Staff Mechanical Engineer

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in California.

📋 Description

• Take ownership of the mechanical architecture for advanced antenna, plasma devices, electronics, and communication system hardware.

• Lead mechanical design evaluations, set analysis and documentation standards, and guide decisions related to performance, risk, cost, schedule, and manufacturability.

• Define modular product architectures transitioning from laboratory prototypes to fieldable systems and future product variants.

• Mentor engineers and offer technical guidance across multidisciplinary programs.

• Create and maintain CAD models, production drawings, GD&T schemes, tolerance analyses, bills of materials, and configuration-controlled design documentation.

• Conduct or oversee thermal and structural analyses for electronics, antenna assemblies, plasma devices, and environmental loads.

• Choose materials and joining methods suitable for high voltage, RF exposure, thermal cycling, vacuum or controlled environments, and rugged applications.

• Engineer interfaces involving ceramics, metals, seals, brazed or bonded joints, precision alignment, thermal expansion, shock, vibration, and fatigue.

• Facilitate hardware iteration through prototyping, integration, environmental testing, qualification, and design release.

• Design fixtures and test articles; provide support for instrumentation, assembly, troubleshooting, root-cause analysis, and corrective action.

• Define testing procedures and acceptance criteria while correlating thermal and structural predictions with actual hardware behavior.

• Implement DFM and DFA principles while ensuring RF, plasma, thermal, structural, and serviceability requirements are met.

• Lead technical collaboration with machine shops, joining and brazing vendors, additive manufacturers, and contract manufacturing partners.

• Review quotes, supplier capabilities, first articles, inspection results, nonconformances, and corrective actions.

• Establish repeatable processes for assembly, inspection, quality, and configuration management.

⛳️ Requirements

• A Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Materials Engineering, or a related discipline.

• Over 7 years of pertinent mechanical product development experience, including technical ownership of complex electromechanical hardware through design, build, integration, and testing.

• Advanced expertise with a modern 3D CAD platform, production drawings, GD&T, and tolerance analysis.

• Strong knowledge of thermal management, structural mechanics, materials selection, and manufacturing processes.

• Proven ability to lead design reviews, mentor engineers, communicate technical risks, and make informed decisions with incomplete information.

• Practical experience with experimental hardware and meticulous technical documentation.

• Capability to meet requirements associated with work on U.S. government and national security programs.

• Background in antenna systems, RF electronics packaging, aerospace hardware, high-voltage equipment, vacuum systems, or plasma devices.

• Experience with ceramics, metal-ceramic interfaces, brazing, adhesives, seals, coatings, or high-temperature assemblies.

• Proficiency in finite-element thermal or structural analysis and model-to-test correlation.

• Experience in supporting environmental qualification, including shock, vibration, temperature, ingress, or related testing.

• Background in an early-stage company, rapid prototyping organization, defense program, or SBIR/STTR environment.

• Active U.S. security clearance or eligibility to obtain one.

🏝️ Benefits

• Career track opportunity with potential for rapid advancement based on strong performance as the firm grows.

• 100% employer-paid, comprehensive health care including medical, dental, and vision for you and your family.

• Paid maternity and paternity leave for 14 weeks at employees' regular pay.

• Unlimited PTO, subject to management approval.

• Opportunities for professional development and continued education.

• Optional 401K, FSA, and equity incentives available.

• Mental health benefits are offered through Tara Mind.

• Cost-effective GLP-1 solutions available through Crux.