Senior Mechanical Engineer

Salient Motion; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 160,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary + equity

100% company-paid healthcare

Job summary

Salient Motion is seeking a versatile engineer in Torrance, CA to lead full‑lifecycle hardware development for mission-critical flight components. You will convert ambiguous concepts into rigorous requirements and oversee hands-on assembly, environmental qualification, and test of hardware.

Responsibilities span architecture, precision mechanics, rugged avionics, and supplier coordination to ensure on‑time, compliant delivery.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience through the full product lifecycle—from ideation to high-fidelity production.
• Deep intuition for electromagnetic principles and mastery of mechanical load paths.
• Proficiency in sizing analysis for strength, fatigue, and life cycles of actuator components.
• CAD mastery in SolidWorks or equivalent, including complex assemblies and configuration management.
• Manufacturing & GD&T: ASME Y14.5; produce high-quality 2D drawings and collaborate with vendors for DFM.
• Proven track record of qualifying hardware against DO-160 and MIL-STD-810.
• Grit: builder mindset, capable in both computer work and lab/debug tasks.

Responsibilities

• Translate mission needs into actionable requirements for electromechanical systems.
• Design and iterate electromagnetic actuators and mechanisms (gears, bearings, screws, brakes, encoders).
• Develop rugged avionics enclosures with advanced thermal management and structural survivability.
• Architect test equipment and methodologies for hardware qualification per DO-160 and MIL-STD-810.
• Act as technical anchor across the organization to guide integration and testing.
• Collaborate with external suppliers to ensure conforming hardware and manage deviations.
• Hands-on responsibility for the design-build-test cycle of prototypes.

Skills

EM principles

Mechanical load paths

Sizing analysis

SolidWorks

ASME Y14.5 GD&T

DFM collaboration

Aerospace/DoD qualification

Builder mindset

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

Job description

We are pioneering modular motion technologies to power the next generation of innovation for Industrial, Aerospace and Defense. If you're excited about disrupting legacy industries, and passionate about motor control technology, let's chat!

We are at the forefront of innovation, crafting exclusive motion control components that propel the industrial, aerospace, and defense sectors into the future.

A couple other things:

• We are open to relocating you
• We have great benefits
• We are well funded, and generating revenue
• We are located in beautiful Torrance, CA and just moved into a new large hangar facility
• This is a onsite position

What you'll do:

We are seeking a versatile, high-impact Engineer to lead the development of mission-critical hardware. This is a "full-lifecycle" role where you will own everything from the initial conversion of ambiguous concepts into rigorous requirements to the hands-on assembly and environmental qualification of flight hardware.

• Requirements Architecture: Translate high-level, ambiguous mission needs into actionable functional and operational requirements for complex electromechanical systems.
• Precision Mechanism Design: Design and iterate on electromagnetic actuators and intricate mechanisms, integrating components such as precision gears, bearings, lead screws, braking systems, and encoders.
• Ruggedized Avionics: Develop high-performance avionics enclosures, focusing on innovative thermal management (heat rejection) and structural survivability in extreme, high-vibration, or vacuum environments.
• Environmental Qualification: Architect the test equipment and methodologies required for formal hardware qualification, ensuring total compliance with DO-160 and MIL-STD-810 standards.
• Cross-Functional Leadership: Act as a technical anchor across the organization, guiding integration efforts and supporting multidisciplinary teams through complex system testing.
• Supply Chain & Quality Advocacy: Partner closely with external suppliers to ensure the delivery of conforming hardware; proactively manage manufacturing deviations to maintain rigorous quality and schedule standards.
• Hands-on Execution: Maintain a "design-build-test" mindset, taking personal responsibility for the assembly, bring-up, and debugging of your own hardware prototypes.

What you need:

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Experience: 5+ years of experience through the full product lifecycle—from initial ideation and prototyping to high-fidelity production.
• Technical Expertise: A deep intuition for electromagnetic principles and a mastery of mechanical load paths and load cases.
• Analysis & Simulation: Proficiency in sizing analysis for strength, fatigue, and life cycles of actuator components (gears, shafts, housings).
• CAD Mastery: Advanced design experience in SolidWorks (or equivalent 3D modeling packages), including complex assemblies and configuration management.
• Manufacturing & GD&T: Fluency in ASME Y14.5 GD&T standards; ability to produce high-quality 2D drawings and collaborate with vendors to solve DFM (Design for Manufacturing) hurdles.
• Standards & Qualification: Proven track record of qualifying hardware against rigorous aerospace or military standards (DO-160, MIL-STD-810).
• Grit: A "builder" mindset—you are as comfortable at a computer as you are in the lab spinning wrenches and debugging your own hardware.

Nice to haves:

• Qualification: Experience designing custom test equipment, writing formal procedures, and executing complex qualification test campaigns.
• Gearbox Specialization: Detailed knowledge of AGMA Standards, gearbox design analysis (ratios, backlash, lubrication), and specialized fabrication methods.
• Process Versatility: Experience navigating both high-compliance, "heavy" programs and fast-paced, lean R&D environments.

What we have to offer:

We are not just building components. We are reshaping the future of the Aerospace and Defense component industry, which is a $300B+ market! Come join us and help build next generation systems that will make a massive impact at global scale.

• We offer competitive compensation: $160,000 to $200,000 base salary + equity
• Exceptional healthcare benefits, Medical is 100% covered by the company