Mechanical Engineer
About Poseidon Aerospace:
Poseidon Aerospace is reimagining how the world moves goods. We build and operate full-size autonomous cargo aircraft; Heron, a seaplane, and Egret, a STOL aircraft; each 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
Even if you don't meet every qualification listed, we encourage you to apply. At Poseidon Aerospace, we value diverse perspectives and are always looking for talented individuals with unconventional backgrounds.