Manager, Mechanical Engineering - Hardware Test (X-BAT) (Aerospace)

Location: Seattle, Washington; on-site

Company

hirify.global develops AI-powered autonomy software and aircraft systems for intelligent operations in contested environments.

What you will do

• Lead, coach, hire, onboard, and develop the mechanical engineering team responsible for X-BAT hardware-test equipment.
• Own the mechanical hardware-test roadmap and delivery portfolio across development, subsystem integration, qualification, and production testing.
• Translate program milestones and verification needs into plans covering scope, priorities, staffing, schedules, dependencies, decision ownership, and risk reduction.
• Set engineering standards for requirements, architecture, design reviews, analysis, GD&T, tolerance analysis, DFM/DFA, documentation, configuration control, validation, and acceptance.
• Guide the design of safe, repeatable, maintainable test stands and fixtures, including structural, thermal, durability, environmental, facility, instrumentation, and hazard interfaces.
• Coordinate with test, electrical, avionics, systems, manufacturing, quality, facilities, supply chain, technicians, and program leadership; oversee fabrication, procurement, assembly, commissioning, sustainment, root-cause investigations, and corrective actions.

Requirements

• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering or a related STEM discipline.
• 8+ years of relevant experience developing complex mechanical hardware, test equipment, tooling, fixtures, or ground-support equipment in aerospace, defense, robotics, automotive, industrial systems, or another high-consequence environment.
• 2+ years of direct people-management experience, including goal setting, work allocation, coaching, performance management, hiring, and engineer development.
• Demonstrated success leading a team or function through the design, release, fabrication, assembly, checkout, deployment, and sustainment of multiple complex hardware systems.
• Strong mechanical engineering fundamentals covering statics and dynamics, load paths, strength and stiffness, fatigue and durability, materials and finishes, fastener design, tolerancing, GD&T, and machine or fixture safety.
• Experience establishing engineering standards and leading requirements, architecture, and design reviews.
• Proficiency with an industry-standard CAD and product-lifecycle or release workflow such as NX, SolidWorks, CATIA, Teamcenter, or an equivalent toolset.
• Experience managing a multi-project technical roadmap, balancing resources and priorities, and communicating risks and tradeoffs to program and engineering leadership.
• Hands-on experience in lab, prototype, manufacturing, or production environments, including collaboration with technicians, machinists, suppliers, and test operators; excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Nice to have

• Experience developing and sustaining aerospace ground-test or production-test equipment for avionics, propulsion, structures, actuation, power systems, or other flight-critical hardware.
• Experience with environmental or qualification testing involving vibration, shock, thermal, pressure, contamination, or durability testing and required facility interfaces.
• Experience with high-load structural fixtures, rotating equipment, fluid systems, thermal-management hardware, or propulsion-related test equipment.
• Working knowledge of ANSYS, Abaqus, Nastran, or equivalent analysis methods.
• Experience with system-safety and reliability practices including hazard analysis, DFMEA, FTA, proof-load testing, guarding, interlocks, or safe-state design.
• Experience improving equipment uptime, throughput, repeatability, maintainability, calibration, traceability, or configuration control in production or qualification environments.
• Experience developing capital-equipment plans and managing fabrication partners or equipment suppliers.
• Active secret clearance or eligibility to obtain one, as well as SCI eligibility.

Culture & Benefits

• On-site work supporting mission-critical aircraft hardware.
• Culture centered on technical rigor, urgency, ownership, candid communication, and safe hands-on execution.
• Collaboration across engineering, operations, manufacturing, facilities, supply chain, and program organizations.