Senior Mechanisms Engineer (TVC Actuation)

STEM Boomerang; Rio Rancho (NM); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee equity

4 weeks PTO

Medical insurance 100% coverage

Dental & Vision coverage

FSA/HSA options

401k plan

Parental leave

Job summary

Castelion is seeking a Senior Mechanisms Engineer to design thrust vector control actuation systems for long‑range hypersonic vehicles. You will deliver thrust vectoring actuators that perform under extreme dynamic and thermal conditions, collaborating with diverse engineering teams to design, analyze, build and validate hardware in a fast-paced setting.

The role requires advanced degrees in Mechanical Engineering and 5+ years' experience in mechanisms, EMAs, high‑load actuation, CAD/analysis

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s/Master’s/PhD in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• 5+ years in mechanism and actuator design for aerospace or high‑performance dynamic systems.
• Experience with TVC, high-load actuation, or similar applications.

Responsibilities

• Design and deliver TVC actuation systems for hypersonic strike vehicles.
• Analyze, build, and validate TVC actuators and related mechanisms.
• Work with multidisciplinary teams in a hardware‑driven environment.
• Apply high-temperature materials knowledge and failure analysis.

Skills

Mechanism design

Actuator design

EMAs

TVC actuators

CAD/analysis

NX/SolidWorks/ANSYS

Education

Mechanical Engineering degree

Tools

NX

SolidWorks

ANSYS

Job description

Rio Rancho, United States | Posted on 08/06/2026

Castelion was founded to restore America’s ability to field advanced weapons at speed and scale. Inspired by the engineering urgency of the WWII and Apollo eras, we combine rapid iteration, vertical integration, and scalable manufacturing to deliver affordable, high-performance strike systems. Our mission: rebuild industrial agility to strengthen national security and outpace evolving threats.

About the Role:

We are seeking a Senior Mechanisms Engineer to design and deliver thrust vector control (TVC) actuation systems for Castelion's long-range hypersonic strike vehicles. This role is critical to enabling precise, high-bandwidth thrust vectoring under extreme dynamic and thermal environments. You will work hands-on with multidisciplinary engineering teams to design, analyze, build, and validate TVC actuators and associated mechanisms in a fast-paced, hardware-driven environment.

Requirements

• Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD in Mechanical Engineering or related field
  
• 5+ years of experience in mechanism and actuator design for aerospace or high-performance dynamic systems
  
• Strong background in electromechanical actuators (EMAs), including motor-driven systems, gear reduction, and torque transmission
  
• Experience designing high-load, high-bandwidth actuation systems such as TVC, control surface actuation, or similar applications
  
• Familiarity with motor selection (e.g., BLDC), position sensing (encoders/resolvers), and actuator feedback integration
  
• Proficiency in CAD and analysis tools (e.g., NX, SolidWorks, ANSYS, or equivalent)
  
• Experience with structural analysis, fatigue/life assessment, and tolerance stack-up analysis
  
• Familiarity with high-temperature materials, lubrication strategies, and operation in extreme environments
  
• Experience with hardware build, test, and troubleshooting in a lab or flight hardware environment
  
• Strong problem-solving mindset, thriving in a fast-paced, hardware-rich, high flight cadence environment
  
• Employee Equity: Meaningful equity forall full-time employees - share value has increased 150x in three years
  
• Personal Time Off: Four (4) weeks of paidtime off to unplug, reset, and come back sharp—velocity matters,burnout doesn't
  
• Medical: We offer plans at 100% employeecovered and 80% of dependent coverage
  
• Dental & Vision: We cover 90%employees and 80% for dependents to ensure you and your family haveaccess to quality preventive and ongoing care
  
• FSA/HSA: To support long-term health andfinancial resilience, we offer FSA and HSA options that allowemployees to set aside pre-tax dollars for eligible medical anddependent care expenses
  
• Retirement: 401k plan offered to supportlong term financial growth along side high-impact, high-velocity work
  
• Paid Parental Leave: We support growingfamilies with meaningful time to bond and recover. Birthing parentsare eligible for up to 10 weeks of paid leave, while non-birthingparents may take up to 4 weeks of paid leave. This time can be usedfor pre-natal care, pregnancy, childbirth, and related medicalneeds—ensuring every parent has the support they need during thisimportant life moment.8-weeks of paid parental leave for allparents. Additional paid pregnancy leave for CA employees
  
• Meals & Catering: Frequently cateredlunches and team meals, plus company-covered meals when extra timeor effort is required
  
• Snacks & Beverages: Fully stockedkitchen with unlimited snacks and drinks to keep you fueledthroughout the day
  
• Performance & Fitness: $100 monthlyfitness stipend to support peak performance and health, both insideand outside of work
  
• EV Charging: Onsite electric vehiclecharging available for employees