Senior Mechanical Engineer (Avionics)

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

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Medical, vision & dental coverage

401(k) retirement plan

Job summary

Impulse Space in Redondo Beach seeks a Senior Mechanical Engineer (Avionics) to own cradle-to-grave mechanical designs for next-generation propulsion space vehicles. You will design, build, test and integrate hardware in collaboration with cross-functional teams to meet system requirements.

The role demands strong CAD skills (NX/Creo/SolidWorks), GD&T discipline, and experience with high-vibration, thermal environments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering.
• 5+ years designing aerospace or high-performance electronics hardware.
• Advanced CAD with NX/Creo/SolidWorks; lead complex assemblies.
• GD&T, tolerance stack‑up, and mechanical reliability under dynamic loads.
• Strong communication across engineering teams and leadership experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead full-cycle development of avionics hardware from concept through launch.
• Define system requirements and drive mechanical design decisions.
• Perform structural/thermal analysis, vibration and environmental testing.
• Drive DFM/DFA across product lifecycle and liaise with suppliers.
• Collaborate with electrical, propulsion, GNC, and structural teams.
• Create build processes, docs, drawings with GD&T, and test plans.
• Own mechanical interfaces between avionics and vehicle structures.
• Support structural and thermal qualification testing; lead design reviews.
• Mentor junior designers and drive continuous improvement.

Skills

CAD tools

GD&T

Thermal management

FEA

Mechanical design

Leadership

Aerospace experience

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering

Master's degree (preferred)

Tools

FEMAP

Ansys

NX

Teamcenter

Job description

Senior Mechanical Engineer (Avionics)

Department: Avionics

Employment Type: Full Time

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.