# Senior Mechanical Engineer at Salient Motion

- Company: Salient Motion
- What the company does: We design, manufacturer and support actuation systems for commercial and military systems. Backed by a16z.
- Company website: https://salientmotion.com
- Type: Startups
- Level: Senior
- Location: Torrance, CA
- Work setup: On-site
- Pay: $160K to $190K base salary per year (USD)
- Posted: 2026-06-24
- Apply by: 2026-10-08
- Apply: https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/salientmotion/jobs/5279067008
- Page: https://www.1752.vc/careers/jobs/salient-motion-senior-mechanical-engineer/

## About the role

We are seeking a versatile, high-impact Engineer to lead the development of mission-critical hardware. This is a "full-lifecycle" role where you will own everything from the initial conversion of ambiguous concepts into rigorous requirements to the hands-on assembly and environmental qualification of flight hardware.

## What they're looking for

- Requirements Architecture: Translate high-level, ambiguous mission needs into actionable functional and operational requirements for complex electromechanical systems
- Precision Mechanism Design: Design and iterate on electromagnetic actuators and intricate mechanisms, integrating components such as precision gears, bearings, lead screws, braking systems, and encoders
- Ruggedized Avionics: Develop high-performance avionics enclosures, focusing on innovative thermal management (heat rejection) and structural survivability in extreme, high-vibration, or vacuum environments
- Environmental Qualification: Architect the test equipment and methodologies required for formal hardware qualification, ensuring total compliance with DO-160 and MIL-STD-810 standards
- Cross-Functional Leadership: Act as a technical anchor across the organization, guiding integration efforts and supporting multidisciplinary teams through complex system testing
- Supply Chain & Quality Advocacy: Partner closely with external suppliers to ensure the delivery of conforming hardware, proactively manage manufacturing deviations to maintain rigorous quality and schedule standards

Tags: Mechanical Engineering