Mechanical Design Engineer, Ground Systems

Location: Huntington Beach, California, United States. The role requires eligibility under U.S. ITAR export regulations and authorization to work in the United States.

Salary: $105,000–$140,000 USD per year, plus performance incentives, equity, and benefits.

Company

hirify.global is a rapidly growing defense technology startup developing autonomous defense platforms and decentralized systems for the United States and its allies.

What you will do

• Design and develop ground support equipment, launch and deployment systems, transport fixtures, storage solutions, lifting and handling equipment, and supporting infrastructure.
• Create and maintain 3D CAD models, engineering drawings, bills of materials, and technical documentation for fabrication, assembly, inspection, maintenance, and field deployment.
• Perform first-order engineering calculations for structures, mechanisms, lifting features, restraints, and other load-bearing components under static and dynamic loads, vibration, shock, and environmental exposure.
• Collaborate with manufacturing, test, vehicle engineering, propulsion, avionics, and operations teams to define interfaces and resolve integration challenges.
• Support fabrication, assembly, installation, commissioning, and hands-on testing of ground systems through prototype and flight-hardware development.
• Write engineering analyses, test plans, operating procedures, maintenance documentation, and technical milestones for safe and repeatable ground operations.

Requirements

• U.S. work authorization or ITAR eligibility is required: U.S. citizen or national, lawful permanent resident, refugee, asylee, or eligible to obtain the required U.S. Department of State authorizations.
• At least 1 year of mechanical engineering experience, including designing, prototyping, and integrating mechanical systems in a professional, academic, hobby, or project setting.
• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
• Strong 3D CAD modeling skills using tools such as NX or SolidWorks, including GD&T according to ASME Y14.5.
• Hands-on ownership of end-to-end hardware development efforts, such as FSAE, DBF, Rocket Team, or similar projects.
• Availability for extended hours and weekends during critical development and test milestones.

Nice to have

• Experience with ground support equipment, launch equipment, transport fixtures, storage containers, lifting and handling devices, or industrial and aerospace support systems.
• Experience with first-order structural calculations or FEA for load-bearing components, frames, fixtures, and support structures.
• Knowledge of manufacturing and fabrication processes, tolerance stack-ups, welding, machining, sheet metal, or structural assemblies.
• Experience using Python or MATLAB for engineering calculations, data analysis, and test support.

Culture & Benefits

• Startup environment focused on rapid manufacturing, innovation, and national security.
• Healthcare, dental, and vision coverage, retirement savings, and paid time off.
• Performance-based incentives and equity participation.
• Funding for continuing education, training, and career development.
• Work alongside multidisciplinary engineering, manufacturing, test, and operations teams throughout the hardware lifecycle.