Senior Mechanical Design Engineer

About the role

Senior Propulsion Engineer

About Astro Mechanica

Astro Mechanica operates as a vertically integrated aerospace company dedicated to building a faster, more connected future. Our primary mission is to democratize high-speed flight, making supersonic travel flexible, accessible, and sustainable. We envision a future where rapid, on-demand, point-to-point global mobility becomes the standard for transporting people and goods across the planet. To realize this vision, we integrate advanced airframe and engine technologies, including our proprietary dual-use propulsion system known as Duality™, with a novel flight operations model. This integration aims to make supersonic transport as efficient and economical as modern commercial air travel is today. In the near term, our focus is on developing adaptable, high-speed systems designed to close critical aircraft performance gaps for the United States government.

Our Team

Our organization is composed of hardcore engineers who are deeply passionate about aerospace. We function as generalists, each bringing specific subject matter expertise to a flat organizational structure. The culture is pragmatic and competent, where teams move fast to build world-changing technology.

The Role

Astro Mechanica is seeking a Senior Propulsion Engineer to join our expanding team. The ideal candidate will assume full ownership of hardware design, guiding it from initial concept through to production. Success in this position requires a deep understanding of how design decisions impact interconnected systems. Technical challenges are addressed by returning to first principles, and the work performed will have a direct influence on the configuration and performance of the Duality™ engine.

In this capacity, your primary mission is to shepherd our innovative jet engine and its subsystems through every stage of the product lifecycle. This journey starts with early prototyping and extends through flight qualification, vehicle integration, and ultimately, aircraft flight. We operate under the philosophy that testing must simulate real-world flight conditions as closely as possible.

Responsibilities

Your daily contributions will involve a blend of analytical thinking and hands-on execution. You will be responsible for conducting design trade studies while always considering the broader system-level impacts. This is followed by the creation of detailed propulsion hardware geometry, utilizing advanced solid modeling workflows.

Design reviews form a critical part of the process, where you will present concepts and actively solicit feedback from various stakeholders. You will then move into the prototyping phase, where you assemble components firsthand and design the necessary complementary tooling. Establishing clear work instructions for these processes is also a key duty.

Once prototypes exist, your role shifts to data-driven verification. You will conduct rigorous hardware tests and analyze the resulting data to ensure all requirements and performance metrics are met. When hardware problems arise, you will diagnose the issues efficiently and determine the appropriate corrective actions. Finally, you will guide the handoff to the operations team, ensuring production methods align perfectly with the original design intent. Collaboration with flight teams is essential to successfully integrate engine modules into the final aircraft configuration.

Qualifications

To be considered for this position, you must possess a minimum of 7 years of hands-on experience working with fluidic systems and propulsion hardware. Your technical proficiency must include modeling components in solid, surface, and sheet metal CAD within Siemens NX environments.

A strong foundation in manufacturing methods, precision measurement practices, and geometric tolerancing is required. You must also have a deep understanding of thermodynamics, heat transfer, and turbomachinery behavior as they apply to propulsion systems. Practical experience with data acquisition setups, instrumentation, and power electronics integration is essential.

We seek a self-motivated individual who drives continuous improvement beyond simply completing assigned tasks. The ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment while maintaining meticulous attention to detail and high-quality standards is non-negotiable.

Perks and Benefits

Astro Mechanica provides a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your well-being. This includes medical, dental, and vision insurance, with coverage extended to Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA). Our compensation package features a 401(k) program and a transparent stock option plan.

We offer a self-managed, flexible time-off policy, encompassing paid time off, holidays, and sick days. The work environment itself is flexible, and we provide company-funded perks such as weekly team lunches and official Astro Mechanica merchandise.

Work Location and Policy

The position is based in San Francisco and is structured as a full-time engagement. Compensation for this role is listed at $180,000 per year, commensurate with 4 years of relevant experience.

At Astro Mechanica, we highly value in-office work to foster collaboration and strengthen our company culture. Consistent with this value, working in the office five days a week is considered an essential part of the employee's role.

Astro Mechanica is an equal opportunity employer. We proudly recruit and hire a diverse workforce and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.