Mechanical Engineer

Location: Hawthorne, CA (Los Angeles)

Work arrangement: Full-time, on-site five days per week

Compensation: $150,000–$220,000 base salary plus competitive equity

About the Company: We’re an early-stage defense technology startup building a scalable directed energy system to protect against attack drones and drone swarms. Our technology uses high-power radio frequency (RF) energy to disable drones and help defend critical infrastructure. Following a recent $10 million funding round, we’re growing a small, experienced team with backgrounds in high-power RF and defense engineering. We work with urgency, value first-principles thinking, and give engineers meaningful ownership of the hardware they build.

About the Role: We’re looking for a hands-on Mechanical Engineer to design and build the physical hardware behind our directed energy system. As one of our first mechanical engineers, you’ll own designs from concept through fabrication, working closely with RF and electrical engineers in an on-site lab. This role is ideal for someone with strong sheet metal and CNC-machined component design experience who has built robotic or electromechanical systems. We care about your engineering ability, practical judgment, and record of building hardware.

What You’ll Do: Design sheet metal and CNC-machined parts, assemblies, housings, and supporting structures. Develop mechanical housings and structures for several high-power RF components within your first 60 days. Build a robotic gimbal system that aims and positions the directed energy hardware. Own mechanical designs from initial concept and CAD through fabrication, assembly, and iteration. Collaborate closely with RF and electrical engineers to integrate mechanical hardware with power electronics, RF components, and embedded systems. Work hands-on in the lab to assemble hardware, troubleshoot issues, and refine designs. What You’ll Bring2–7 years of experience as a mechanical engineer. A degree in mechanical engineering. Strong CAD skills, including demonstrated experience designing sheet metal and CNC-machined components. Hands-on experience building robotic or electromechanical systems. Experience working with RF components and systems. A background in embedded systems and their integration into electromechanical hardware. The ability to work independently, move quickly, and solve problems using engineering fundamentals. Availability to work on-site in Hawthorne five days per week. U.S. citizenship or permanent residency. Visa sponsorship is not available.

Nice to Have: Experience designing or building gimbal systems. Experience with thermal design or hydraulics.

Why Join: Help build technology designed to address an urgent defense challenge. Take substantial ownership as an early member of the mechanical engineering team. Work alongside experienced high-power RF and defense engineers. See your designs move from CAD into physical hardware. Earn a competitive base salary and equity in a recently funded startup.