Mechanical Test Engineer
Mechanical Test Engineer at Amca — El Segundo, CA, US
- Company: Amca
- Location: El Segundo, CA, US
- Salary: $100,000–$130,000 a year
- Posted: 2026-04-21
About this role
There was a time when all of America believed that the future of the physical world could be radically different. The engineers of the mid-1900s put a man on the moon in eight years, designed and built planes and submarines from scratch in under three, and conceived of building things we wouldn’t even be able to dream up today.
Today, the last of the engineers who imagined and built these systems are retiring. As they go, we lose not only the engineering knowledge gained from their decades of imagination and trial-and-error, but also the spirit that made that imagination possible.
Amca is working day-in and day-out to restore America’s ability to engineer anything that our critical systems depend on, and reinvigorate the cycle of creation that allows imagination to shape physical reality. We rapidly develop and manufacture new critical components and subsystems required to build and sustain the planes, military vehicles, and core infrastructure America needs. By restoring the capability of our antiquated supply chains, we increase the country’s capacity to imagine and realize new systems, and make a physical world that looks very different from today.
Overview:
The Mechanical Test Engineering role is responsible for owning the testing procedures used to prove new designs are fit to fly. You will serve as the extreme owner for qualification tests that are run at our in-house R&D shop during hardware development, and the acceptance testing that is run at our factories to ensure every unit produced is high quality and functional. Your day will consist of developing tooling, bringing new state-of-the-art production assets online, and assisting design engineers in root cause analysis for qualification campaigns.
Responsibilities:
Develop test methodology in accordance with industry standards to ensure all hardware is qualified to fly
Develop, qualify, and refine test processes to bring products from prototype to high-volume production
Trade purchasing commercial test capabilities off the shelf against designing and developing the capabilities in house
Act as the extreme owner of the test stands, whether that is designing new test stands or developing procedures and criteria for existing infrastructure
Ideate and implement tooling and custom test solutions, enabling high-quality build of Amca hardware
Identify, plan, and execute capital equipment, machine, and layout upgrades to meet changing needs
Partner with engineering and production teams to generate ideas, designs, and improvements for current and next-generation vehicles
Assist design engineers in guiding new designs from concepts to qualified, production-capable aerospace components
Prototype new components at our in-house R&D lab. You will be expected to be intimately involved with any prototype development
Set the standard for rigorous component design and qualification testing. As a member of an early-stage startup, you will be integral in defining company design and testing policies
Basic Qualifications:
Bachelor's or advanced degree in aerospace engineering, manufacturing engineering, materials engineering, mechanical engineering or engineering physics
1+ years of engineering experience in manufacturing, design, test, or development (internship and project team experience is applicable)
Strong understanding of engineering first principles, specifically with regards to thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, and solid mechanics
Preferred Skills and Experience:
Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills, enthusiasm for problem solving, and desire to optimize modern aerospace production and design processes
2+ years of professional experience in the field of aerospace/mechanical engineering
2+ years of experience with GD&T concepts
Strong project management skills and effective communication of technical concepts across multi-disciplinary teams
Experience with the building and testing of fluid and/or electrical systems
Experience with the build and test of pneumatic, hydraulic, and structural assemblies
Experience with scientific computer science languages (Python, MATLAB, or similar)
Experience with Siemens NX or other similar CAD package
Experience using test instrumentation and control components (e.g. pressure transducers, thermocouples, resistance temperature detectors, relays, solenoid valves, etc.)
Additional Requirements:
Travel to vendors and other Amca sites as needed
Able to work flexible hours and occasional weekend support as needed
Annual Salary Range
$100,000—$130,000 USD
This position requires use of information which is subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). All applicants must be U.S. persons within the meaning of ITAR. ITAR defines a US person as: any individual who is granted U.S. citizenship; or. any individual who is granted U.S. permanent residence ("Green Card" holder); or. any individual who is granted status as a "protected person" under 8 U.S.C 1324b(a)(3).
The Advanced Manufacturing Company of America prohibits discrimination or harassment based on the following categories: race, color, religion, religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices), national origin, ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition (including cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, marital status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), gender, gender identity, gender expression, age (40 years and over), sexual orientation, veteran and/or military status, protected medical leaves (requesting or approved for leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act or the California Family Rights Act), domestic violence victim status, political affiliation, and any other status protected by state or federal law.
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