Degree in mechanical, electrical, aerospace, manufacturing, or related engineering field, or equivalent hands-on experience.
Experience in building, inspecting, testing, or improving hardware; internships and substantial project work accepted for Level I.
Ability to read engineering drawings and use measurement and inspection tools effectively.
Strong problem-solving skills to identify root causes and implement corrective actions.
Clear communication skills with technicians, engineers, and suppliers, with a willingness to engage on the factory floor.
On-site work capability at Icarus in El Segundo, taking ownership of evolving quality processes.
Responsibilities
Own build quality from incoming parts through aircraft assembly, collaborating with manufacturing, engineering, and supply chain.
Create practical inspection criteria for various components and establish checks for new suppliers and design changes.
Document and contain nonconforming materials, coordinating with engineering for resolutions.
Work with suppliers to address recurring defects and enhance part consistency.
Translate build and test findings into clear work instructions and feedback for design improvements.
Maintain inspection records and material traceability using ION and supporting tools.
Analyze defect and yield data to identify improvement opportunities and validate fixes.
Benefits
Meaningful equity in the company.
Top market salary and bonuses.
Health, dental, and vision insurance.
Work in a factory located in El Segundo.
Real ownership of projects and hardware.
Small team environment with significant responsibilities.
High signal-to-noise culture prioritizing engineering over management.
Dream desk setup for optimal productivity.
Daily lunch provided.
Unlimited Celsius drinks available.
Full Job Description
Levels
We are hiring at Level I, Level II, and Level III through this posting. Your level will be determined during the interview process based on your technical skills, relevant experience, and demonstrated scope of ownership. What you'll do
Own build quality from incoming parts through aircraft assembly, working hands-on with manufacturing, engineering, test, and supply chain.
Create practical inspection criteria for purchased parts, composite structures, avionics, wiring, and mechanical assemblies; establish first-article checks for new suppliers and design changes.
Contain and document nonconforming material, coordinate engineering disposition, and verify corrective actions before the issue reaches another build.
Work directly with suppliers to resolve recurring defects and improve the consistency of parts arriving at the factory.
Turn build and test findings into clearer work instructions, in-process checks, and feedback to the design team.
Keep inspection records, material traceability, and configuration records connected to the aircraft being built, using ION and supporting tools.
Use defect, rework, and yield data to identify the most valuable improvements and confirm that fixes work.
Support calibrated measurement tools, production readiness reviews, and flight-hardware acceptance as the build rate grows.
What we're looking for
A degree in mechanical, electrical, aerospace, manufacturing, or a related engineering field, or equivalent hands-on experience.
Experience building, inspecting, testing, or improving real hardware; internships and substantial project work count for Level I.
Ability to read engineering drawings and specifications and use appropriate measurement and inspection tools.
Strong problem-solving skills: distinguish a symptom from a root cause, document evidence, and follow corrective actions through to completion.
Clear communication with technicians, engineers, and suppliers, and a willingness to spend time on the factory floor.
Ability to work on-site at Icarus in El Segundo and take ownership of quality as designs and production processes evolve.
Bonus
Experience with aerospace or other complex electromechanical products, composites, or supplier quality.
Familiarity with first-article inspection, manufacturing quality systems, or statistical process analysis.
Experience using ION, an ERP/MES, or Python/SQL to improve traceability and quality reporting.
Our culture = elite sports team. Winning = having fun
Hyperfocus
Extreme Ownership
Radical Transparency
Why Icarus
Meaningful equity
Top market salary and bonuses
Health, dental, and vision insurance
Factory in El Segundo
Real ownership, real hardware, real flight
Small team, massive responsibility
High signal (engineering) to noise (management) culture
Dream desk setup
Daily lunch
Unlimited celsius
This is not a normal engineering job
We are pioneers, not corporate managers. Icarus deliberately optimizes for a high signal (engineers) to noise (management) ratio, where engineering, flight, and execution matter more than process, politics, or management overhead.
You will work side by side with the CEO and a small team of world-class builders. You will own your work end to end. Test it. Break it. Find the failure. Fix it. Validate it. Then do it again, faster.
We expect full extreme ownership. This is a high-trust, no-BS team, and everyone pulls their weight.
We are hiring across the stack: mechanical, aerodynamics, RF, GNC, electrical, avionics, power electronics, energy storage, software, and systems.
We want builders. No hand-holding. No fluff. No fake projects. No slide decks. No sitting in meetings all day. Just raw engineering, real hardware, and real flight.
You must thrive under pressure, learn fast, troubleshoot in the field, and push hardware to its limits. We move fast. We go to Mojave at 4 am in the morning. We expect results and an obsession with quality and speed.
You will be a core part of getting flight systems from concept to reality, proving they work and driving rapid iteration loops. If you want real ownership, real hardware, and real flight, this is it.
No tourists. No bystanders. Only builders. Hiring process
Technical interview
One-on-one with CEO
Meet the team in-person
US salary range
Level I: $100,000 - $140,000 USD per year
Level II: $140,000 - $180,000 USD per year
Level III: $180,000 - $220,000 USD per year
These ranges reflect annual base salary. Final level and base salary will be determined individually based on relevant skills, experience, and the scope of responsibility.
The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are considered part of Icarus' total compensation package.
