Lead Design Engineer

Fathoms is a defense technology company building Brilliant Machines™. We believe that our in-person work environment is a cornerstone of our success, and have teams in Austin, Texas; Cody, Wyoming; and Washington, D.C. We are looking for a curious, creative, and mission-driven Lead Design Engineer with a technical foundation who is naturally fascinated by the challenges and detail work in enabling industrial automation. This role requires a hands-on engineer able and willing to personally perform design tasks from CAD to prototype assembly to laboratory testing. This position will be instrumental in developing disruptive gearbox prototypes.


The Fathom5 Lead Design Engineer will:

• Assist senior engineers with CAD modeling, product prototyping, and testing
• Design, Procure, and/or print machine components including prime movers, instruments, controls, and machined/printed parts
• Support the Fathom5 engineering team in the design of novel industrial automation solutions
• Prepare and organize documentation of key product decisions and design changes
• Work with software and electrical engineering teams to integrate new technologies into our Tesar Actuators
• Translate client desires into tangible deliverables
• Test products for functionality
• Assemble hardware according to design specifications and ensure on-time delivery of Fathom5 Tesar Power Actuators
• Contribute to Company development meetings, on-cadence stand-up, and demo days
• Learn the Fathom5 product line and make product improvement recommendations
• Collaborate with team members to help merge the physical assembly, hardware integration and software integration of our product lines

The Fathom5 Lead Design Engineer position requires:

• Design knowledge - Working knowledge of machine detailing and design.
• Proven Innovation - Listed Inventor on US Patent, Completed Professional or Personal custom machinery project, prior primary design authority for a novel gearbox, or experience in an R&D Engineering group.
• Proficiency with design tools - Experience with Computer Aided Design (CAD) tools
• Proficiency with shop/assembly tools - Knowledge of hand and power tools used to assemble machines in a prototype shop and the ability to use those tools to deliver quality prototypes.
• Clear and effective communication - Written and oral communication skills sufficient to explain and document technical findings in an articulate manner.
• Quick learning - The ability and desire to quickly learn new technology.
• Team-first mentality - The ability and desire to work in a team environment.
• Startup Stamina - Fathom5 is changing the world at the intersection of industrial systems and advanced software. Sometimes changing the world requires long hours, standing for full days at events, and medical clearance for building and testing actuator prototypes as well as occasional travel in support of our customers.

Ultimately, a successful Lead Design Engineer provides valuable support to the design team while continually improving their engineering knowledge and skills.

The Fathom5 Lead Design Engineer is an intermediate position and will have these credentials:

• B.S. from an accredited four-year university in Engineering (preferably Mechanical, Aerospace, or Civil)
• 5-10 years of experience in an engineering environment
• Capable of executing gearbox design from operating requirements

Preferred knowledge and experience:

• Design of control systems including PID feedback loops.
• Specification and selection of electrical motors for actuation
• Instrumentation of actuators for data acquisition and control

At Fathom5, we believe that a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace makes us a more relevant and resilient company. We welcome people from all backgrounds, ethnicities, cultures, and experiences. Fathom5 providesequal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.


We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.