Senior Mechanical Engineer - Lead Production Fluid Systems

Vital Lyfe; Torrance (CA); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401K

Paid Holiday

Cellphone and Internet Stipend

Phone Stipend

Referral Bonus

Equity

Team Outings

EV Charging Station

Job summary

Vital Lyfe is hiring a Senior Mechanical Engineer to lead core mechanical systems from concept through production ramp and launch. You will design, prototype, validate pumps, valves, pressure vessels and related components, while balancing performance, reliability, manufacturability and cost.

You’ll collaborate with electrical, firmware, industrial design and manufacturing teams, and help improve production processes and equipment. On-site in Torrance, CA with 100% onsite work required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• 5+ years designing and shipping mechanical/electromechanical hardware.
• Strong CAD and FEA skills applied to production-ready designs.
• Experience moving products from prototype to manufacturing.
• Bias toward action with ownership and practical engineering.

Responsibilities

• Own major mechanical subsystems from concept through production ramp and launch.
• Design, prototype, and validate pumps, valves, pressure vessels, and related components.
• Drive system-level tradeoffs across performance, reliability, manufacturability, and cost.
• Build and run test plans to validate performance in real-world environments.
• Collaborate with electrical, firmware, industrial design, and manufacturing teams.
• Help design and improve manufacturing processes and production equipment.
• Iterate quickly, identify problems, propose solutions, and implement changes.
• Support supplier selection, part qualification, and production ramp.
• Mentor junior engineers as the team grows while staying hands-on.

Skills

Five plus years experience

Strong CAD/FEA skills

Prototype to manufacturing

Ambiguity tolerance

Ownership and practical engineering

Education

Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering

Job description

At Vital Lyfe, we don’t just build products — we engineer liberation. Aerospace-grade performance designed for the everyday. Frontier thinking made tangible. If you’re driven to push boundaries, to reimagine the essential, and to create impact that lasts — this is where you belong.

• 401K
• Paid Holiday
• Cellphone and Internet Stipend
• Phone Stipend
• Referral Bonus
• Equity
• Team Outings
• EV Charging Station

Open Roles

Senior Mechanical Engineer

Location

Address

Employment Type

Full time

Location Type

On-site

Department

Compensation

Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.

About Vital Lyfe

Vital Lyfe is a tech company redefining water autonomy through innovation, creating a new category of personal water making technology built to scale where infrastructure can’t.

The Mission

Own and build the core mechanical systems behind our product; pumps, valves, pressure vessels, and fluid-handling assemblies & take them from early concepts to production at scale. This is a hands on, high-ownership role for someone who wants to design, test, break, fix, and ship hardware.

What You’ll Do

Own major mechanical subsystems from concept through production ramp and launch.

Design, prototype, and validate pumps, valves, pressure vessels, and related mechanical components.

Drive system-level tradeoffs across performance, reliability, manufacturability, and cost.

Build and run test plans to validate performance across real-world environments and edge cases.

Work closely with electrical, firmware, industrial design, and manufacturing to turn ideas into shipped product.

Help design and improve manufacturing processes and production equipment, including fixtures, tooling, and automation concepts.

Iterate fast; identify problems, propose solutions, and implement changes without heavy process overhead.

Support supplier selection, part qualification, and production ramp.

Mentor junior engineers as the team grows (without becoming detached from hands-on work).

What We’re Looking For

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field.

5+ years of experience designing and shipping mechanical or electromechanical hardware.

Strong CAD and FEA skills applied to real, production-intent designs.

Experience taking products from prototype to manufacturing.

Comfort working in ambiguity and making tradeoffs with incomplete information.

Bias toward action, ownership, and practical engineering solutions.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with consumer hardware or high-volume manufacturing.

Background in pumps, valves, pressure systems, or fluid mechanics.

Exposure to automation, manufacturing process development, or production equipment.

Startup or early-stage company experience.

Physical Job Requirements - Essential Functions

Hands on work on development hardware.

Long periods of standing, crouching, walking.

Lifting up to 50 lbs.

Why Join Vital Lyfe?

Work on high-impact problems with global relevance

Help scale breakthrough technology in water security and climate resilience

Early ownership in a high growth, engineering led startup

Join a tight knit, mission driven team in a fast-paced environment

Build long term career equity as we grow

Location Requirement: Ability to work 100% onsite in Torrance, CA (remote or hybrid work will not be considered)

Vital Lyfe is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Vital Lyfe 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.

Compensation Range: $140K - $170K

Be First to Know

First Name

Email

What does water autonomy mean to you?

Open Seas

Open Road

Prepared Home

Field Impact

.

By signing up you agree to our Privacy Policy and to receive Vital Lyfe insights