Lead Mechanical Engineer

Wardstone; El Segundo (CA); Vor Ort; USD 180.000 - 240.000; Vollzeit

Zusammenfassung

Wardstone in El Segundo, CA seeks a Senior Mechanical Manager to own structural and mechanical systems for the interceptor. You will lead a team of about 5 engineers, shape the airframe, interfaces to the launcher, and drive concepts from initial design through ground tests to live flight.

You will set engineering standards, manage schedule and risks, perform structural and aeroelastic analyses, coordinate with propulsion, aerodynamics, and electronics teams, select materials, manage vendors,

Qualifikationen

• B.S. in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering or related field.
• 7+ years designing flight/high-load hardware.
• Proven leadership of engineers or subsystems.
• Expert CAD for large, complex vehicle assemblies.
• Expert structural analysis for static/dynamic/vibration loads.
• Strong material selection for aerospace.
• Hands-on shop and test environment experience.
• U.S. person per ITAR requirements.

Aufgaben

• Lead, mentor, and grow the mechanical team; set priorities and reviews.
• Own mechanical schedule, risks, and design tradeoffs.
• Size airframe for launch/flight loads; perform aeroelastic analyses.
• Own outer mold line with aerodynamics; design primary/secondary structures.
• Collaborate with propulsion, aerodynamics, and electronics teams.
• Select materials, manage vendors, and build test rigs.
• Run structural, vibration, and environmental tests; hands-on shop duty.

Kenntnisse

Leadership

CAD

Structural analysis

Materials selection

Hands-on hardware

Project management

Communication

Shop floor work

Ausbildung

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

CAD software

FEA software

Jobbeschreibung

Overview

You will own every structural and mechanical system on the interceptor: the airframe, internal structure, mechanisms, and the interface to the launcher. You will lead a team of ~5 mechanical engineers.

Overview

You will own every structural and mechanical system on the interceptor: the airframe, internal structure, mechanisms, and the interface to the launcher. You will lead a team of ~5 mechanical engineers. The vehicle has to survive extreme launch, aerodynamic, vibration, and thermal loads. It also has to fit hard volume and interface limits set by existing launchers. You’ll work directly with the founders and with the propulsion, aerodynamics, controls, and electrical engineers. You’ll take hardware from first concept through ground test to live flight.

What You Will Do

Lead the Mechanical Team

• Lead, mentor, and grow the mechanical engineering team, including hiring, setting priorities, and reviewing designs.
• Set the team’s engineering standards: CAD and drawing practices, GD&T, design reviews, analysis documentation, and configuration control.
• Own the mechanical schedule and technical risks, and give clear tradeoffs to founders and other teams.

Design our Interceptors

• Size the airframe and structures for launch, flight, and maneuver loads.
• Lead structural, vibration, shock, and aeroelastic analysis across every phase of flight.
• Own the outer mold line (OML) together with the aerodynamics team, balancing aerodynamic performance, kinematics, and internal volume.
• Design primary and secondary structures, hardpoints, brackets, and mechanisms, including [fin actuation, separation, and canister/launcher interfaces].
• Own the master vehicle CAD assembly and mass properties.

Integrate With Other Teams

• Work with propulsion and aerodynamics to handle thermal loads, structural margins, and drag.
• Work with electrical and controls to package, route, and mount avionics, harnesses, and actuators.

Build and test

• Choose materials for high-performance applications, such as composites, high-strength alloys, and high-temperature materials.
• Manage vendors and machine shops, and hold them to quality and tolerance requirements.
• Design and run structural, vibration, and environmental tests, and build the fixtures and rigs to support them.
• Get hands-on in our in-house shop when speed matters.

Required Qualifications

• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field.
• 7+ years of experience designing flight or high-load hardware.
• Experience leading engineers or owning a major subsystem from design through test.
• Expert in CAD, including large, complex vehicle assemblies.
• Expert in structural analysis, including FEA for static, dynamic, and vibration loads.
• Strong material selection experience for high-stress aerospace applications.
• Comfortable working hands-on with hardware in a shop and test environment.
• Must be a U.S. person as defined by ITAR (U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or protected individual).

Nice to Haves

• Hardware experience on missiles, rockets, UAVs, or other high-speed aerospace vehicles.
• Manual or CNC mill and lathe proficiency.
• Experience with MIL-STD environmental testing (e.g., MIL-STD-810: thermal, vibration, shock).
• Experience designing and building your own structural test rigs.
• Prior early-stage startup experience.

Compensation

The base pay range for this role is $180,000 – $240,000 per year.