Senior Mechanical Design Engineer, Ground Systems (Aerospace)

Location: Huntington Beach, California, United States. The role requires eligibility to work with ITAR-controlled technology and availability for extended hours or weekends during critical development and test milestones.

Salary: $140,000–$180,000 USD per year, plus performance incentives, equity, and benefits.

Company

Mach Industries is a rapidly growing defense technology company 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.
• Perform first-order calculations for structures, mechanisms, lifting features, restraints, and other load-bearing components under static and dynamic loads.
• 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 through prototype and flight-hardware development.
• Prepare engineering analyses, test plans, operating procedures, maintenance documentation, and technical milestones.

Requirements

• 4+ years of mechanical engineering experience designing, prototyping, and integrating mechanical systems.
• 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 hardware development experience from concept through fabrication, assembly, and testing.
• Ability to translate operational and system-level requirements into mechanical designs, engineering analyses, and testable hardware.
• Must be authorized to work with applicable U.S. export-controlled technology under ITAR requirements, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations.

Nice to have

• Experience with ground support equipment, launch equipment, transport fixtures, storage containers, lifting devices, or aerospace support systems.
• Experience with structural calculations, FEA, mechanical interfaces, tolerance stack-ups, welding, machining, sheet metal, or structural assemblies.
• Knowledge of vibration, shock, temperature extremes, corrosion, dust, moisture, transport, deployment, and relevant industrial safety standards.
• 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, vision, retirement savings, and paid time off.
• Performance-based incentives and equity participation.
• Funding for continuing education, training, and professional development.
• Direct involvement in multidisciplinary hardware development and real-world operations.