Hop Aero · 1 day ago
Mechanical Design Engineer
LA Metro Area
Full-time
Onsite
Entry, Mid LevelHop Aero is building the physical internet, operating at the intersection of aerospace, national security, and hard execution. They are seeking a hands-on Mechanical Design Engineer to own real flight and ground hardware from concept through test and iteration, focusing on designing, fabricating, and testing hardware in demanding environments.
Aviation & Aerospace
No H1B
U.S. Citizen Only
Responsibilities
Design and own mechanical hardware for flight vehicles and ground support equipment (structures, tanks, mounts, mechanisms, test hardware)
Take parts from CAD to drawings to fabrication to assembly to test, with full ownership of outcomes
Design for manufacturability, rapid iteration, and imperfect real-world conditions
Support and participate in test campaigns, including on-site troubleshooting and repairs
Work directly with propulsion and test engineers to resolve mechanical issues uncovered during testing
Do hand calcs and run FEA simulations
Continuously improve internal design, build, and test workflows as we scale
Qualification
Required
Demonstrable experience designing and building real mechanical hardware that was tested in the real world
Strong CAD skills (SolidWorks, NX, or similar) and the ability to produce build-ready drawings
Solid understanding of common manufacturing methods (machining, welding, sheet metal, composites, rapid prototyping)
Comfort getting hands-on with hardware, tools, and test equipment
Ability to work independently, take ownership, and move forward with incomplete information
Willingness to spend time in the shop and at a remote test site when needed
Preferred
Experience level is flexible; we care more about what you've built than how many years you've worked
Benefits
Healthcare, office meals & snacks
Direct mentorship from founders & engineers with rich flight heritage
Fast upward mobility as the company grows
Company
Hop Aero
Stealth mode startup building a physical internet. More info coming soon.
Founded in 2024
2-10 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Early StageCompany data provided by crunchbase