Forward Deployed Engineer

Forward Deployed Mechanical Engineer for AI-Powered Aerospace & Defense Engineering CompanyLocation: Long Beach, CAWork Arrangement: Hybrid—remote, plus onsite collaboration with the founder and customersEmployment Type: Full-timeOur mission is to reduce the time it takes aerospace and defense hardware teams to move from concept to manufacturable design by 10–100x. We are building a software platform that transforms hardware design workflows from sequential processes into parallel, AI-enabled engineering workflows.We are developing this platform alongside aerospace companies tackling some of the industry's most demanding challenges in real time. Our approach is grounded in hands-on hardware engineering, with software built around the needs of engineers working on real systems.Two high-profile commercial customers, with active contracts supporting real flight hardware.Approximately $3 million in potential commercial contracts under discussion for 2027.A NASA SBIR Ignite Phase I award, with an anticipated 20-month Phase II valued at $1 million. Phase II is expected, rather than confirmed.You will be the company's founding mechanical engineer, working directly with the founder.We are looking for a hardware engineer who wants to solve challenging aerospace and defense problems while collaborating with our software team to build tools that improve how engineering gets done. This role combines hands-on hardware work with direct influence over an emerging engineering software platform.Real hardware from the start. Perform structural and dynamics work on flight hardware for paying customers during your first months.Shape the product. Translate the workflows you execute into requirements for the platform's next automation capabilities.Learn directly from the founder. Work side by side on customer programs before independently taking ownership of customer accounts.Grow with the company. Develop from executing engineering work to leading delivery across customers and engineers as the platform grows. Equity is part of the opportunity.Solve complex mechanical hardware challenges across aerospace and defense, including structures, dynamics, loads, and mechanisms.Develop load cases; create, process, and interpret finite element models; establish engineering margin policies; and resolve critical flight hardware issues for customers.Conduct design reviews, trade studies, and test planning for structures and mechanisms.Turn fragmented inputs—including CAD, finite element analysis results, test data, spreadsheets, and technical conversations—into clear engineering conclusions and automated workflows.Develop scripts and AI agent workflows that automate engineering checks otherwise performed manually.Partner with the software team to translate engineering workflows into platform features and validate them against real engineering work.Manage customer calls, deliverables, and project scope once fully ramped.A strong hardware engineer. A master's degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering, with new graduates welcome, or a bachelor's degree plus a few years of experience in a demanding hardware environment.Strong engineering fundamentals. Knowledge of structures and dynamics, hands-on FEA experience using Ansys, Abaqus, NX/Simcenter, Femap, or similar tools, and a practical approach grounded in first principles.Hands-on experience. A record of successfully building hardware through professional work, laboratory projects, or competition teams such as rocketry, CubeSat, or Formula SAE. Aerospace or defense internships are a significant plus.Comfort with software development. Regular use of software-driven approaches in hardware workflows, such as Python, TypeScript, Docker, or similar technologies. Familiarity with APIs for mechanical engineering tools.Active interest in AI. Already using AI agents in your work and following advances in agent-enabled engineering and development.Independent ownership. Able to turn incomplete direction into progress, take initiative, and work effectively amid ambiguity and changing priorities.U.S. citizenship required.Hybrid: remote work combined with regular in-person collaboration with the founder in the Los Angeles area and onsite work at customer facilities, primarily in California.Daily meetings with the founder during the first 30 days, tapering to weekly meetings as you ramp.Full-time employee position.Base salary: $95,000–$130,000, depending on degree and experience.Equity: Available as part of the compensation package.