Mechanical Design Engineer

About Hop Aero

Hop Aero is building rockets that deliver cargo to contested environments - we operate at the intersection of aerospace, national security, and hard execution.

This is not a research project. We build hardware, test it aggressively, learn fast, and iterate. The work is demanding, the environment is unforgiving, and the stakes are real. We are looking for people who want to contribute to protecting our way of life - not just spectating.

About the Role

We’re looking for a hands-on Mechanical Design Engineer to own real flight and ground hardware from concept through test and iteration. This is a builder role.

You will design, fabricate, assemble, break, and fix hardware that flies and gets tested in harsh environments. You’ll work closely with structures, propulsion, avionics, and more, and you should expect to split time between the office, shop, and test site.

What You’ll Do

• Design and own mechanical hardware for flight vehicles and ground support equipment (structures, tanks, mounts, mechanisms, test hardware)
• Take parts from CAD to drawings to fabrication to assembly to test, with full ownership of outcomes
• Design for manufacturability, rapid iteration, and imperfect real-world conditions
• Support and participate in test campaigns, including on-site troubleshooting and repairs
• Work directly with propulsion and test engineers to resolve mechanical issues uncovered during testing
• Do hand calcs and run FEA simulations
• Continuously improve internal design, build, and test workflows as we scale

What We’re Looking For

• Demonstrable experience designing and building real mechanical hardware that was tested in the real world
• Strong CAD skills (Siemens NX strongly preferred, SolidWorks is also helpful) and the ability to produce build-ready drawings
• Solid understanding of common manufacturing methods (machining, welding, sheet metal, composites, rapid prototyping)
• Comfort getting hands-on with hardware, tools, and test equipment
• Ability to work independently, take ownership, and move forward with incomplete information
• Willingness to spend time in the shop and at a remote test site when needed
• Experience level is flexible; we care more about what you’ve built than how many years you’ve worked

What we offer

Competitive salary and meaningful stock options

Healthcare, office meals & snacks

Direct mentorship from founders & engineers with rich flight heritage

Fast upward mobility as the company grows

This position may require access to export-controlled information. Applicants must be a U.S. Person under ITAR.

Even if you don’t meet every single requirement, we’d still love to hear from you. Greatness looks different in every one of us - and we need the best tackling this problem.

Compensation

The base pay range for this role is $100,000 – $120,000 per year.