Senior Mechanical Design Engineer

Anduril Industries; Costa Mesa (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Anduril Industries in Costa Mesa is seeking a Senior Mechanical Design Engineer for the Thunder team. You will support packaging and integration of complex payloads into a rotorcraft architecture, solving dense design challenges from first-principles calculations to rapid prototyping and on-aircraft integration.

You will own hardware from concept through qualification testing, coordinating with cross-disciplinary teams to ensure robust, flight-ready solutions while navigating secure requirements

Qualifications

• 7+ years in mechanical or aerospace engineering within aerospace environments.
• Experience with NX/Teamcenter and CAD software for rapid concepting.
• Eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance.
• Strong communication, collaboration and project delivery skills.

Responsibilities

• Own and drive the physical design of payload carriage and release for a novel aircraft type from concept to low-rate production.
• Define requirements, propose solutions, and establish verification methodologies for mechanical systems.
• Collaborate with electrical, actuation, and mechanical teams to build reliable, cost-effective systems.
• Lead design reviews, perform analyses, build prototypes and execute hardware test plans.
• Advance team tools, templates, processes, and standards; foster a positive, learning-focused environment.
• Travel to test sites and vendors to support demonstrations and development testing.

Skills

NX

Teamcenter

CAD software

Education

Bachelor's or higher in mechanical or aerospace engineering

Tools

NX

Teamcenter

CAD

Job description

US Citizen Only (must be able to obtain TS Clearance)

ABOUT THE TEAM

The Maneuver Dominance team is building Thunder - an autonomous attack rotorcraft built to fight alongside crewed combat aviation to deliver overwhelming mass effects deep beyond the front lines. The team in London builds the Mission System and the autonomy that makes aircraft like Thunder work.

Autonomy is only as good as the link that carries it. Thunder is a compact airframe with weapons, sensors and radios competing for the same antenna real estate, flying low and in formation, in a spectrum that is actively contested. That is the problem you would own.

ABOUT THE JOB

Anduril is seeking a Senior Mechanical Design Engineer to join the Thunder team in our Costa Mesa office. In this role, you will support the packaging and physical integration of complex, mission-critical payloads into a clean-sheet rotorcraft architecture. You will solve dense packaging puzzles under a variety of constraints without compromising flight performance. Your daily work will range from high-density CAD modeling and structural load analysis to designing robust brackets, thermal interfaces, and release mechanisms capable of surviving severe dynamic flight environments. You will own this hardware from first-principles hand calculations through rapid prototyping, qualification testing, and final on-aircraft integration.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Own and drive the physical design of the payload carriage and release for a novel aircraft type, overseeing the process from initial concept to low rate production.
• Define requirements, propose possible solutions, and establish a methodology for evaluating and verifying mechanical systems.
• Work in close partnership with other disciplines internal to Anduril to ensure the electrical, actuation, and mechanical systems collectively form a reliable, flexible, cost-effective system.
• Spearhead design reviews, conduct analysis, build prototypes and design and implement hardware test plans.
• Lead the enhancement of team tools, templates, processes, and standards.
• Cultivate a vibrant, positive, dedicated and educational collaborative work environment.
• Travel to test sites and vendors to support critical hardware demonstrations and development test activities as needed.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• BEng, BSc, MEng, MSc or higher in mechanical or aerospace engineering, or equivalent work experience.
• 7+ years in a technical engineering role in a professional aerospace setting, with demonstrated track record of successful stakeholder management, consensus building and successful project delivery.
• Experience in NX/Teamcenter and strong proficiency in CAD software with specific emphasis on rapid concepting and iteration of novel designs.
• Strong technical knowledge in core engineering principles, including fundamental mechanics of composite and metallic materials, design, analysis, testing, and fabrication.
• Deep understanding of load paths, design practices, and hand calculations to design robust structurally efficient assemblies.
• An excellent communicator, experienced in report writing and the development and delivery of presentations across a range of settings.
• Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. security clearance.

PREFERRED QUALIFICAIONS

• Experience with design and development of payload carriage and release systems.
• Experience in systems integration during airframe assembly, particularly focusing on mechanical systems.
• Experience in metrology verification methods and equipment used for aircraft assembly fixturing and part fabrication.
• Demonstrated passion for aviation, aerospace, and/or unmanned systems.
• Familiarity with running structural development testing.
• Outstanding leadership and interpersonal skills.