Mechanical Engineering Manager

Second Order Effects • El Segundo, CA

3h • $159,980 - $197,700 • Onsite

About The Position

As the Mechanical Engineering (“ME”) Manager, you will be responsible for the development and maturation of the mechanical engineering team and discipline at SOE. This will require you to work with senior leadership to develop a roadmap for how the team will grow and drive new core competencies aimed towards the long-term success of SOE, supporting not only execution of projects but also the business development and hiring/training pipelines. You will be responsible for the professional development of the team members, facilitate infrastructure creation and maintenance, and are expected to support the team as an individual contributor and subject matter expert.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree (Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering or Science, Physics, Systems Engineering, or related field)
• 7+ years in a mechanical engineering and hardware development role for aerospace, industrial automation, and/or robotics, especially for tightly coupled systems
• 5+ years of progressively impactful mechanical engineering leadership roles
• Proficiency in executing engineering projects involving end-to-end mechanical and electrical system design
• Previous experience in both a people management and engineering design leadership role
• Aptitude for cross functional community building and collaboration with software, electrical, systems and test engineers to improve the output of the ME team
• Strong communication skills; ability to synthesize and communicate technical information to non-technical stakeholders
• Ability to evaluate and manage project risk, including scope creep, remediating missing critical requirements, and ensuring that technical challenges are sufficiently addressed

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree (Mechanical Engineering Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering or Science, Systems Engineering, Engineering Management, Physics, or related field)
• Experience in startup, tech, or consulting environments, managing multiple responsibilities simultaneously
• Experience with client interaction for a complex technical product or service
• Proficiency in mathematical hand calculation analysis, finite element analyses (FEA), and computer-aided designs (CAD)
• Experience with steady state and dynamic thermal and structural analyses (e.g., pressure loads, random vibe, shock, etc.)
• Experience with electronics packaging, custom actuators, and mechanism designs
• Experience with electrical engineering design work and knowledge of embedded systems, firmware, power electronics, analog control, and discrete logic design
• Demonstrated experience in navigating ambiguous situations and delivery of difficult information to senior leadership, employees and clients

Responsibilities

• Own ME technical decisions and outcomes across projects, serving as the escalation point for critical design tradeoffs, technical risk, and delivery challenges
• Lead, mentor, and manage the ME team, setting clear performance expectations, developing engineers’ technical and leadership skills, and building a strong, accountable engineering culture
• Provide hands-on technical guidance across the mechanical engineering development lifecycle
• Partner with Business Development and project leadership to define technical scope, execution plans, and success criteria, ensuring ME commitments are achievable and well-understood
• Establish standards, processes, and best practices that improve ME design quality, consistency, and execution efficiency

Benefits

• Compensation range of $159,980-$197,700 + equity incentive plan
• Flexible work hours and work from home policy
• 100% employer-paid health insurance (Medical, Dental, Vision) for employees + 50% dependent coverage
• Unlimited paid time off policy, 11x paid company holidays, 12x paid sick days
• 401(k) retirement account and employer matching (Safe Harbor 4%)
• Generous paid parental leave
• Relocation assistance available if 50+ miles away from the office
• Daily catered lunches, snacks, and accessible kitchen

What This Job Offers

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