Mechanical Engineer

Second Order Effects; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 89,000 - 161,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity in Second Order Effects, Inc.

Equity in incubated companies

Health insurance

Paid time off + holidays

401(k)

Parental leave

Relocation assistance

EV charging at LAX

Daily catered lunches

Job summary

Second Order Effects is seeking a Mechanical Engineer to design and implement high-performance electro-mechanical systems across aerospace, renewable energy, medical devices, and more. You will collaborate with a team of engineers to deliver robust, scalable solutions for mission-critical challenges.

The role emphasizes end-to-end design, prototyping, testing, and documentation, with on-site work in El Segundo, California.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree (Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Math, or related field) or equivalent experience.
• Experience with electro-mechanical systems (e.g., avionics, motor-driven mechanisms, robotics, consumer electronics).
• Strong CAD skills and understanding of GD&T frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Support the design, architecture, and development of mechanical and electromechanical systems.
• Own the design, development, prototyping, and testing of mechanical and electromechanical subsystems and components, ensuring they meet performance, quality, and safety standards.
• Work closely with internal teams and external customers to build solutions across multiple industries.
• Perform complex mechanical assessments (Structural, Thermal, Manufacturability) and model 3D assemblies, producing robust documentation.
• Assess design risks and develop mitigation strategies.

Skills

Spatial reasoning

Cross-functional communication

Problem-solving

Mechanical design

Engineering analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Math, or related field

Tools

OnShape

SolidWorks

Job description

Company Overview

Second Order Effects started in 2016 as a services firm, taking on other companies’ hardest engineering problems from first principles. We grew into a solutions firm that designs and ships complete custom electronics and systems, including power electronics, RF, and control systems. We’ve completed over 250 projects for more than 100 clients. Our designs control rocket engines, manage satellite communications, instrument fusion reactors, and are enjoyed by consumers around the world.

Company Overview

Second Order Effects started in 2016 as a services firm, taking on other companies’ hardest engineering problems from first principles. We grew into a solutions firm that designs and ships complete custom electronics and systems, including power electronics, RF, and control systems. We’ve completed over 250 projects for more than 100 clients. Our designs control rocket engines, manage satellite communications, instrument fusion reactors, and are enjoyed by consumers around the world.

We approach problems from first principles. We break challenges down to their most fundamental components, which is how we find solutions that hold up across industries, use cases, and engineering functions. We focus on solving the right problems and building the teams to take them on. Because we believe that training and empowering others yields a greater impact than focusing on developing any specific technology, we expect every single member of our team to participate in building up those around them.

In the past year, we’ve started taking our own concepts and spinning them out into separate companies that we believe will meet the emerging needs of our clients and the industry at large. The work is concentrating in frontier technology, including space, fusion and fission energy, and advanced vehicles. We currently have two spinout companies in stealth that we’re working on.

Information about our mission, vision, and values can be found here.

Examples of the projects we have worked on can be found here.

The Role

As an Mechanical Engineer, you will support the design, architecture, and implementation of high performance electro-mechanical systems across a diverse range of projects. You will work alongside a collaborative team of engineers to find and develop the right solutions for the problems at hand and client use case. If you’re passionate about tackling mission-critical challenges and working across multiple industries, this is your chance to make a lasting impact and grow in a dynamic environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the design, architecture, and development of mechanical and electromechanical systems
• Own the design, development, prototyping, and testing of mechanical and electromechanical subsystems and components, ensuring they meet all performance, quality, and safety standards.
• Work closely with internal engineering teams and external customers to build solutions across multiple industries (aerospace, renewable energy, medical devices, etc.)
• Perform complex mechanical assessments (Structural, Thermal, Manufacturability, etc.), design and model complex integrated 3D assemblies, and produce robust component and assembly documentation
• Assess design risks and develop mitigation strategies

Minimum Requirements

• Able to work 40 hours a week on-site in El Segundo, California
• Eligible to work on ITAR projects
• Bachelor's Degree (Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Math, or related field) or equivalent experience
• Experience (internships and clubs count!) working with electro-mechanical systems, examples including avionics, motor-driven mechanisms, robotics, consumer electronics, etc.
• Strong design and spatial reasoning skills, proficiency in CAD software (OnShape, Solidworks, or similar), and general understanding of GD&T frameworks,
• Proven ability to communicate cross functionally and explain engineering concepts to a nontechnical audience or clients professionally
• Strong problem-solving skills and initiative to drive technical execution, optimize designs, and deliver robust, scalable solutions in a fast-paced environment
• Comfort with working on ambiguous problems with a moving target, being able to communicate the story of how a project went from initial concept to the final design

Preferred Requirements

• Experience in team-based design and build projects (e.g., Formula SAE, Solar Car, CubeSat, Rover Challenge, etc.)
• Exposure across multiple manufacturing processes such as machining, injection molding, and 3D printing.
• Proven ability to lead team-based design and project management, working across disciplines to drive technical execution.
• Strong analytical skills in back-of-the-envelope calculations, FEA, and CAD modeling for design validation.
• Ability to assess and estimate system response to environmental factors
• Experience with structural and thermal testing of electro-mechanical assemblies

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary range dependent on leveling
  • Mechanical Engineer I: $89,000 - $120,000
  • Mechanical Engineer II: $115,000 - $161,000
• Equity (via ISOs) in Second Order Effects, Inc.
• Equity (via PIUs) in our incubated companies (through our holding company, Second Order Holdings, LLC)
• 100% employer-paid health insurance (Medical, Dental, Vision) for employees + 50% dependent coverage
• Flexible paid time off policy + 11 paid holidays + 12 paid sick days
• 401(k) retirement account and employer matching (Safe Harbor 4%)
• Up to 22 weeks of paid parental leave dedicated to new child bonding
• Relocation assistance available if 50+ miles away from the office
• Electric Vehicle (EV) charging ports at our LAX office
• Daily catered lunches, snacks, and accessible kitchen

If you don’t meet 100% of the preferred skills and experience, we encourage you to still apply!

Second Order Effects is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with SOE is governed on the basis of excellence and will not be influenced in any manner by 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.