Aerospace Mechanical Engineer

Approach Venture; Alameda (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid time off and sick leave

Equity opportunity

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

Approach Venture in Alameda, CA is seeking a Mechanical Engineer to design, build, and validate advanced aerospace hardware for launch systems. This hands-on role covers design, development, testing, and integration across structures, high-pressure fluid systems, and thermal protection.

You will create detailed mechanical designs, drawings, and documentation, and work closely with electrical, systems, and software teams to ensure successful subsystem integration in a fast-moving startup

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or Aerospace Engineering (or related).
• 3+ years in mechanical design, development, testing, or manufacturing.
• Experience designing and building hardware for high-performance applications.
• Experience with high-pressure gas or fluid systems.
• Strong hands-on assembly, testing, and troubleshooting skills.
• Familiarity with engineering documentation, planning, and configuration management.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and integrate mechanical hardware for launch and flight systems.
• Support structural, thermal, and high-pressure fluid system development.
• Develop mechanical components from concept through manufacturing, assembly, and validation.
• Create detailed mechanical designs, drawings, and technical documentation.
• Participate in lab and field testing, including hardware assembly and integration.
• Support instrumentation, data acquisition, and test hardware integration during development and validation.
• Collaborate with electrical, systems, fluids, and software engineers for subsystem integration.
• Support design for manufacturability, production readiness, and continuous product improvement.
• Investigate hardware failures, perform root-cause analysis, and implement design improvements.

Skills

Mechanical design

Prototyping & testing

Hands-on hardware

Troubleshooting

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering

Tools

CAD software

Data acquisition

Testing equipment

Job description

Mechanical Engineer - Design and Build Advanced Aerospace Hardware

Alameda, California | On-site

Opportunity Summary

Join a venture-backed aerospace startup developing an advanced launch platform that relies on robust mechanical systems operating in demanding environments. As a Mechanical Engineer, you will support the design, development, testing, and integration of hardware across multiple vehicle and launch platform subsystems, helping bring complex engineering concepts from initial design through validation. This is a highly hands-on engineering role with broad exposure across structures, high-pressure fluid systems, thermal protection, and integrated testing. You'll work closely with experienced engineers across multiple disciplines, contributing to hardware that is designed, built, tested, and continuously improved through rapid development cycles.

About Us

We are an early-stage aerospace company developing advanced launch technologies through rapid hardware development and first-principles engineering. Backed by venture funding and led by an experienced technical team, we move quickly, solve challenging engineering problems, and give engineers meaningful ownership across the systems they develop. Every team member plays a direct role in shaping both the product and the company.

Job Duties

• Design, develop, and integrate mechanical hardware for launch and flight systems
• Support engineering efforts across structural, thermal, and high-pressure fluid system development
• Develop mechanical components from concept through manufacturing, assembly, and validation
• Create detailed mechanical designs, engineering drawings, and technical documentation
• Participate in laboratory and field testing, including hardware assembly, troubleshooting, and system integration
• Support instrumentation, data acquisition, and test hardware integration during development and validation activities
• Collaborate with electrical, systems, fluids, and software engineers to ensure successful subsystem integration
• Support design for manufacturability, production readiness, and continuous product improvement
• Investigate hardware failures, perform root cause analysis, and implement design improvements
• Maintain engineering documentation, test reports, and design revisions throughout development
  
  

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related engineering discipline
• 3+ years of experience in mechanical design, product development, manufacturing, testing, or research and development
• Experience designing and building mechanical hardware for high-performance engineering applications
• Experience working with high-pressure gas or fluid systems
• Strong hands-on mechanical aptitude with experience assembling, testing, and troubleshooting hardware
• Familiarity with engineering documentation, planning, and configuration management
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple technical tasks
• Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced engineering environment
• Ability to work on-site in Alameda, California
  
  

Preferred Experience

• Experience with high-pressure gas or fluid systems operating above 500 psi
• Experience working in propulsion, hydrogen, aerospace, defense, or other high-performance test environments
• Experience supporting hardware integration and system-level testing
• Familiarity with thermal protection systems or structural hardware development
• Experience using CAD software to design mechanical components and assemblies
• Background working on multidisciplinary engineering teams
• Passion for hands-on hardware development and continuous learning
  
  

Why Join Us

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid time off and paid sick leave
• Equity opportunity
• Professional development opportunities
• Opportunity to work across multiple engineering disciplines while contributing to hardware from concept through testing in a fast-moving startup environment
  
  

Compensation Details

$120,000 - $160,000