Lead Mechanical Systems Engineer

Hermeus is an aerospace and defense technology company founded to radically accelerate air travel by delivering hypersonic aircraft. The company aims to develop hypersonic aircraft quickly and cost-effectively by integrating hardware-rich, iterative development with modern computing and autonomy. This approach has been validated through design, build, and test of the company’s first combined turbojet-ramjet engine and is now being scaled through its first flight vehicle program, Quarterhorse. Hermeus is also developing Darkhorse — an uncrewed hypersonic aircraft designed to deliver unique asymmetric capabilities to the warfighter.
We are currently seeking aLead Mechanical Systems Engineer to be a part of our team. The Fluids and Mechanisms team is responsible for flight fluid systems, tanks, powertrain, pumps, landing gear, actuators, and mechanisms. The team is vertically integrated and performs system design, vehicle trades, thermal/fluid and structural analysis, detailed in-house hardware design, test, and flight duties.  We iterate quickly, build solutions anchored in first principals, and drive to rapidly get to working hardware.  
About the Role:The Lead Mechanical Engineer role is responsible for support and leadership of a team of 3-5 individual contributors RE's focused on designing, building, qualifying, acceptance testing, and delivering flight mechanical systems. In addition to leadership and support responsibilities the role is responsible for technical individual contributor work which includes:system requirements scoping, clean sheet design, development, and production start of flight mechanical systems integrated into engine and vehicle systems. This highly interdisciplinary role requires strong 1st principles in mechanics, fluids, thermal, manufacturing; strong ability to communicate requirements in a rapidly changing environment; and the drive to rapidly and safely create novel and cutting-edge hardware to accelerate the future of hypersonic travel.  

Responsibilities:

• Management support of a team of 3-5 
• Creation, development, planning, and execution of team level strategy 
• Delivery of performant, cost effective, schedule conscious mechanical systems 
• Fully own critical flight hardware 
• Work with system owners to architect and place components within systems 
• System level architecture and sizing 
• System design, analysis, development testing, qualification, production introduction 
• Scope vehicle level operational methods and limits to ensure reliability and personnel safety through all phases of production and operation 
• Making risk conscious decisions aligned with program posture 
• Prioritize broad work scope to meet top company objectives 

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering discipline (mechanical, aerospace, physics, materials, etc.) 
• Experience using CAD to design parts and assemblies 
• 5+ years of Engineering, competition team, applied research experience related to fluid, mechanisms, or engine systems 
• Willingness to travel to support of hardware and flight tests 
• Willingness to work extended hours and weekends as needed 
• Great attitude in the face of extreme challenges 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in engineering discipline (mechanical, aerospace, physics, materials, etc.) 
• 4+ years of experience developing hardware from concept to production 
• Proficiency in compressible and incompressible flow, thermodynamics, kinematics, mechanism design, mechanics of materials, and materials 
• Strong knowledge of GD&T and stack-up analysis 
• Script programming experience (Python, Matlab, Excel, VBA, etc.) 
• Ability to execute in a scrappy, entrepreneurial manner with tight timelines. 
• Professional experience using Siemens NX/Teamcenter and ANSYS 

Hermeus understands that valuing diverse creative practices and forms of knowledge are crucial to and enrich the company's core mission. We encourage applications from everyone, including members of all equity-seeking communities, such as (but certainly not limited to) women, racialized and Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, and persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities and expressions.