Build Engineer - Propulsion

Hermeus; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 92,000 - 187,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health & Wellness: 100% employer-paid 

Stock options

401(k) retirement plan

Paid parental leave

Unlimited PTO for exempt employees

Office lunches & breakrooms

Job summary

Hermeus is seeking an engineer to work at the intersection of design, manufacturing, integration and test for flight vehicles in Los Angeles. You will be embedded with design and production teams, owning hardware design, tooling, testing and flight readiness as well as process development and vehicle assembly.

The role requires hands-on hardware experience, CAD proficiency, and familiarity with manufacturing processes and GD&T.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical, aerospace, manufacturing, or related engineering field.
• 1+ years of hands-on experience with physical hardware (internships, labs, project teams all count).
• Comfort with CAD, test equipment, hand tools and GD&T fundamentals.
• Experience designing, building, iterating quickly and transitioning from prototype to production.

Responsibilities

• Lead detailed project planning and drive hardware delivery on aggressive timelines.
• Collaborate turning high level concepts into detailed designs including geometry, materials and DFM.
• Drive transition from prototype to production for complex aerospace assemblies.
• Question process complexity; delete parts, reduce waste, simplify flow.
• Design and implement full-stack build processes—factory layout, tooling, test flow, and vehicle integration.
• Develop and run test procedures for flight hardware.
• Serve as a force multiplier across production, test, and design teams.

Skills

First principles

Hardware design

Prototype to production

CAD

Test equipment

GD&T

Hands-on engineering

Education

Bachelors in mechanical, aerospace, manufacturing or related engineering

Tools

Siemens Teamcenter

NX

Job description

Hermeus is a venture-backed defense aviation company reclaiming the lost art of rapid iterative prototyping to build the fastest aircraft in the world today. By prioritizing relentless hardware iteration, we deliver high-speed systems at the pace of the modern battlefield. We work with the Department of War to provide the high-speed capabilities our nation and its allies need to maintain a durable, asymmetric advantage.

About This Role

This role sits at the intersection of engineering design, manufacturing, integration and test for flight vehicles. You'll be embedded with design and production teams, owning everything from hardware design, tooling, testing and flight readiness to process development and vehicle assembly.

Responsibilities

• Lead detailed project planning and drive hardware delivery on aggressive timelines.
• Collaborate directly with high level design concepts turning them into detailed designs including final geometry, material selection and DFM.
• Drive the transition from prototype to production for complex aerospace assemblies.
• Ruthlessly question process complexity—delete parts, eliminate waste, simplify flow.
• Design and implement full-stack build processes—factory layout, tooling, test flow, and vehicle integration.
• Develop and run test procedures for flight hardware.
• Serve as a force multiplier across production, test, and design teams.

Requirements

• Strong engineering first principles.
• Bachelor's degree in mechanical, aerospace, manufacturing, or related engineering field.
• 1+ years of hands-on experience with physical hardware (internships, labs, project teams all count).
• Proven ability to design, build, break, and iterate quickly.
• Comfort with CAD, test equipment, hand tools.
• Familiarity with manufacturing processes (machining, welding, forming, etc.) and GD&T fundamentals.

Preferred Skills And Experience

• Designed and released flight hardware.
• Familiarity with Siemens Teamcenter and NX.
• Leadership experience on project teams or in mentorship roles.
• You’ve built something that’s flown, broken, or both.
• Experience standing up production lines or test infrastructure in a fast-paced environment.
• Must be available to work extended hours and/or weekends as needed to support critical milestones.
• Must be willing to travel to test sites, other Hermeus offices, and partner locations as needed (up to 25% travel)

The salary range listed for this role is intended as a general guideline. Final compensation will be determined based on a variety of factors, including role scope and responsibilities, relevant experience, education and training, key skills, market data, and business needs.

At Hermeus, compensation is only one part of our total rewards package. We offer competitive pay, equity, and a range of benefits designed to support our team.

Benefits

• Health & Wellness: 100% employer-paid healthcare and pet insurance
• Financial: Competitive pay, stock options, 401(k) retirement plan, and potential year-end bonuses
• Time Off: Paid parental leave, 12 federal holidays, unlimited PTO for exempt employees, and generous accrued PTO for non-exempt employees
• Office Perks: Weekly paid office lunches and fully stocked breakrooms

U.S. EXPORT CONTROL COMPLIANCE STATUS

The person hired will have access to information and items subject to U.S. export controls, and therefore, must either be a “U.S. person” as defined by22 C.F.R.

• 120.62or otherwise eligible for deemed export licensing. US persons include U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents (green card holders), and asylees and refugees with such status granted, not pending

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

Hermeus is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions at Hermeus are based solely on merit, competence, and qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.

Engineer I $91,800 - $112,200

Engineer II $114,750 - $140,250

Engineer III $138,550 - $187,450