Mechanical Design Engineer (Atmospheric) (Los Angeles)

Mechanical Design Engineer Location: Los Angeles, CA — On-site, 5 days/week Salary: $95,000 – $180,000 + equity + annual performance bonus Type: Full-time A well-funded, mission-driven space technology company is moving fast and building real flight hardware. They’re hiring a Mechanical Design Engineer to own the design, analysis, and development of hardware. This is a true hands-on role at the intersection of structures, thermals, mechanisms, and aero, working shoulder-to-shoulder with GNC, TPS, test, avionics, manufacturing, and integration teams.

What you’ll do: Design mechanical systems for atmospheric recovery: deployables, aerodynamic decelerators, recovery mechanisms, interfaces, and precision landing hardware Own hardware end-to-end: concept → requirements → CAD → FEA → prototype → assemble → qualify → flight Perform structural/thermal/mechanism analysis for extreme loads, temperatures, and dynamics Lead integration across rigid structures + soft goods (e.g., paraglider/parachute-style systems) and flight hardware Support and drive test campaigns (ground, wind-tunnel, and flight) and iterate quickly Run design reviews (PDR/CDR) and produce clear drawings, BOMs, documentation, and work instructions What they’re looking for: 3–5 years of industry experience designing aerospace mechanical hardware Strong CAD skills (SolidWorks, NX, or similar) and analysis ability (structural/thermal in ANSYS preferred; SolidWorks acceptable) Experience with structures, mechanisms, deployables, and aero-structures (e.g., flaps, hinges, linkages, and ideally parachute/paraglider-adjacent components) Strong understanding of load paths, interfaces, and environmental requirements for high-energy flight environments Proven ability to take hardware from concept to production and/or flight Comfortable with ambiguity, rapid iteration, and fast design–build–test cycles Excellent documentation and communication skills Nice to have: Reentry systems, atmospheric flight vehicles, TPS interfaces Soft goods integration with rigid structures Hypersonic/supersonic/high aero-load environments Field test experience (drop tests, flight tests, deployment tests) Precision actuation / DOF-limited mechanisms in harsh environments Benefits snapshot: Equity + bonus Medical, dental, vision Short/long-term disability + life insurance PTO + 401(k) with company match Subsidized catered lunch/snacks/coffee Work authorization requirement: Due to export control regulations, candidates must be U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, protected individuals, or otherwise eligible to obtain required U.S. authorizations.