Mechanical Engineer Hardware

Front Door Defense; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 95,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Rainmaker is seeking a Mechanical Engineer in El Segundo, CA to prototype and validate UAS mechanical subsystems from concept through production. You will contribute to the UAS platform, dispersion payload, and sensing systems, reporting to the Lead Mechanical Engineering in a fast-paced hardware environment.

You should have a Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering and 2–5 years of experience, with SolidWorks, FEA, and experience in additive manufacturing.

Qualifications

• 2–5 years mechanical engineering experience (internships, co-ops count).
• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field or equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Own subsystems from concept to production with mentor guidance.
• Design and build functional prototypes for UAS subsystems.
• Design, build and run test fixtures for prototypes.
• Define loading, set up FEA studies, validate results with guidance.
• Write technical docs and prepare fabrication data.

Skills

Ownership of projects

Hands-on hardware

Prototyping

Learning mindset

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

FEA

Additive manufacturing

Job description

Mechanical Engineer

Prototype and validate UAS mechanical subsystems from concept through production

Location: El Segundo, California

Compensation: $95,000 - 120,000 USD / year

About The Role

Mechanical Engineering Role at Rainmaker

Rainmaker is pioneering a modern cloud seeding system to solve water scarcity and inclement weather problems. We develop and incorporate radar validation, weather-resistant UAS, numerical weather modeling, and sustainable cloud seeds into an effective precipitation enhancement solution.

The Engineering team at Rainmaker works on our UAS, dispersion payload, and in-situ/remote sensing systems. If you are interested in working in an extremely innovative and fast paced environment, where your work directly makes an impact and difference in our operational system, this is a fantastic opportunity.

This role reports to the Lead, Mechanical Engineering and will support mission-critical subsystems for our UAS platform, working closely with senior engineers to grow your skills in a hands-on, fast-paced hardware environment

$95,000 - $120,000 a year

What You'll Do

• Project Support & Ownership: Own smaller parts and subsystems from concept to production, with guidance and review from senior engineers.
• Rapid Hardware Prototyping: Design and build functional prototypes for UAS subsystems, iterating quickly based on flight test feedback and mission requirements.
• Test Fixture Design: Help conceptualize, design, build, and run test fixtures for prototype components.
• FEA: Define loading and boundary conditions, set up FEA studies, run and validate results under senior engineer guidance.
• Documentation: Write technical documentation and help prepare fabrication and assembly data for manufacturers.

Required Qualifications

• 2–5 years of mechanical engineering experience (internships, co-ops, and capstone/project work count) with a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field — or equivalent practical experience in lieu of a degree
• Competence in parametric CAD (SolidWorks required)
• Exposure to FEA (coursework, internship, or project-level experience with linear static, linear dynamic, nonlinear dynamic, or thermal analysis)
• Experience with additive manufacturing (FDM, SLA, MJF) for prototyping
• Sheet metal design and manufacturing experience
• Demonstrated ownership of mechanical engineering projects (school, internship, or professional)
• Eagerness to learn in a fast-paced, hands-on hardware environment; comfortable receiving close mentorship while building toward more autonomous ownership