Mechanical Engineer

Hermeus · Los Angeles, California · Posted 2026-08-27

Hermeus is a venture-backed defense aviation company reclaiming the lost art of rapid iterative prototyping to build the fastest aircraft in the world today. By prioritizing relentless hardware iteration, we deliver high-speed systems at the pace of the modern battlefield. We work with the Department of War to provide the high-speed capabilities our nation and its allies need to maintain a durable, asymmetric advantage.

Responsibilities

Structural design supporting vehicle subsystems such as hydraulics, fuel systems, propulsion, and avionics
Perform structural and thermal analyses using both hand calculations and FEA
Lead trade studies across mechanical, fluid, and avionics subsystems with an emphasis on mass efficiency, cost, and performance
Collaborate with manufacturing, supply chain, and test teams to ensure designs are practical, producible, and aligned with program objectives
Own hardware development from concept through design, fabrication, integration, and test
Present technical content in internal reviews and represent the team in cross-functional and supplier/customer design reviews

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, or physics
1+ years of experience with electromechanical design, analysis, and testing (internships and significant student project experience qualify)

Preferred Skills and Experience

Hands-on prototyping and mechanical assembly experience for complex systems
Strong foundation in engineering fundamentals including statics, dynamics, heat transfer, fluid mechanics, vibe
Proficiency in CAD (NX preferred), FEA (Ansys preferred), and PLM tools (Teamcenter preferred)
Familiarity with mechanical testing under conditions such as vibration, fatigue, shock, vacuum, and thermal loads
Experience collaborating across disciplines (e.g., fluids, avionics, manufacturing) to deliver integrated systems
Demonstrated cradle to grave ownership of technically complex projects

Additional Requirements

Willingness to travel up to 25% of the time

The salary range listed for this role is intended as a general guideline. Final compensation will be determined based on a variety of factors, including role scope and responsibilities, relevant experience, education and training, key skills, market data, and business needs.

At Hermeus, compensation is only one part of our total rewards package. We offer competitive pay, equity, and a range of benefits designed to support our team.

Benefits:

Health & Wellness: 100% employer-paid healthcare and pet insurance
Financial: Competitive pay, stock options, 401(k) retirement plan, and potential year-end bonuses
Time Off: Paid parental leave, 12 federal holidays, unlimited PTO for exempt employees, and generous accrued PTO for non-exempt employees
Office Perks: Weekly paid office lunches and fully stocked breakrooms

U.S. EXPORT CONTROL COMPLIANCE STATUS

The person hired will have access to information and items subject to U.S. export controls, and therefore, must either be a “U.S. person” as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.62 or otherwise eligible for deemed export licensing. US persons include U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents (green card holders), and asylees and refugees with such status granted, not pending.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

Hermeus is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions at Hermeus are based solely on merit, competence, and qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.

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About Hermeus

Hermeus is developing Mach 5 aircraft to speed up the global transportation network.