Engineering·Full-Time·Bay Area / On-Site

Senior Engineer

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Department

Engineering

Type

Full-Time

Location

Bay Area / On-Site

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This is a full-time, hybrid role in the Bay Area, CA for a Mid to Senior Level Mechanical Engineer specializing in vehicle assembly, load dynamics, fabrication, and actuation. This role begins as soon as possible and is structured around a critical, high-stakes build sprint. You will report directly to our CTO and manage ~5 engineers. You will not be designing hull hydrodynamics — instead, you will have complete ownership over structural assemblies, actuation mechanisms, and the integration of electro-mechanical subsystems to bring our next 15ft and 35–50ft prototypes to life. This is for someone who thrives in early-stage, hardware-heavy environments such as aerospace, race cars, or autonomous vehicles.

Responsibilities

Design and fabricate structural components, mounting brackets, and mechanical assemblies for 15ft and 35ft prototype vessels.
End-to-End Ownership: fully own structural components, mechanical assemblies, and vehicle dynamics/actuation subsystems from CAD to deployment.
Rapid CAD-to-Reality: use SolidWorks for detailed manufacturing designs, source materials, conduct fit checks, and iterate relentlessly based on structural testing.
Hands-On Fabrication: perform machining, metalwork, composites, and rapid prototyping directly on the shop floor.
Field Deployment: integrate subsystems with cross-functional teams, troubleshoot on the fly, and operate as a core maritime crew member during ocean deployments and sea trials.
Manage and develop a team of ~5 engineers through a high-stakes build sprint.

Requirements

Clearance / Citizenship: US Citizen or US Permanent Resident (Green Card holder) required for ITAR compliance.
BS in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent, with 6+ years of experience in vehicle dynamics, robotics, UAVs, or high-performance mechanical systems.
High proficiency in SolidWorks with strong practical intuition for GD&T, DFM, and structural analysis.
Extensive hands-on fabrication experience: machining, prototype assembly, metalwork, and composites.
Proven ability to manage multiple rapid deadlines independently and own early-stage hardware from sketch to functional deployment.

Nice to Have

8+ years of hands-on R&D experience with vehicles or complex mechanical systems.
Experience building early-stage hardware prototypes from concept to deployed product.
Hydraulic actuator design and integration experience.
Composite design and fabrication knowledge.
Experience with vessel or off-road vehicle structural systems.
Operational experience working with deployed vehicles or maritime platforms.

This role is for you if

✓You are relentlessly hands-on — you are on the shop floor cutting, drilling, welding, and assembling hardware, not just managing builds.
✓You design elegantly and build with ruthless speed, taking absolute ownership from initial CAD to final physical product.
✓You excel at translating ambiguous, high-level ideas into robust, functional assemblies using first-principles thinking.
✓You are driven by the desire to build critical technology that matters and thrive in high-velocity, high-stakes environments.

This is NOT for you if

×You prefer managing builds over being hands-on in the shop.
×You need a large team infrastructure or well-defined processes to be effective.
×You are not comfortable with rapid iteration, shifting priorities, or early-stage ambiguity.