Job Description

Job Description

About SerenX\n

SerenX is building the next generation of portable, autonomous defensive missile systems to protect America and our allies. We're making advanced air defense smaller, more affordable, and accessible to the people who need it.

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We're an institutionally funded defense technology company performing work on U.S. Department of Defense contracts. Our founding team includes Y Combinator alumni, former Special Operations leaders, and experienced aerospace engineers.

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We believe in small engineering teams with real ownership. We design, build, test, fly, break things, learn, and build again.

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The Role\n

We're hiring a Mechanical Design Engineer I/II to join our founding R&D team and help turn ambitious aerospace concepts into working flight hardware.

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You'll work directly with our Senior Mechanical Design Engineer, CTO, and cross-functional engineering team to design, prototype, integrate, and improve components and assemblies for our SX family of interceptor systems.

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This is not a CAD-only position. You'll take designs from SolidWorks to the workbench, collaborate with machinists and technicians, participate in prototype assembly and field testing, and see how your engineering decisions perform in the real world.

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We're looking for someone with strong engineering fundamentals, practical mechanical skills, and a genuine passion for building things.

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Recent graduates and early-career engineers are encouraged to apply. We value ambitious engineering projects, demonstrated ability, and hands-on experience as much as traditional employment history.

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Location: Melbourne, FL On-site

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Employment: Full-time

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Compensation: $75,000–$110,000 + equity

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Level: Mechanical Design Engineer I or II, based on experience and demonstrated ability.

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Reports to: Senior Mechanical Design Engineer, CTO

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Travel: Optional customer, field, and supplier travel. Both CONUS and OCONUS.

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What You'll Do\n

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• Design mechanical parts, assemblies, and subsystems for our interceptor airframes using SolidWorks.
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• Develop lightweight structures, brackets, mounts, mechanisms, propulsion interfaces, and prototype tooling.
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• Work with senior engineers and aerodynamic specialists to translate performance and packaging requirements into manufacturable hardware.
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• Integrate flight computers, cameras, sensors, batteries, actuators, power electronics, wiring, and connectors into compact electromechanical assemblies.
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• Support vehicle mass properties, center-of-gravity calculations, structural analysis, and packaging optimization.
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• Design for vibration, shock, thermal effects, structural stiffness, assembly accessibility, and field serviceability.
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• Develop components using CNC machining, additive manufacturing, composite structures, bonded assemblies, and other manufacturing processes.
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• Produce detailed engineering drawings, tolerances, GD&T, BOMs, and manufacturing documentation.
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• Apply design for manufacturing and assembly (DFM/DFA) to help transition prototypes toward repeatable production.
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• Perform engineering calculations, basic FEA, tolerance analyses, and physical validation testing.
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• Design fixtures, jigs, assembly tools, and test equipment to accelerate prototype development.
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• Participate directly in prototype fabrication, vehicle assembly, integration, testing, troubleshooting, and teardown.
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• Investigate hardware failures alongside senior engineers, implement design improvements, and verify fixes through testing.
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• Collaborate with machinists, technicians, suppliers, electrical engineers, software engineers, and flight-test personnel.
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• Take increasing ownership of complete mechanical subsystems, from initial design through build, test, and iteration.
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\n What We're Looking For\n

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• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related discipline by the start date, or equivalent demonstrated practical engineering experience.
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• 0–4 years of mechanical design or product-development experience. Internships, co-ops, research, engineering design teams, and substantial personal projects count.
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• Strong proficiency in SolidWorks, including well-structured parts, assemblies, and parametric modeling.
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• Working knowledge of mechanical drawings, dimensioning, tolerances, fits, and basic GD&T.
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• Solid engineering fundamentals in statics, dynamics, mechanics of materials, fasteners, joints, and material selection.
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• Hands-on experience assembling, modifying, fabricating, or troubleshooting physical hardware.
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• Familiarity with common hand tools, measurement instruments, prototype-shop practices, and manufacturing processes.
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• Ability to reason from first principles, solve unfamiliar problems, communicate technical decisions, and learn from physical test results.
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• Willingness to work on-site in Melbourne, Florida and participate directly in hardware integration and testing.
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\n Particularly Valuable Experience\n

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• Aerospace hardware, UAVs, experimental aircraft, missiles, spacecraft, robotics, motorsports, or other highly constrained mechanical systems.
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• Formula SAE, Baja SAE, AIAA Design/Build/Fly, collegiate rocketry, robotics competitions, experimental aircraft, or similar engineering teams.
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• Hands-on experience with CNC machining, 3D printing, carbon fiber, fiberglass, composites, bonded assemblies, or prototype fabrication.
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• Structural FEA using SolidWorks Simulation, ANSYS, NASTRAN, Abaqus, or comparable software.
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• Electromechanical integration involving cameras, sensors, circuit boards, embedded computers, servos, wiring, or power electronics.
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• Experience with PDM/PLM, engineering revisions, BOM management, manufacturing drawings, and configuration control.
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• Experience working directly with machine shops, prototype vendors, and manufacturing technicians.
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• Active U.S. Government security clearance, particularly TS or TS/SCI, preferred for applicable programs but not required for initial consideration.
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\n Who Thrives Here\n

You're the kind of engineer who enjoys SolidWorks but gets even more excited when the parts arrive.

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You understand that an elegant CAD model means very little if the components don't fit, the assembly is impossible to service, or the hardware doesn't survive testing.

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Maybe you've spent your weekends building race cars, designing rockets, machining parts, flying drones, or developing robots. Maybe your most impressive engineering work happened outside a classroom or traditional job.

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You want to learn from experienced aerospace engineers while taking real responsibility for your designs.

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At SerenX, you'll work across the entire engineering lifecycle—not just one isolated component of a massive program. You'll design parts, help assemble them, solve unexpected problems, and see your work fly.

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For those interested, opportunities may also exist to travel with our systems to customer sites and international field deployments, working directly with the people who rely on them, subject to program, security, and export-control requirements.

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Design it in SolidWorks. Build it in the lab. Prove it on the range. Help field it in the real world.

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How to Stand Out\n

Show us what you've built.

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We strongly encourage applicants to include 2–5 examples of hardware they've personally designed, fabricated, assembled, modified, or tested.

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CAD screenshots, photographs, engineering drawings, test fixtures, student-team projects, and personal engineering portfolios are welcome, provided the material is authorized for disclosure.

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If you've participated in Formula SAE, Baja SAE, rocketry, robotics, Design/Build/Fly, experimental aviation, or serious independent engineering projects, tell us what you personally contributed.

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We want to know what you designed, what challenges you encountered, what failed, and what you changed to make it work.

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We're far more interested in engineering curiosity, practical ability, and demonstrated ownership than a long list of credentials or company names.

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Export Control & Equal Opportunity\n

This position involves access to ITAR-controlled defense articles, technical data, and flight hardware. Candidates must qualify as a U.S. person under 22 CFR 120.62.

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SerenX is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and business needs, without unlawful discrimination based on any legally protected characteristic.

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• Full position details: -design-engineer
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Job Tags

Full time, Internship, Weekend work

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