Mid-level Mechanical Design Engineer, Level 2-3

Zulu Pods is building America’s next-generation component and sub-system company, and we are seeking highly motivated team players to join us in this mission.

We believe in bringing your human to work and embrace out of the box thinking and creativity. We also believe in excellence and competence, with an engineering team boasting extensive turbomachinery mechanical design expertise and holding a combined experience of more than 150 years.

At Zulu Pods, we:

• operate with Integrity,
• take Extreme Ownership,
• lift each other up with Servant Leadership,
• win by Exceeding Expectations, and
• succeed with Optimistic Vision.

If these values describe you, please continue:

Zulu Pods is seeking a mid-level mechanical design engineer in our Northampton, Massachusetts location. The selected individual will continue developing our patented ZPOD technology as well as explore potential new markets by designing, prototyping, and testing new products.

The design engineer will help to innovate in the space of fluid mechanics, electromechanical devices, and help to solve complex engineering problems. The individual will contribute to product development of critical importance to the organization, while collaborating closely with senior and junior engineers alike.

This individual must be capable of thinking critically and operating independently, with guidance from senior staff on complex decisions. An ideal candidate is experienced or at least interested in all aspects of engineering product development. A broad understanding of aerospace applications is greatly beneficial as products progress towards representative testing on turbojet engines, drivetrains, and ultimately implementation on-wing.

Lastly, working at a start-up is dynamic and may take on many other shapes. This also means that there will be opportunities to develop this role to suit your skills and interests, even outside of engineering

Responsibilities

As a Mid-Level Mechanical Design Engineer, you will be a key contributor to the Zulu Pods development lifecycle, from concept generation to field deployment. Your primary responsibilities will include:

• Design and Analysis
  Contribute to the design, analysis, and validation of complex fluidic components and systems (e.g., propulsion systems, thermal management, fuel systems) for various aerospace applications.
• System Integration
  Support the integration of fluidic and mechanical subsystems into larger aerospace platforms, ensuring performance, safety, and reliability requirements are met.
• Testing and Validation
  Plan, execute, and analyze results from ground and flight tests to validate system performance against design specifications, iterating as necessary.
• Requirements Management
  Support the translation of mission and system requirements into detailed fluidic and mechanical component specifications.
• Problem Solving
  Rapidly diagnose and resolve technical issues related to fluid mechanics, system performance anomalies, and hardware failures.
• Documentation
  Generate and maintain detailed engineering documentation, including requirements specifications, design documents, test reports, and manufacturing procedures, adhering to industry standards.
• Collaboration
  Work with cross-functional teams (engineers, machinists, operations, and program management) to successfully execute projects on time and within design scope.
• Technical Growth
  Demonstrate initiative in developing technical skills. Ability to collaborate with junior and senior engineers and contribute to technical presentations and trade studies for internal stakeholders.

Requirements

• Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a closely related field.
• Experience: Minimum of 2-3 years of professional experience in fluidics, mechanical packaging, and mechanical system technologies.

Technical Expertise

• System Design & Analysis: Experience contributing to the design, analysis, and validation of aerospace fluidic subsystems. This includes propulsion components (valves, injectors, turbomachinery interfaces), high-pressure hydraulics/pneumatics, or thermal management loops.
• Fluid Dynamics & CFD: Solid proficiency in compressible and incompressible fluid dynamics, heat transfer, and thermodynamics. Practical experience developing, executing, and interpreting results from Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations, including turbulence modeling, transient flows, and fluid-structure interaction (FSI).
• Testing and Validation: Experience in defining, instrumenting, and executing component and system-level tests. Experience in data acquisition and post-processing to correlate test results with analytical models and validate performance margins.
• Mechanical Design: Solid understanding of mechanical design principles, including stress analysis (FEA), fatigue life, material selection for extreme environments, and design for manufacturability (DFM) and assembly (DFA).
• Component Packaging: Experience in the 3D packaging and routing of fluidic and mechanical systems within confined aerospace envelopes.
• Hardware Involvement: Experience supporting a component or system through design reviews, prototyping, and testing phases.
• Tools: Proficiency with professional CAD software (e.g., SolidWorks, CATIA, NX) for part/assembly modeling, drawing creation (GD&T per ASME Y14.5), and configuration management. Experience with FEA, CFD (e.g., ANSYS) and system-level modeling tools (e.g., MATLAB/Simulink) is nice to have, but not required.

Additional Requirements

• US Citizenship or Permanent Residency (due to the nature of defense-related work).
• Excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• Strong communication and teamwork abilities.
• Ability to learn quickly and adapt to new technologies.
• 0-25% Travel as required by job responsibilities.
  

Preferred Qualifications:

• Propulsion Experience: Exposure to or coursework in propulsion system components such as injectors, valves, or turbomachinery interfaces. Experience with in-space propulsion or hypersonic fluid dynamics is valued.
• Control Systems: Familiarity with fluidic systems that incorporate closed-loop control mechanisms, including Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) tuning and system stability analysis.
• Materials Science for Extreme Environments: Familiarity with advanced materials suitable for extreme aerospace conditions, such as superalloys, composites, or refractory metals, especially regarding their interaction with propellants and high-temperature gases.
• Additive Manufacturing (AM): Exposure to designing aerospace hardware for additive manufacturing (3D printing), including knowledge of process limitations, post-processing requirements, and qualification/testing of AM parts.
• Industry Certifications/Experience: Experience working within AS9100 or other aerospace quality management systems.

Please be aware many of our positions require the ability to obtain a security clearance. Security clearances may only be granted to U.S. citizens. In addition, applicants who accept a conditional offer of employment may be subject to government security investigation(s) and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.

Benefits

• Salary/Equity: Competitive salary and equity options.
• Comprehensive Health Insurance: Standard offerings include medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Disability Insurance: Company-paid basic Short-Term Disability (STD) and Long-Term Disability (LTD) insurance to ensure financial security.
• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO): Competitive policies for vacation, sick, and personal days.
• Paid Parental Leave: Substantial time off for new parents.
• Career Acceleration: Join early in our growth journey to position yourself for future leadership opportunities as we expand; your impact today helps shape the company and opens doors to senior roles tomorrow.
• Influence and Autonomy: As a startup, Zulu Pods offers a constantly evolving environment where engineers are granted increasing technical autonomy as they grow. There is real opportunity for individuals to shape their role around their strengths and interests.
• Office Amenities: Stocked kitchens with snacks and gourmet coffee, team game nights, and team-building events.
• Personal Fulfillment: A stimulating, high-impact environment where your work directly contributes to national security and technological advancement.