Mechanical Engineer

Outpost; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 125,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare coverage

Equity in Outpost

401(k) matching

Paid time off

Job summary

Outpost is hiring a Mechanical Engineer to own the design and delivery of flight and ground hardware for the Atmospheric Entry subsystem, ensuring safety of payloads from launch to landing.

You will oversee the full engineering lifecycle, from concept through qualification, collaborating with an integrated team and owning hardware from day one.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Aerospace, Mechanical, or Systems Engineering.
• 5–10 years designing flight hardware structures and mechanisms.
• Experience taking hardware from concept to production and/or flight.
• Excellent documentation, communication, and technical writing skills.
• Strong cross‑functional communication with systems, integration, and test engineers.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop mechanical systems for atmospheric recovery, including deployable structures, aerodynamic decelerators, recovery mechanisms, airframe interfaces, and precision landing hardware from requirements through release, build support, and qualification.
• Develop CDR‑level design packages: CAD, drawings, specifications, analysis, and test plans.
• Define and manage hardware requirements, interface with mission operations and payload customers.
• Perform or coordinate structural and thermal analysis to verify hardware margins.
• Write and execute qualification and acceptance test procedures, support environmental test campaigns.
• Participate in peer reviews and formal milestone reviews (CDR, TRR, etc.).
• Drive design reviews (PDR/CDR) and prepare clear documentation, drawings, BOMs, and work instructions.
• Perform other duties as required.

Skills

CAD

Structural Analysis

Thermal Analysis

Flight hardware design

PDR/CDR

Documentation

Cross-functional comm

Parachute/Paraglider systems

Design reviews

Education

Bachelors in Aerospace/Mechanical/Systems Eng

Tools

SolidWorks

NX

Ansys

Job description

Launch has changed the economics of space. Now it is time to return.

Outpost is building the missing infrastructure between orbit and Earth: reusable vehicles that can bring payloads back from space and deliver them to a precise location within hours. We call it space‑to‑Earth logistics at planetary scale. This is not a paper concept or a distant roadmap. Our system is in active development, with core technologies advancing toward flight readiness.

The need is already here, and the market has responded. We have validated demand through multiple defense and civil agreements, and a growing pipeline across government and commercial customers.

Outpost is building the logistics layer that makes space economically useful in a new way: the ability to move material from orbit to Earth quickly, reliably, and affordably. Over time, that supports point‑to‑point logistics, 10 tons of cargo, anywhere on Earth in an hour. It also creates the foundation for a reusable reentry network and enables new categories of space activity, including in‑space manufacturing, supporting AI data centers, advanced manufacturing, and novel materials.

We have a strong foundation, clear demand, and a technical path in front of us. Now the company is scaling rapidly. We are expanding the team, growing our operational footprint, and building the systems needed to execute at the next level. This is a chance to join a company with real traction, working on a problem that matters, at the point where execution and scale begin to define the outcome.

The Role

Outpost's vehicles are unlike anything in the market, reusable, fabric‑shielded, paraglider‑guided Earth‑return spacecraft. We're looking for a Mechanical Engineer who will own the design and delivery of flight and ground hardware for our Atmospheric Entry (ATMO) subsystem, the hardware that keeps customer payloads safe from launch through landing.

This role spans the full engineering lifecycle, design, analysis, drawing release, build support, and test. You'll work alongside an integrated team and have meaningful ownership of your hardware from day one.

What You’ll Do

• Design and develop mechanical systems for atmospheric recovery, including deployable structures, aerodynamic decelerators, recovery mechanisms, airframe interfaces, and precision landing hardware from requirements through release, build support, and qualification.
• Develop CDR‑level design packages: CAD, drawings, specifications, analysis, and test plans.
• Define and manage hardware requirements, interface with mission operations and payload customers.
• Perform or coordinate structural and thermal analysis to verify hardware margins.
• Write and execute qualification and acceptance test procedures, support environmental test campaigns.
• Participate in peer reviews and formal milestone reviews (CDR, TRR, etc.).
• Drive design reviews (PDR/CDR) and prepare clear documentation, drawings, BOMs, and work instructions.
• Perform other duties as required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Aerospace, Mechanical, or Systems Engineering.
• 5‑10 years designing flight hardware structures and mechanisms.
• Experience taking hardware from concept to production and/or flight.
• Strong proficiency in CAD (SolidWorks, NX, or similar) and mechanical analysis tools (structural/thermal in Ansys – Solidworks).
• Experience designing structures, mechanisms, deployables, or aerodynamic structures (parachutes/paragliders, flaps, linkages, hinges, etc.).
• Understanding of load path, interfaces, and environmental requirements for high‑energy flight environments.
• Experience executing rapid, hands‑on prototypes to support fast design–build–test cycles.
• Excellent documentation, communication, and technical writing skills.
• Understanding of spacecraft environmental requirements (launch loads, shock, vibration, thermal).
• Write and read engineering requirements and interface control documents.
• Strong cross‑functional communication – you'll work daily with systems, integration, and test engineers.

Preferred Experience

• Experience taking hardware through at least one formal design review (PDR or CDR); exposure to qualification testing strongly preferred.
• Experience with reentry systems, atmospheric flight vehicles, TPS interfaces, or parachute/paraglider systems.
• Background integrating soft goods with rigid structures.
• Experience in hypersonic, supersonic, or high‑aero‑load environments.
• Field test experience (drop tests, flight tests, parachute deployments, etc.).
• Familiarity with DOF‑limited mechanisms and precision actuation in harsh environments.

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive compensation: $125,000 – $160,000; (commensurate with experience).
• Additional Compensation: Annual performance‑based bonuses that reward your impact.
• Shared upside: Meaningful equity in Outpost so you share directly in the value you help create.
• Comprehensive healthcare: Medical, dental, and vision coverage to keep you and your loved ones covered. We cover the base tier of medical insurance and all premiums of vision and dental.
• Protection when it matters: Company‑provided short‑ and long‑term disability coverage for peace of mind, plus life insurance for even more security.
• PTO: Recharge on your own terms with paid time off, plus 9 days of paid holidays.
• Invest in your future: 401(k) with company match to help you build long‑term wealth.
• Fueled for the mission: Daily DoorDash lunch stipend, plus unlimited snacks, coffee, and tea to keep you energized.
• Mission that matters: Work shoulder‑to‑shoulder with leaders from aerospace, new space, and deep‑tech industries building the future of orbital infrastructure.
• Pet Friendly Office: Bring your furry friend into the office so that they can be a part of our mission too.
• Monthly Company Happy Hours and Events: Drinks at the local bar, hibachi nights, mini golfing and more!

You must be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.15, or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

As set forth in Outpost’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.