Mechanical Engineer

Elev8 Recruitment; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

On-site in LA

Ownership of parts from CAD to bench

Job summary

Elev8 Recruitment is seeking a Mechanical Engineer for a high-power RF/Directed Energy project in Los Angeles. The role focuses on hands-on design of sheet metal and CNC machined parts, advancing to an electromechanical robotic gimbal, with close collaboration on hardware that ships.

The position requires roughly 2–7 years as a mechanical engineer, and eligibility to work in the U.S. ITAR matters apply and sponsorship is not offered. On-site work five days per week in LA.

Qualifications

• Hands-on design of sheet metal and CNC machined parts.
• Experience on a robotic or electromechanical system. A gimbal is ideal, not essential.
• Roughly 2 to 7 years as a mechanical engineer.
• US citizen or green card holder. The work is ITAR controlled and there's no sponsorship.
• Based in or around LA; relocation not offered.

Responsibilities

• First 2–3 months: design sheet metal and CNC machined parts for RF components.
• Then: work on an electromechanical robotic gimbal.
• Collaborate on hardware that ships; lab with power electronics and RF equipment on-site.
• Hands-on role with long-term ownership of designs from CAD to bench.

Tools

CAD

Robotics

Electromechanical Systems

Job description

Mechanical Engineer, Directed Energy (High-Power RF) | Los Angeles | $150k to $220k + equity

A small directed energy company in Los Angeles is building a high-power RF system to stop suicide and surveillance drones. The hardware has to handle power in the 100kW range. They need a second mechanical engineer to help design it.

The job is a lot of CAD, and the parts get made. For the first two to three months you'll design sheet metal and CNC machined parts for RF components. Then you move onto an electromechanical robotic gimbal. You'll work alongside the one mechanical engineer already on the team, on-site in a lab with power electronics and RF equipment, on hardware that ships.

The company is recently funded, and the team is small and senior, with a lot of high-power RF experience. This is a hands-on IC role and it's meant to stay that way.

What's on offer

• $150k to $220k plus equity
• Real ownership of the parts you design, from CAD to the bench
• Five days a week on-site in LA

What you'll need

• Hands-on design of sheet metal and CNC machined parts
• Experience on a robotic or electromechanical system. A gimbal is ideal, not essential
• Roughly 2 to 7 years as a mechanical engineer
• US citizen or green card holder. The work is ITAR controlled and there's no sponsorship
• To be based in or around LA already. Relocation isn't on offer for this one

Embedded systems experience, or mechanical design for RF components, would make you stand out. Most people won't have the second and that's fine.

You don't need a directed energy or defense background. Automotive, robotics and aerospace all transfer. What matters is what you've actually designed and built, not where you did it. It suits someone who wants pace and ownership more than process.

The company is in stealth, so it isn't named here.