Systems Engineer

Cantos Ventures; Torrance (CA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Excellent healthcare

Flexible PTO

401K

Job summary

Cantos Ventures in Torrance, CA is seeking a systems engineer to help design and integrate modular motion technologies for aerospace and defense. You'll collaborate across systems, hardware, software, and mechanical teams to translate requirements into actionable inputs.

The role emphasizes MBSE-like thinking, rigorous design reviews, and traceability from system level to subsystems, with a startup, well-funded environment and equity.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, or related.
• 2+ years of systems or product engineering experience; relevant university projects count.
• Understand subsystems interactions and requirement flow from system to hardware/software.
• Strong written communication and ability to document technical details clearly.
• Manage multiple threads, track actions to closure, and inform stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Author and trace system-level requirements in JAMA; coordinate with discipline leads to allocate and close downstream requirements.
• Develop and maintain system engineering deliverables for PDR/CDR and customer submittals (ICD, system descriptions, verification matrices).
• Maintain traceability between verification activities, tests, and requirements; assemble evidence into data reports and certification submittals.
• Maintain and decompose IMS items; communicate status and risks to SE Lead and program management.
• Facilitate and document engineering sessions, design reviews, and cross-functional syncs; track and follow up on actions.
• Coordinate daily between systems, hardware, software and mechanical eng; translate requirements into actionable inputs and surface risks early.

Skills

Systems engineering

Documentation

Cross-functional collaboration

Requirements tracing

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, or related engineering discipline

Tools

JAMA

DOORS

Job description

Who We Are

We are pioneering modular motion technologies to power the next generation of innovation for Industrial, Aerospace and Defense. If you're excited about disrupting legacy industries and building systems that fly, let's chat!

We are at the forefront of innovation, crafting exclusive motion control components that propel the aerospace and defense sectors into the future.

A couple other things:

• We offer a lot of autonomy
• We like to run lean for impact
• We have great benefits
• We are well funded, and already generating revenue
• We just moved into a new large hangar facility in Hawthorne, CA

What you'll do:

• Author, maintain, and trace system-level requirements in JAMA. Coordinate with discipline leads to ensure downstream requirements are properly allocated and tracked to closure.
• Develop and maintain systems engineering deliverables required for formal design reviews (PDR, CDR) and customer submittals - including interface control documents, system descriptions, and requirements verification matrices.
• Maintain traceability between verification activities, test results, and requirements artifacts. Compile and organize evidence into customer data report packages and certification submittals.
• Maintain and decompose lower-level work items in the Integrated Master Schedule (IMS). Communicate status and flag risks to the SE Lead and program management.
• Facilitate and document engineering working sessions, design reviews, and cross-functional syncs. Own action item tracking and follow-up.
• Serve as a daily coordination point between systems, hardware, software, and mechanical engineering - translating requirements into actionable engineering inputs and surfacing integration risks early.

What you need:

• Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, or a closely related engineering discipline.
• 2+ years of systems or product engineering experience. Meaningful university project work — competition teams, capstone programs, or complex multi-disciplinary collaborations — counts.
• Demonstrated ability to understand how subsystems interact and how requirements flow from the system level down to hardware and software.
• Strong written communication. Comfortable authoring clear, structured technical documents that others will rely on.
• Able to manage multiple open threads simultaneously, track action items to closure, and keep stakeholders informed without being asked.

Nice to have:

• Familiarity with requirements management tools (JAMA, DOORS, or equivalent).
• Exposure to formal design review processes (PDR, CDR) in an aerospace, defense, or complex hardware context.
• Coursework or project experience in systems engineering methodology (V-model, MBSE, functional decomposition).
• Genuine interest in applying Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) practices - using structured modeling to capture architecture, behavior, and interface definitions for motion control and electromechanical systems. Hands-on MBSE experience is a plus; curiosity and willingness to develop these skills matter more.
• Prior internship or co-op in aerospace, defense, or hardware product development.

What we have to offer:

We are not just building components. We are reshaping the future of the Aerospace and Defense component industry, which is a $300B+ market! Come join us and help build next generation systems that will make a massive impact at global scale.

• Salary Range: $130,000-$150,000, plus equity and benefits at a well-funded, fast-moving startup
• We offer competitive compensation + equity
• Exceptional healthcare benefits, Medical is 100% covered by the company
• Flexible PTO
• 401K
• More to come!