Director, Mechanical Engineering

About the role

This position is a leadership opportunity for a seasoned mechanical engineer who thrives on solving intricate technical problems while guiding the development of next-generation hardware. You will own the end-to-end mechanical and optomechanical design strategy for advanced sensing platforms, ensuring technical excellence and team cohesion. The role requires active participation in hands-on engineering work alongside managing and expanding a high-performing team of specialists. You will define the technical direction for precision mechanical systems, balancing innovation with practical implementation constraints. Success in this position hinges on your ability to navigate complex design challenges and translate them into robust, manufacturable solutions. You will mentor engineers at all levels, fostering a culture of rigorous analysis and continuous improvement. This is a chance to shape the mechanical foundation of critical sensing technologies from initial concept through production scale-up.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Direct the conception, architecture, and detailed design of complex mechanical and optomechanical systems, including telescope structures, optical support assemblies, precision mechanisms, and metrology instruments.
• Cultivate, guide, and directly manage a high-performing team of mechanical engineers spanning junior to senior levels, providing technical leadership and career development.
• Oversee mechanical engineering execution across multiple concurrent development programs, balancing technical quality, schedule adherence, and business objectives.
• Conduct rigorous design reviews, perform in-depth engineering trade-offs, and provide authoritative technical guidance throughout the entire product lifecycle from concept to deployment.
• Collaborate closely with executive engineering leadership to define technical roadmaps, establish organizational growth strategies, and set forward-looking engineering priorities.
• Supervide in-depth structural, thermal, vibration, and tolerance analyses to validate that designs meet stringent performance, reliability, and safety criteria.
• Lead difficult technical problem-solving during prototyping, system integration, qualification testing, manufacturing ramp-up, and field production support.
• Drive the selection and management of suppliers, fabrication partners, and manufacturing readiness activities to ensure capability and quality.
• Implement and sustain robust engineering processes, design standards, documentation procedures, and quality expectations to enable scalable team growth and knowledge transfer.
• Champion the adoption of best practices in precision engineering, ensuring designs are optimized for manufacturability, cost-effectiveness, and performance.
• Serve as the primary technical authority for mechanical systems, interfacing with cross-functional stakeholders to align on requirements and resolve dependencies.
• Mentor and coach engineers on advanced analysis techniques, debugging methodologies, and innovative design thinking.
• Ensure compliance with industry standards, regulatory requirements, and internal quality management systems relevant to aerospace and precision hardware.
• Foster a collaborative environment that encourages experimentation, data-driven decision making, and continuous process improvement within the mechanical organization.
• Represent the mechanical engineering function in high-stakes discussions with leadership, customers, and partner organizations.

Requirements

• Hold a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a closely related technical field.
• Possess a minimum of 10 years of progressive experience designing complex mechanical systems within aerospace, automotive, robotics, or other high-performance hardware sectors.
• Demonstrate prior experience leading mechanical engineering teams while continuing to contribute significant hands-on technical work.
• Bring a proven history of collaborating effectively with diverse functional teams including engineering, manufacturing, quality, and program management.
• Show a documented track record of successfully taking products from initial concept through detailed design, prototyping, validation, manufacturing, and production deployment.
• Exhibit expert-level proficiency with CAD platforms such as SolidWorks, Siemens NX, or equivalent 3D modeling software.
• Maintain a strong comprehensive understanding of finite element analysis (FEA), geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T), tolerance analysis, design for manufacturing and assembly (DFM/DFA), precision machining processes, fabrication methods, and assembly techniques.
• Have experience leading formal technical design reviews and guiding engineers through resolution of complex design issues.
• Demonstrate excellent communication skills with the ability to influence technical direction and decisions across multidisciplinary teams and organizational levels.
• Commit to working on-site at the Los Angeles, Canada location during standard business hours.
• Be prepared to engage in occasional travel as required for project needs, team collaboration, or customer meetings.
• Align with the company's employment eligibility requirements as applicable to the position.

Nice to have

• Experience with metrology instruments and precision alignment systems.
• Background in developing sensors or optical positioning systems.

Practical notes

This role is based on-site in Los Angeles, Canada.

The position is full-time.

Travel may be required for project needs.

Candidates must meet all eligibility requirements as stated.