Senior Mechanical Design Engineer, Mechanisms

Mach Industries•Huntington Beach, CA

10h•$140,000 - $180,000

About The Position

Mach Industries is seeking a Senior Mechanisms Engineer to design, analyze, prototype, and deliver mechanical mechanisms for next-generation aerospace and defense platforms. The role owns mechanism development from initial concept and kinematic architecture through detailed design, prototyping, testing, and production release. The engineer develops moving assemblies that meet demanding requirements for performance, reliability, mass, packaging, and environmental survivability, while optimizing manufacturability, assembly, cost, and production scalability. The position works closely with mechanical, structures, avionics, controls, manufacturing, and test engineering teams to integrate mechanisms into larger vehicle systems. It calls for strong mechanical fundamentals and practical experience designing, building, and troubleshooting complex moving hardware in a fast-paced development environment. Support for critical development and test milestones may require occasional extended hours and weekends. Mach Industries is a defense technology company founded in 2023, with approximately 350 employees. It develops autonomous defense platforms and describes its mission as delivering scalable, decentralized defense systems for the United States and its allies. Applicants must meet the stated U.S. export-control eligibility requirements or be eligible to obtain required authorizations.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mechatronics, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
At least 5 years of mechanical engineering experience, focused on designing and prototyping moving mechanism systems.
Strong 3D modeling skills using CAD tools such as NX or SolidWorks, including expertise in drafting and GD&T per ASME Y14.5.
Strong understanding of mechanical design fundamentals, including kinematics, force and torque transmission, bearings and joints, fits and clearances, tolerance stack-ups, and structural load paths.
Demonstrated experience taking mechanisms from concept through detailed design, prototyping, functional testing, and design iteration.
Availability to work extended hours and weekends as needed.
Must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. lawful permanent resident, refugee, or asylee, or be eligible to obtain required U.S. Department of State authorizations, to comply with export-control requirements.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree (Master’s or PhD) in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mechatronics, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
Experience developing mechanisms for aerospace vehicles, UAVs, robotics, deployable systems, flight controls, or other mass- and volume-constrained applications.
Experience analyzing mechanism kinematics, dynamic loads, friction, wear, fatigue, and tolerance sensitivity.
Experience with mechanism reliability, life-cycle testing, environmental qualification, vibration, shock, and temperature extremes.
Experience integrating mechanical mechanisms with electric, electromechanical, hydraulic, or pneumatic actuation systems.
Experience designing for cross-disciplinary impacts, including aerodynamics, fluid dynamics, or thermal management.
Experience with programming or scripting in Python, MATLAB, C++, or equivalent tools for engineering calculations, kinematic modeling, simulation, or test data analysis.

Responsibilities

Own mechanical design and development of mechanisms from early CAD concepts through functional prototypes, drawing releases including GD&T, and mass production.
Design and analyze linkages, pivots, joints, bearings, shafts, gears, cams, latches, hinges, deployable assemblies, and other mechanisms.
Define requirements for and select actuators, motors, and other drive systems to meet required profiles, torques, speeds, and positioning requirements.
Drive manufacturability, part selection, and tolerance stack-up decisions, including GD&T, for scalable production.
Design fixtures and tooling to manufacture, assemble, inspect, qualify, and test mechanism assemblies.
Perform analytical modeling and simulation, including kinematics and FEA, to evaluate mechanism performance, guide design decisions, and inform trade studies.
Work cross-functionally to establish mechanism requirements, schedules, and interface control documents (ICDs).
Support critical development and test milestones, including occasional extended hours and weekends as needed.