Principal Mechanical Engineer

Clera Labs, Inc.; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 235,000 - 305,000; Full time

Job summary

Clera Labs, Inc. is seeking a Principal Mechanical Engineer to own system-level mechanical architecture for a defense technology program in San Francisco.

You will lead cross-disciplinary integration with electrical, power, embedded, and optics teams and drive hardware from prototype through production. The role requires at least 10 years in complex hardware design, hands-on CAD/analysis work, and a track record of taking hardware to manufacturing and field deployment.

Qualifications

• At least 10 years of experience designing and shipping complex hardware systems.
• Mechanical design as your primary discipline, with CAD and engineering analysis work.
• Experience taking hardware from prototype through manufacturing and field deployment.
• Experience designing ruggedized systems for real-world conditions and correlating FEA or hand calculations with test data.
• Strong mechanical expertise with sound technical judgment in electrical engineering, power electronics, or embedded systems.
• Experience owning mechanical architecture and integrating multiple engineering disciplines.
• A senior individual contributor or technical lead background at a hardware company that has shipped products.
• Background in defense, aerospace, high-performance automotive, maritime, robotics, or directed energy.
• Experience with lasers or high-power systems, thermal management, gimbals or beam directors, military qualification standards, or production line development is useful.

Responsibilities

• Lead mechanical architecture across the system and integrate it with electrical, power, embedded, and optics disciplines.
• Make technical decisions on challenging engineering problems from concept through production readiness.
• Guide hardware release and production processes in close collaboration with the manufacturing team.
• Identify technical risks early and review designs, analyses, documentation, and release standards.
• Perform hands-on design and analysis when your experience can resolve difficult problems quickly.
• Balance cost, mass, reliability, schedule, and field performance in design and manufacturing decisions.
• Share technical judgment and mentor engineers through direct collaboration and example.

Skills

Mechanical design

CAD software

FEA

Production rollout

Systems integration

Electrical/Power/Embedded

Technical leadership

Defense/Space

Thermal management

High-power lasers

Job description

About the Role

Join a small defense technology engineering team developing autonomous, field-deployed directed energy systems. As Principal Mechanical Engineer, you will own system-level mechanical architecture and help take complex hardware from prototype through production and deployment.

What You'll Do

• Lead mechanical architecture across the system and integrate it with electrical, power, embedded, and optics disciplines.

• Make technical decisions on challenging engineering problems from concept through production readiness.

• Guide hardware release and production processes in close collaboration with the manufacturing team.

• Identify technical risks early and review designs, analyses, documentation, and release standards.

• Perform hands-on design and analysis when your experience can resolve difficult problems quickly.

• Balance cost, mass, reliability, schedule, and field performance in design and manufacturing decisions.

• Share technical judgment and mentor engineers through direct collaboration and example.

What We're Looking For

• At least 10 years of experience designing and shipping complex hardware systems.

• Mechanical design as your primary discipline, including recent personal CAD and engineering analysis work.

• Repeated experience taking hardware from prototype through manufacturing and field deployment.

• Experience designing ruggedized systems for real-world conditions and correlating FEA or hand calculations with test data.

• Strong mechanical expertise, with sound technical judgment in electrical engineering, power electronics, or embedded systems.

• Experience owning mechanical architecture and integrating multiple engineering disciplines.

• A senior individual contributor or technical lead background at a hardware company that has shipped products.

• Relevant backgrounds may include defense, aerospace, high-performance automotive, maritime, robotics, or directed energy.

• Experience with lasers or high-power systems, thermal management, gimbals or beam directors, military qualification standards, or production line development is useful.

Compensation & Benefits

Base salary is $235,000 to $305,000 USD annually. Visa sponsorship is not available. Equity and benefits details were not provided.

Location

This is an on-site role in San Francisco, California, United States.