Principal Mechanical Engineer

ThinKom Solutions•Hawthorne, CA

5d•$140,000 - $180,000•Onsite

About The Position

At ThinKom, we don’t just build antennas - we design high-performance, next-generation mechanical systems that connect the world across air, land, sea, and space. From Inflight Connectivity (IFC) to High-Power Microwave (HPM) systems to Defense SATCOM, our technology operates in some of the world’s most demanding environments. We’re looking for a Principal Mechanical Engineer who loves hands-on engineering, thrives on solving hard hardware problems, and wants to see their designs go from napkin sketch to physical deployment. If you're ready to lead critical programs, mentor rising talent, and push the limits of advanced satellite communications, this is your platform. As a Principal Mechanical Engineer, you will lead the mechanical design, analysis, development, and manufacturing of advanced stationary and mobile antenna systems and related mechanical assemblies. You'll work closely with multidisciplinary engineering teams throughout the product lifecycle - from concept development and detailed design through testing, manufacturing, and customer support. This role offers the opportunity to serve as the lead mechanical engineer on key programs while providing technical leadership, mentoring junior engineers, and contributing to multiple product development efforts across the organization.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering (Master’s degree a plus).
10+ years of deep hands-on experience in mechanical engineering, product design, and complex hardware development.
Expert-level knowledge of GD&T, detailed drawing creation, DFM/DFA, and engineering configuration management.
Advanced expertise with 3D CAD modeling software (Creo preferred).
U.S. Citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident (Green Card holder) required to support U.S. Government contracts.

Nice To Haves

Advanced design and analysis of precision positioner drive systems and precision bearing selection/kinematics.
Deep experience in Finite Element Analysis (FEA) focusing on dynamic shock, vibration, heat transfer, and structural fatigue.
Expertise with composite structures, advanced materials, precision gear trains, and specialized coatings/adhesives.
Familiarity with diverse manufacturing processes: machining, casting, forming, injection molding, and additive manufacturing.

Responsibilities

Lead Mechanical Architecture: Spearhead the end-to-end design, analysis, and execution of complex stationary and mobile antenna systems and precision mechanical assemblies.
Program Leadership: Act as the Lead Mechanical Engineer on flagship programs while serving as a high-level subject matter expert across integrated product teams.
Hands-On Execution: Drive design, FEA modeling, rapid prototyping, and root-cause troubleshooting throughout the entire hardware lifecycle.
Elevate the Team: Mentor and provide technical guidance to junior and mid-level engineers, instilling best-in-class engineering standards and DFM practices.
Analyze & Validate: Oversee structural, thermal, dynamic, and vibration analyses (FEA) to ensure reliability in extreme operating environments.
Drive Product Realization: Partner closely with internal production teams and external suppliers to streamline manufacturing (DFM/DFA), resolve production bottlenecks, and lower costs.
Strategic Technical Voice: Present architectural concepts, trade-off analyses, and designs during major internal and customer design reviews, and assist in technical proposal efforts.