Mechanical Engineer II

About the role

The Role: Helogen is seeking a Mechanical Engineer II in Los Angeles, CA to design and develop the spaceflight bioinstrumentation hardware that enables scientific research and manufacturing in space. You'll be joining a resourceful and scrappy team that includes a Mechanical Engineer, Head of Software, and Head of Engineering. We ideate and prototype rapidly, wear multiple hats, absorb new skills, and apply our past experience in creative ways. We value individual ownership within an overall framework of accountability and trust. As a Mechanical Engineer II, you'll design, analyze, and test the hardware that support Helogen's spaceflight bioinstrumentation, including electromechanical and microfluidic systems, from early concepts through deployment. In this role, you’ll have hands-on ownership of hardware development, and your work will help shape our mechanical engineering and fabrication processes as we scale. Responsibilities: - Design and analyze mechanical hardware for current and future spaceflight bioinstrumentation, including electromechanical and microfluidic systems; evaluate design tradeoffs to support engineering decisions - Develop, test, and document system prototypes - Apply rapid prototyping techniques, including FDM, SLA, laser cutting, and machining (from desktop-level CNC to full VMC), to quickly evaluate and refine designs - Develop CAD models, engineering drawings, and technical documentation to support fabrication and manufacturing - Partner with manufacturing teams to complete Design for Manufacturing (DFM) reviews and transition designs into production - Contribute to Assembly, Integration, and Test efforts of our full flight systems What We're Looking For: Requirements: - Demonstrated experience in mechanical and structural analysis - Strong experience in mechanical CAD modeling and design - Deep understanding of materials science, material properties, and compatibility, with an emphasis on polymers - Familiar with Design for Manufacturing (DFM) principles, CAM processes, and fabrication techniques - Proficient with rapid prototyping methods, including FDM, SLA, laser cutting, and machining - Comfortable using mechanical analysis software tools such as ANSYS or equivalent - Flexible, resourceful, and decisive; able to evaluate design tradeoffs, quantify risks, and make sound engineering decisions - Hands-on approach to hardware development, with experience building, testing, and iterating physical systems Nice to Have: - Experience designing hardware for aerospace, spaceflight, robotics, medical devices, laboratory instrumentation, or other complex engineered systems - Knowledge of electromechanical systems, microfluidics, precision mechanisms, or instrumentation - Experience supporting hardware through assembly, integration, and test activities - Personal passion for building and making things outside of work, such as robotics, automotive projects, machining, electronics, fabrication, or other technical hobbies - Startup or early-stage engineering experience Compensation: The salary range for this position is $140,000-$160,000 annually. Qualified candidates must be based in Los Angeles, California or willing to relocate there. Benefits: - Build alongside a founding team of visionaries and investors from NASA, Blue Origin, MIT Lincoln Lab, and the ISS - Unlimited PTO - Health, dental, vision and life insurance - 401(k) program - Membership to OneMedical - Be part of creating something new that will change the world Export Control Requirements Due to the nature of the work performed, applicants must be a U.S. Person as defined by U.S.* export control regulations or otherwise eligible to access export-controlled information and technology. *U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident, or protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) (i.e., individual admitted to the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum in the U.S.)