Senior Mechanical Engineer (Avionics)

Impulse Space; Redondo Beach (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Medical, vision & dental

401(k) retirement plan

Job summary

Impulse Space in Redondo Beach is seeking a Senior Mechanical Engineer for the Avionics Team to own cradle‑to‑grave mechanical design, build, test, and integration of avionics hardware for next‑generation propulsion space vehicles.

You will lead full‑cycle development, perform structural and thermal analyses, drive DFM/DFA, mentor junior designers, and collaborate with electrical, propulsion, GNC, and structural teams to optimize vehicle performance and reliability.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related discipline.
• 5+ years in mechanical design with aerospace or high‑performance electronics experience.
• Strong CAD skills and leadership of complex assemblies; GD&T proficiency.
• Experience in thermal management, mechanical reliability under dynamic loads, and precision machining.
• Ability to communicate across engineering and manufacturing teams; leadership in reviews.

Responsibilities

• Lead full-cycle development of avionics hardware from concept through launch.
• Define system‑level requirements and drive mechanical design decisions.
• Perform structural dynamics, thermal, vibration, and environmental analyses (hand calculations and FEA).
• Drive DFM/DFA and engage with suppliers to ensure quality and scalability.
• Collaborate with electrical, propulsion, GNC, and structural teams to optimize performance.
• Document builds, drawings with GD&T, and build/test plans; own mechanical interfaces.
• Support structural and thermal qualification testing and lead design reviews.

Skills

Mechanical design

Aerospace experience

CAD tools

GD&T

FEM/FEA

DFM/DFA

Cross‑functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's in Mechanical/Aerospace

Masters preferred

Tools

NX

Creo

SolidWorks

FEMAP

Ansys

Job description

Department: Avionics

Location: Redondo Beach

Compensation: $140,000 - $180,000 / year

Description

As a Senior Mechanical Engineer at Impulse for our Avionics Team, you are responsible for the design, build, test/analysis & integration of your hardware - working with cross-functional engineering teams to accomplish this. This means cradle-to-grave ownership of mechanical designs and systems in support of Impulse’s collection of next generation advanced propulsion space vehicles.

Responsibilities

• Lead full-cycle development of avionics hardware from concept through launch
• Define system-level requirements and drive mechanical design decisions
• Perform detailed analysis of structural dynamics, thermal behavior, vibration, and environmental resilience for avionics components (hand calculations and FEA)
• Drive design-for-manufacturability (DFM) and design-for-assembly (DFA) principles across the product lifecycle; engage directly with suppliers to ensure quality and scalability
• Collaborate cross-functionally with electrical, propulsion, GNC, and structural engineering teams to architect integrated solutions that optimize vehicle performance and reliability
• Define and refine build processes; author comprehensive documentation and work instructions, drawings (with GD&T), and build/test plans
• Own and manage the mechanical interface between avionics systems and vehicle structures, ensuring alignment with system-level requirements and constraints
• Support and lead structural and thermal qualification testing
• Provide technical leadership in design reviews, failure investigations, and continuous improvement initiatives

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a closely related discipline
• 5+ years of experience in mechanical design, with a focus on aerospace or high-performance electronics systems
• Advanced proficiency in CAD tools (e.g., NX, Creo, SolidWorks), with demonstrated ability to lead complex assemblies and mentor junior designers
• Deep understanding of precision machining, sheet metal fabrication, and thermal management strategies for avionics enclosures
• Expertise in GD&T, tolerance stack-up analysis, and mechanical reliability under dynamic loads
• Proven ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly across engineering and manufacturing teams; experience presenting to leadership and external partners
• Demonstrated ownership of full product lifecycle - from concept through production and field support

Preferred Skills And Experience

• Masters' degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering
• 7 years' of demonstrated mechanical design & analysis with space-flown hardware
• 4+ years' of demonstrated understanding of geometric dimensioning & tolerancing (GD&T)
• 4+ years' of demonstrated experience with Finite Element Analysis (FEA) using FEMAP, Ansys, or similar tools
• Experience with mechanical design in challenging vibration/thermal environments
• In order to be successful in this role, you should be someone who is uniquely creative, self-driven, and is able to lead his or her own projects to completion
• Experience at a startup or agile development environment
• Experience with NX and Teamcenter

Additional Information

Compensation bands are determined by role, level, location, and alignment with market data. Individual level and base pay is determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on job-related skills, education, experience, technical capabilities and internal equity. In addition to base salary, for full-time hires, you may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of stock options, and access to medical, vision & dental coverage as well as access to a 401(k) retirement plan.

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.

Impulse Space is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Impulse Space is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.