Aerospace Mechanical Engineer

Approach Venture LLC

$120K — $160K *
Aerospace & Defense
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related engineering discipline
  • 3+ years of experience in mechanical design, product development, manufacturing, testing, or research and development
  • Experience designing and building mechanical hardware for high-performance engineering applications
  • Experience working with high-pressure gas or fluid systems
  • Strong hands-on mechanical aptitude with experience assembling, testing, and troubleshooting hardware
  • Familiarity with engineering documentation, planning, and configuration management
  • Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced engineering environment

Responsibilities

  • Design, develop, and integrate mechanical hardware for launch and flight systems
  • Support engineering efforts across structural, thermal, and high-pressure fluid system development
  • Create detailed mechanical designs, engineering drawings, and technical documentation
  • Participate in laboratory and field testing, including hardware assembly, troubleshooting, and system integration
  • Collaborate with electrical, systems, fluids, and software engineers to ensure successful subsystem integration
  • Support design for manufacturability, production readiness, and continuous product improvement
  • Investigate hardware failures, perform root cause analysis, and implement design improvements

Benefits

  • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance
  • 401(k) with company match
  • Paid time off and paid sick leave
  • Equity opportunity
  • Professional development opportunities
  • Opportunity to work across multiple engineering disciplines while contributing to hardware from concept through testing in a fast-moving startup environment
Full Job Description
Mechanical Engineer - Design and Build Advanced Aerospace Hardware

Alameda, California | On-site

Opportunity Summary

Join a venture-backed aerospace startup developing an advanced launch platform that relies on robust mechanical systems operating in demanding environments. As a Mechanical Engineer, you will support the design, development, testing, and integration of hardware across multiple vehicle and launch platform subsystems, helping bring complex engineering concepts from initial design through validation. This is a highly hands-on engineering role with broad exposure across structures, high-pressure fluid systems, thermal protection, and integrated testing. You'll work closely with experienced engineers across multiple disciplines, contributing to hardware that is designed, built, tested, and continuously improved through rapid development cycles.

Job Duties
  • Design, develop, and integrate mechanical hardware for launch and flight systems
  • Support engineering efforts across structural, thermal, and high-pressure fluid system development
  • Develop mechanical components from concept through manufacturing, assembly, and validation
  • Create detailed mechanical designs, engineering drawings, and technical documentation
  • Participate in laboratory and field testing, including hardware assembly, troubleshooting, and system integration
  • Support instrumentation, data acquisition, and test hardware integration during development and validation activities
  • Collaborate with electrical, systems, fluids, and software engineers to ensure successful subsystem integration
  • Support design for manufacturability, production readiness, and continuous product improvement
  • Investigate hardware failures, perform root cause analysis, and implement design improvements
  • Maintain engineering documentation, test reports, and design revisions throughout development


Qualifications
  • Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related engineering discipline
  • 3+ years of experience in mechanical design, product development, manufacturing, testing, or research and development
  • Experience designing and building mechanical hardware for high-performance engineering applications
  • Experience working with high-pressure gas or fluid systems
  • Strong hands-on mechanical aptitude with experience assembling, testing, and troubleshooting hardware
  • Familiarity with engineering documentation, planning, and configuration management
  • Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple technical tasks
  • Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced engineering environment
  • Ability to work on-site in Alameda, California


Preferred Experience
  • Experience with high-pressure gas or fluid systems operating above 500 psi
  • Experience working in propulsion, hydrogen, aerospace, defense, or other high-performance test environments
  • Experience supporting hardware integration and system-level testing
  • Familiarity with thermal protection systems or structural hardware development
  • Experience using CAD software to design mechanical components and assemblies
  • Background working on multidisciplinary engineering teams
  • Passion for hands-on hardware development and continuous learning


Why Join Us
  • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance
  • 401(k) with company match
  • Paid time off and paid sick leave
  • Equity opportunity
  • Professional development opportunities
  • Opportunity to work across multiple engineering disciplines while contributing to hardware from concept through testing in a fast-moving startup environment


Compensation Details

$120,000 - $160,000

#LI-AV

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