Mechanical Engineer

Tiberius Aerospace • Newport Beach, CA

10d • $120,000 - $170,000 • 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 engineer will translate requirements into practical mechanical designs, support prototype builds, and use analysis and test results to improve performance, reliability, and manufacturability. The role works across engineering, manufacturing, suppliers, and program teams to advance components and assemblies from concept through detailed design, fabrication, integration, and testing. It requires at least three years of professional mechanical engineering experience and comfort owning hardware, resolving technical problems, and working through fast development cycles.

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. The role 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.

Tiberius Aerospace develops weapon systems for the United States, the United Kingdom, and their allies. Its portfolio includes SCEPTRE, a ramjet-powered 155mm artillery round; INVICTUS, a ramjet strike missile; VAULT, a containerized launch system; and GRAIL, an AI platform for the defense industrial base. The company describes its approach as Defense as a Service, combining hardware and software integration, fast iteration, and systems that continue improving after deployment.

Requirements

• At least 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 for components, assemblies, interfaces, and supporting hardware.
• Balance performance, weight, cost, reliability, and manufacturing constraints in designs.
• Perform tolerance analyses and ensure assemblies can be manufactured, inspected, assembled, and serviced.
• Apply first-principles calculations to assess loads, stresses, deflections, thermal expansion, and mechanical behavior; use finite element analysis where appropriate.
• Evaluate material properties, joint behavior, load paths, and factors of safety, and document methods, assumptions, and results.
• Select materials and manufacturing processes based on operating conditions, durability, availability, and production needs.
• Apply design-for-manufacturing and design-for-assembly principles and develop clear drawings using appropriate geometric dimensioning and tolerancing.
• Work with machine shops, fabricators, suppliers, and manufacturing teams to confirm feasibility and resolve fabrication and assembly issues.
• Support inspection planning, first-article reviews, and disposition of nonconforming hardware with quality and technical leadership.
• Support procurement, prototype assembly, hardware integration, instrumentation, and testing.
• Design tooling, assembly aids, and test fixtures as needed; resolve fit, access, alignment, and interface issues during builds.
• Coordinate mechanical integration with electrical, propulsion, controls, and other engineering disciplines, and incorporate build feedback into subsequent iterations.
• Help develop test plans, procedures, and acceptance criteria; support test setup, execution, post-test inspection, and comparison of results with predictions.
• Investigate failures and discrepancies, identify root causes, and implement corrective actions and design improvements.
• Support environmental, vibration, thermal, and mechanical testing as applicable to the program.
• Maintain CAD models, drawings, bills of materials, and engineering records; follow design release and engineering change processes.
• Track hardware revisions and ensure teams and suppliers use the correct technical baseline.
• Participate in design reviews and communicate design decisions, assumptions, risks, trade-offs, technical status, open issues, and schedule risks to Shawn Gilmore and program stakeholders.

Benefits

• Competitive salary, annual bonus, and equity.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance fully employer-paid for the employee and family.
• Employer-paid short- and long-term disability insurance 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