
• Ability to investigate technical problems, identify root causes, and document corrective actions.
• Strong communication skills and ability to work across engineering, manufacturing, quality, and supplier teams.
• Ability to manage assigned work, communicate risks early, and follow through in a fast-moving environment.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in aerospace, defense, missile systems, propulsion, launch systems, or other demanding hardware environments.
• Experience with hardware exposed to high temperatures, vibration, shock, pressure, or other challenging operating conditions.
• Proficiency with CATIA, including 3D part and assembly modeling and engineering drawing development.
• Experience using ANSYS, Abaqus, NASTRAN, or comparable engineering analysis software.
• Experience designing mechanical joints, seals, pressure-containing components, or precision assemblies.
• Familiarity with aerospace materials, heat treatments, coatings, and corrosion protection.
• Experience supporting environmental testing, qualification activities, or model-to-test correlation.
• Familiarity with product lifecycle management systems and controlled engineering release processes.
• Experience working with external manufacturing partners to move hardware from prototype to repeatable production.

Responsibilities

• Translate system and subsystem requirements into mechanical designs with clear interfaces and acceptance criteria.
• Develop concepts, detailed CAD models, engineering drawings, and bills of materials.
• Design mechanical components, assemblies, interfaces, housings, brackets, fixtures, mounting features, and other program hardware.
• Perform engineering calculations and appropriate analysis to evaluate loads, stresses, deflections, thermal expansion, material behavior, and design factors of safety.
• Conduct tolerance analyses and ensure assemblies can be manufactured, inspected, assembled, and serviced.
• Select materials, manufacturing processes, tolerances, and fastening methods that meet performance and production requirements.
• Apply design-for-manufacturing and design-for-assembly principles throughout development.
• Work with machine shops, fabricators, suppliers, and manufacturing teams to confirm feasibility and resolve fabrication and assembly issues.
• Develop drawings using appropriate geometric dimensioning and tolerancing; support inspection planning, first-article reviews, and disposition of nonconforming hardware with quality and technical leadership.
• Participate in design reviews and communicate design decisions, assumptions, risks, and trade-offs.
• Support procurement, assembly, and integration of development hardware; design tooling, assembly aids, and test fixtures as needed.
• Resolve fit, access, alignment, and interface issues during builds and coordinate mechanical integration with electrical, propulsion, controls, and other engineering disciplines.
• Capture build feedback and incorporate improvements into subsequent design iterations.
• Help develop test plans, procedures, and acceptance criteria for assigned hardware; support test setup, instrumentation, execution, and post-test inspection.
• Compare test results with predictions, investigate discrepancies and failures, identify root causes, and implement corrective actions with the broader engineering team.
• Support environmental, vibration, thermal, and mechanical testing as applicable to the program.
• Maintain CAD models, drawings, bills of materials, supporting engineering records, and configuration control throughout development.
• Follow design release and engineering change processes, track hardware revisions, and ensure teams and suppliers use the correct technical baseline.
• Communicate technical status, open issues, and schedule risks to Shawn Gilmore and program stakeholders.

Benefits

• Competitive salary, annual bonus, and equity.
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage fully employer-paid for the employee and family.
• Short- and long-term disability and life insurance, employer-paid.
• HSA, FSA, and dependent care FSA.
• 401(k), standard and Roth.
• Unlimited PTO, sick leave, paid holidays, and paid parental leave.

What This Job Offers

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