Mechanical Engineer
Location
Hawthorne, CA
Posted on October 2, 2026
Location
Hawthorne, CA
Posted on October 2, 2026
Who We Are We are pioneering modular motion technologies to power the next generation of innovation for Industrial, Aerospace and Defense. If you're excited about disrupting legacy industries, and passionate about motor control technology, let's chat! We are at the forefront of innovation, crafting exclusive motion control components that propel the industrial, aerospace, and defense sectors into the future.
A couple other things: We are open to relocating you We have great benefits We are well funded, and already generating revenue We are located in beautiful Torrance, CA and just moved into a new large hangar facility
What you'll do: We are seeking a versatile, high-impact Engineer to lead the development of mission-critical hardware. This is a "full-lifecycle" role where you will own everything from the initial conversion of ambiguous concepts into rigorous requirements to the hands-on assembly and environmental qualification of flight hardware.
Requirements Architecture: Translate high-level, ambiguous mission needs into actionable functional and operational requirements for complex electromechanical systems. Precision Mechanism Design: Design and iterate on electromagnetic actuators and intricate mechanisms, integrating components such as precision gears, bearings, lead screws, braking systems, and encoders. Ruggedized Avionics: Develop high-performance avionics enclosures, focusing on innovative thermal management (heat rejection) and structural survivability in extreme, high-vibration, or vacuum environments. Environmental Qualification: Architect the test equipment and methodologies required for formal hardware qualification, ensuring total compliance with DO-160 and MIL-STD-810 standards. Cross-Functional Leadership: Act as a technical anchor across the organization, guiding integration efforts and supporting multidisciplinary teams through complex system testing. Supply Chain & Quality Advocacy: Partner closely with external suppliers to ensure the delivery of conforming hardware; proactively manage manufacturing deviations to maintain rigorous quality and schedule standards. Hands-on Execution: Maintain a "design-build-test" mindset, taking personal responsibility for the assembly, bring-up, and debugging of your own hardware prototypes.
What you need: Education: Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical discipline. Experience: 5+ years of experience through the full product lifecycle—from initial ideation and prototyping to high-fidelity production. Technical Expertise: A deep intuition for electromagnetic principles and a mastery of mechanical load paths and load cases. Analysis & Simulation: Proficiency in sizing analysis for strength, fatigue, and life cycles of actuator components (gears, shafts, housings). CAD Mastery: Advanced design experience in SolidWorks (or equivalent 3D modeling packages), including complex assemblies and configuration management. Manufacturing & GD&T: Fluency in ASME Y14.5 GD&T standards; ability to produce high-quality 2D drawings and collaborate with vendors to solve DFM (Design for Manufacturing) hurdles. Standards & Qualification: Proven track record of qualifying hardware against rigorous aerospace or military standards (DO-160, MIL-STD-810). Grit: A "builder" mindset—you are as comfortable at a computer as you are in the lab spinning wrenches and debugging your own hardware.
Nice to have: Qualification: Experience designing custom test equipment, writing formal procedures, and executing complex qualification test campaigns. Gearbox Specialization: Detailed knowledge of AGMA Standards, gearbox design analysis (ratios, backlash, lubrication), and specialized fabrication methods. Process Versatility: Experience navigating both high-compliance, "heavy" programs and fast-paced, lean R&D environments.
What we have to offer: We are not just building components. We are reshaping the future of the Aerospace and Defense component industry, which is a $300B+ market! Come join us and help build next generation systems that will make a massive impact at global scale.
This employer didn't publish a rate. For reference, welding jobs in Hawthorne, CA currently run a median of $39/hr in our index, with the middle half of them falling between $31–$60/hr across 42 postings with published pay. That median is a reasonable floor to anchor on when a recruiter asks what you're looking for.
We're tracking 44 other active welding openings in Hawthorne, CA right now, from 6 different employers. 21 of them were added in the last week. Across California as a whole we're tracking 586 other active welding openings from 266 employers. A metro this active generally means you have real leverage — employers here are competing for the same welders. Browse every welding job in Hawthorne, or widen the search to California.
The most active employers in California at the moment, by number of open welding reqs, are SpaceX (37), Relativity Space (22), and Welding Shop in Los Angeles, CA (18). Volume like that usually means either a genuine expansion or a staffing agency working several client sites — worth knowing which before you apply.
Within California, the best-paying metros we track by median hourly rate are Redondo Beach at $65/hr, Santa Ana at $48/hr, and Long Beach at $43/hr. If you can relocate or commute, that spread is worth factoring in.
Read straight from this posting's text. Confirm the exact qualification the employer wants before you test — requirements vary by shop even under the same code.
Pay figures are medians computed from live postings in the Welding Pros index, not from survey data, and they move as employers post. Mechanical Engineer figures were last recalculated when this page was built.