Sr. Hardware Development Engineer

Longwall; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Longwall, located in Long Beach, California, seeks a Senior Hardware Development Engineer responsible for owning complex hardware products that fly. You will ensure seamless collaboration across teams to deliver integrated flight-ready systems from concept through design and manufacturing.

The ideal candidate must have substantial experience in aerospace and defense, with a strong background in mechanical engineering. This role supports U.S. export compliance and is open to U.S. persons only.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of related industry experience or 6 years with a Master’s or 3 years with a Ph.D.
• Experience taking aerospace hardware from prototype to flight qualification.
• Hands-on experience with assembly and integration of flight hardware.

Responsibilities

• Take ownership of engineering products from ideation to field support.
• Lead mechanical design and configuration management.
• Drive design for manufacturability and assembly.

Skills

Python scripting

MATLAB

Mechanical design

Prototyping

Hands-on hardware test

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, aerospace, or related engineering discipline

Master’s degree

Ph.D.

Tools

CAD Tools

FEA Software

CFD Software

Job description

Long Wall Company was created in 2024 to accelerate missile defense technology for the U.S. and our allies. Building on the RS1 and GS0 launch systems, Long Wall develops containerized, mass‑producible missile defense systems and offers rapid, low‑cost flight testing. We believe that the future of global security and stability require defensive technology that is lower cost, higher performing, better tested, and more broadly distributed than is possible today. Join us.

What we look for

Mission-Driven Problem Solvers. The aerospace frontier demands ingenuity. We want team members who approach challenges with curiosity, embrace failure as a learning opportunity, and stay focused on delivering the best solution for the mission.

Total Ownership. We seek staff and engineers who take full responsibility for contributing to and delivering flight‑ready work while recognizing that no one succeeds alone. The best engineers, corporate professionals, and technicians make their teammates better. Knowing that complementary skills create force multiplication and drive mission success.

Sr. Hardware Development Engineer

Description

As a Senior Hardware Development Engineer at Long Wall, you are the technical owner of complex hardware products that fly. You are versatile, working in the lab as often as at your desk, and own products ranging from fluid manifolds and tubing systems to primary structure and avionics enclosures. You take your products from concept through design, manufacturing, qualification, and field support, and you set the technical bar for the engineers around you. You collaborate closely with propulsion, avionics, GNC, manufacturing, and test teams to deliver integrated, flight‑ready systems in a fast‑moving, evolving‑priorities environment.

• Take total ownership of complex Long Wall engineering products from ideation through design, manufacturing, qualification, and field support
• Lead the mechanical design, drawing release, and configuration management of flight and ground hardware in industry‑standard CAD tools
• Own the analysis stack for your products—hand calculations, FEA, CFD, thermal, and tolerance analyses—to validate designs against structural, thermal, and fluid performance requirements
• Drive design for manufacturability (DFM) and design for assembly (DFA), partnering closely with technicians, machinists, and suppliers to deliver hardware on cost and schedule
• Write and execute test procedures (component qualification, acceptance, integrated checkouts); analyze data and iterate designs based on results
• Author and present technical documentation—requirements, ICDs, design reviews, test plans, and reports—to internal and external stakeholders
• Mentor junior engineers, lead design reviews, and serve as the go‑to technical resource on your product line

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, aerospace, or related engineering discipline from an accredited university AND 8 years of related industry experience
• Master’s degree AND 6 years of related experience
• Ph.D. AND 3 years of related experience
• Experience taking aerospace or defense hardware from prototype through flight qualification and field support
• Ability to develop scripts in Python or MATLAB for automation and analysis
• Hands‑on experience with assembly, integration, and test of flight hardware in a fast‑paced lab environment
• Experience designing for containerization, rate production, or other mass‑producibility constraints
• Familiarity with U.S. missile defense, launch, or hypersonics programs
• Demonstrated ability to mentor junior engineers and lead technical design reviews

Physical & Environmental Requirements

• Ability to sit or stand for extended periods of time
• Ability to use a computer to complete assignments
• Ability to communicate with individuals and groups in person, by phone and telepresence
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee will typically work in an office environment

ITAR Requirement

This position requires access to information protected under U.S. export control laws, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations and/or the Export Administration Regulations. As such, U.S. person status—including U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents, individuals granted U.S. asylum status, or individuals admitted in U.S. refugee status—is a required qualification for this position.

Equal Opportunity Employer

We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, genetics, or citizenship status (when otherwise legally authorized to work and access export‑controlled data) and will not be discriminated against on the basis of such characteristics or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. We encourage applicants of all ages.