Senior Mechanical Engineering Manager

Bulwark Dynamics; Menlo Park (CA); Hybrid; USD 130,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare

Dental

Vision

Autonomy to build hardware

Job summary

Bulwark Dynamics in the Bay Area, CA, is seeking a mid to senior level Mechanical Engineer to own structural assemblies, actuation mechanisms, and integration of electro-mechanical subsystems for our 15-ft and 35–50-ft prototype vessels. This full-time, hybrid role reports to the CTO and leads a small team.

Ideal candidates have a BS in Mechanical Engineering and 6+ years in vehicle dynamics, robotics, UAVs, or high-performance machinery, plus hands-on fabrication and SolidWorks expertise.

Qualifications

• BS in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent hands-on experience.
• 6+ years in vehicle dynamics, robotics, UAVs, or high-performance mechanical systems.
• SolidWorks expertise; GD&T, DFM, and structural analysis proficiency.
• Hands-on fabrication and rapid prototyping experience.

Responsibilities

• End-to-End Ownership: design, fabricate, and own structural components and actuation subsystems for 15-ft and 35-ft vessels.
• Rapid CAD-to-Reality using SolidWorks; source materials and perform fit checks.
• Hands-on machining, metalwork, composites, and rapid prototyping.
• Field deployment and cross-functional troubleshooting during rugged deployments.

Skills

Vehicle dynamics

Robotics

High-performance systems

Project ownership

Education

BS in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

GD&T

DFM

Machining

Job description

Bulwark Dynamics is rebuilding America's maritime superiority by solving modern warfare's critical vulnerability in the Pacific: contested logistics. We build autonomous landing craft at an unprecedented pace. Our first 15 ft prototype went from sketch to successful ocean testing in just 43 days, with a 35 ft full-scale product to follow in under two months. Our work sits at the intersection of robotics, autonomy, and advanced manufacturing. We move fast, we build in the real world, and we hire engineers who are deeply hands-on.

Role Description

This is a full-time, hybrid role in the Bay Area, CA for a Mid to Senior Level Mechanical Engineer specializing in vehicle assembly, load dynamics, fabrication, and actuation. This role begins as soon as possible and is structured around a critical, high-stakes build sprint.

You will report directly to our CTO and manage roughly 5 engineers. You will not be designing hull hydrodynamics. Instead, you will have complete ownership over structural assemblies, actuation mechanisms, and the integration of electro-mechanical subsystems to bring our next 15-foot and 35-to-50-foot prototypes to life. This is for someone who thrives in early-stage, hardware-heavy environments (for example, aerospace, race cars, or autonomous vehicles).

• Base Salary: $130,000 to $180,000 USD (depending on experience)
• Equity: Significant early-stage stock options
• Perks: Healthcare, dental, vision, and the autonomy to build hardware without corporate red tape

The base salary range above reflects the anticipated pay for this role. Actual compensation will depend on experience, skills, and qualifications.

This role requires access to export-controlled technical data under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). Applicants must qualify as a "U.S. Person" as defined by ITAR (22 CFR 120.62), which includes U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents (green card holders), and certain protected individuals such as asylees and refugees. This requirement is mandated by U.S. export-control law.

What You Will Do (Responsibilities)

• End-to-End Ownership: Design, fabricate, and fully own structural components, mounting brackets, mechanical assemblies, and vehicle dynamics and actuation subsystems for our 15-ft and 35-ft prototype vessels.
• Rapid CAD-to-Reality: Use SolidWorks for detailed manufacturing designs, source materials, conduct fit checks, and iterate relentlessly based on structural testing.
• Hands-on Fabrication: Perform machining, metalwork, composites, and rapid prototyping.
• Field Deployment: Integrate subsystems with cross-functional teams, troubleshoot on the fly, and operate as a core maritime crew member during rugged ocean deployments.

Qualifications

• Core Experience: BS in Mechanical Engineering (or equivalent hands-on experience) with 6+ years in vehicle dynamics, robotics, UAVs, or high-performance mechanical systems.
• Design & Engineering: High proficiency in SolidWorks. Strong practical intuition for GD&T, DFM, and structural analysis.
• Fabrication Mastery: Extensive hands-on experience with machining and prototype assembly. (R&D experience with composites, hydraulic actuators, or marine and off-road structures is a major plus.)
• Execution: Proven ability to manage multiple rapid deadlines independently and own early-stage hardware from sketch to functional deployment.

Preferred

• 8+ years of work experience
• R&D experience with vehicles
• Experience building early-stage hardware prototypes
• Ownership of projects from start to finish
• Hydraulic actuator experience
• Experience with vessel operation
• Composite design and fabrication knowledge
• Operational experience working with deployed vehicles
• Knowledge of marine or off-road vehicle structural systems
• Familiarity with GD&T, DFM, and structural analysis

What We're Looking For

• Relentlessly Hands-On: You do not just manage builds, you are actively on the shop floor cutting, drilling, welding, performing composite layups, and assembling hardware.
• End-to-End Execution & Velocity: You design elegantly, build with ruthless speed, and take absolute ownership of your work from the initial CAD model to the final physical product.
• Hardware Obsession: You have a deep, proven passion for engineering and working on complex vehicular systems.
• Concept-to-Reality Engineering: You excel at taking ambiguous, high-level ideas and translating them into robust, functional physical assemblies using first-principles thinking.
• Mission-Driven Adaptability: You thrive in the high-velocity, high-stakes environment of an early-stage defense startup and are driven to build critical technology that matters.
• Bulwark Dynamics is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. The work-authorization requirement above is based solely on federal export-control law, not on national origin or citizenship-status preference.