Mechanical Engineer

Poseidonaero
Alameda, US
On-site

Who this role is best for

Aimed at new graduates or early-career mechanical engineers who can work hands-on with prototypes and contribute to structural design in a startup environment.

Best fit for

  • New graduates or early-career engineers with CAD and FEA proficiency
    — “We encourage candidates without at least a year of full-time, post graduation work experience to apply to our Mechanical Engineer (New Graduate) job posting”
  • Individuals comfortable with both analytical and hands-on work in aerospace design
    — “This role is both analytical and hands-on, involving close collaboration with manufacturing, aerodynamics, and test teams to bring designs from concept to flight hardware.”
  • Candidates with experience in composite and metallic fabrication methods
    — “Familiarity with composite and metallic fabrication methods”

Things to consider

  • The role demands independent project management in a fast-paced, startup environment
    — “Capable of managing projects independently in a fast-paced, startup environment”
  • Candidates must be willing to work with prototypes and shop tools regularly
    — “Comfortable working hands-on with prototypes, test articles, and shop tools”

How to stand out

  • Highlight experience with bonded composites or hybrid assemblies on your resume
    — “Experience with bonded composite structures or hybrid assemblies”
  • Demonstrate your ability to apply GD&T and mechanical tolerancing in production drawings
    — “Ability to apply GD&T and mechanical tolerancing to production drawings”
  • Showcase your understanding of flight mechanics and aircraft dynamics in interviews
    — “Understanding of fundamentals of flight mechanics and aircraft dynamics”
  • Emphasize your track record of creating detailed part/assembly documentation
    — “Create detailed part/assembly drawings and documentation for manufacturing and inspection”
  • Demonstrate your ability to provide design feedback that improves manufacturability
    — “Provide design feedback to improve manufacturability, maintainability, and structural efficiency”
Pace · Fast PacedCollaboration · HighAutonomy · MediumDecision Impact · Individual

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

  • design aircraft structures and mechanisms
  • validate strength and stiffness
  • collaborate with manufacturing engineers
  • support testing and validation
Typical background
mechanical engineering degreeproficiency with CAD softwareunderstanding of structural design

Skills & requirements

Required

Mechanical EngineeringCAD SoftwareFEA ToolsGD&TMechanical TolerancingComposite And Metallic Fabrication MethodsFlight MechanicsAerospace Dynamics

Preferred

Bonded Composite StructuresActuation SystemsVibration AnalysisFatigue AnalysisModal AnalysisMatlabPythonDFMDFA

Stack & domain

CADFEAComposite And Metallic Fabrication MethodsFundamentals Of Flight MechanicsAerospace DynamicsGD&TMechanical TolerancingComposite StructuresHybrid AssembliesActuation SystemsLinkagesMotion MechanismsVibrationFatigueModal AnalysisMachiningAdditive ManufacturingAssembly ToolingDesign For ManufacturingDesign For AssemblyMatlabPythonCollaborationHands-on WorkProject ManagementFast-paced EnvironmentIndependenceAerospaceEngineering

About the role

Original posting from Poseidonaero via Ashby

ABOUT POSEIDON AEROSPACE:

Poseidon Aerospace is reimagining how the world moves goods. We build and operate full-size autonomous cargo aircraft - capable of carrying two tons of payload over a thousand nautical miles. From remote communities to contested logistics operations, our platforms unlock a new cost curve for air freight, making it faster, cheaper, and accessible anywhere it's needed. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area with locations in Washington DC, Oregon, and Maine; we're building something consequential.

We encourage candidates without at least a year of full-time, post graduation work experience to apply to our Mechanical Engineer (New Graduate) job posting

As a Mechanical Engineer at Poseidon Aerospace, you will design the structural and mechanical systems that make our composite aircraft functional and manufacturable. You will work across CAD design, mechanism development, and finite element analysis to create reliable, lightweight structures suited for flight and marine environments. This role is both analytical and hands-on, involving close collaboration with manufacturing, aerodynamics, and test teams to bring designs from concept to flight hardware.

Responsibilities:

  • Design and develop aircraft structures, mechanisms, and tooling using CAD software
  • Perform FEA to validate strength, stiffness, and load paths in composite and metallic components
  • Create detailed part/assembly drawings and documentation for manufacturing and inspection
  • Design linkages, control surface mechanisms, and mounting systems for aircraft subsystems
  • Collaborate with manufacturing engineers to ensure designs are practical, cost-effective, and easy to assemble
  • Support testing and validation of structural and mechanical systems, including fixture and rig design
  • Maintain CAD libraries, revision control, and configuration management for aircraft assemblies
  • Provide design feedback to improve manufacturability, maintainability, and structural efficiency

Ideal Qualifications:

  • Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field
  • Proficiency with CAD software such as Fusion,, SolidWorks, CATIA, or NX
  • Strong understanding of structural design, stress analysis, and mechanical systems
  • Experience with FEA tools such as ANSYS, Fusion Simulation, Nastran, or similar
  • Ability to apply GD&T and mechanical tolerancing to production drawings
  • Familiarity with composite and metallic fabrication methods
  • Understanding of fundamentals of flight mechanics and aircraft dynamics
  • Comfortable working hands-on with prototypes, test articles, and shop tools
  • Capable of managing projects independently in a fast-paced, startup environment

Nice to Have:

  • Experience with bonded composite structures or hybrid assemblies
  • Background in actuation systems, linkages, or motion mechanisms
  • Knowledge of vibration, fatigue, or modal analysis
  • Hands-on experience with machining, additive manufacturing, or assembly tooling
  • Familiarity with design for manufacturing (DFM) and design for assembly (DFA)
  • Proficiency in MATLAB or Python for analysis and process automation
  • Exposure to aerospace certification or flight test environments

WHAT YOU GET FROM US

  • Competitive salary and meaningful early-stage equity
  • Relocation support if applicable
  • Employee Health Benefit Plans
  • 6% Retirement matching
  • Flexible PTO
  • Free lunches, snacks, and a stocked fridge at our offices
  • AI tools and subscriptions

Source: Poseidonaero careers (Ashby)

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