Mechanical Engineer

Mechanical Engineer Chariot Defense San Bruno, CA, USA USD 130k-180k / year + Equity Posted on Feb 26, 2026 Apply now About Us Chariot Defense is a defense technology company that designs and manufactures a family of power products for the U.S. military and its allies. We believe that credible deterrence of armed conflict and winning if deterrence fails, requires more than just the best drones, sensors, weapons, electronic warfare systems, and command & control capabilities. Those critical components will require sustained electric power in austere and resource-constrained environments. Moreover, military units must be able to turn off the trucks and generators that generate this power to hide and survive. In other words, power generation must be decoupled from power consumption. Chariot Defense's products enable exactly this capability, allowing U.S. and allied militaries to be more lethal and survivable. We hope you will join us on this mission. About the Role Chariot Defense is seeking a highly motivated Mechanical Engineer to join our engineering team, reporting to the Powertrain Lead Engineer. In this role, you will design, develop, and test advanced mechanical and power electronic systems, including fully integrated vehicle platforms. You will work across multidisciplinary teams to ensure our systems meet stringent MIL-STD performance, reliability, and security requirements for deployment in demanding environments, performing critical missions.

Key Responsibilities Design Ownership:

Own hardware design from initial requirements through handoff to full production.

Integrated Systems:

Develop mechanical designs that involve the tight mechanical integration of advanced energy storage, complex thermal solutions, power electronic hardware, PCBAs, and harnessing.

Rapid Iteration:

Prototype rapidly in order to find issues quickly and develop a final product on compressed timelines. Design for

High-Volume Manufacturing:

Design electro-mechanical products with an eye for manufacturing them at scale.

Direct Customer Engagement:

Support critical customer-facing hardware demonstrations, from time to time, and use these interactions to better understand the customers' requirements. What We're Looking For Instinct toward designing complex products that function seamlessly for your customer. Able to independently identify critical information or priority gaps and apply effort toward closing those gaps. Undaunted by imperfect or incomplete datasets or information, capable of making sound, first-principled decisions to achieve a product end-state. Not satisfied by superficial explanations of a problem; seeks to find the specific root cause so it can be mitigated to prevent future instances. Gratified by helping your peers succeed; seeks to break down information silos by collaborating with others to solve problems, share knowledge, and provide input.

Qualifications Required :

Experience in an immersive system design project (collegiate project teams or professional settings). A minimum of 3+ years in a technical engineering role in a professional setting. Proven CAD skills (Any platform, but

SOLIDWORKS

preferred) and the ability to produce high-quality engineering drawings that comply with common industry standards. Strong understanding of engineering fundamentals in structures, fluids, thermal, and mechanisms. Manufacturing knowledge & experience with machine shops (sheet metal, CNC, etc.). Rapid prototyping background (structures/electronics/software) & 3D printing knowledge. Proficient in hands-on prototyping (machining, shop tools, welding, soldering). BS or MS in mechanical engineering, or equivalent work experience. Demonstrated hands-on fabrication skills. Familiarity with MIL-STD, DO-160, or other defense/aerospace standards.

Preferred :

Experience designing and working directly with high-voltage energy storage and power distribution. Experience in industries/applications requiring high-reliability embedded power electronics operated in austere environments. Solid understanding and application of

GD&T. MATLAB/SIMULINK/SIMSCAPE

experience. Advanced designing skills for CNC machining, composites, sheet metal, injection molding, PCBA integration. Role Requirements This position is an onsite role based in Chariot Defense's San Bruno, CA, office. Willingness to support 10% travel, domestically and internationally, as well as work extended and weekend hours, when necessary Able to work on your feet for extended periods in a shop setting. Able to lift and carry 50lbs. A reasonable estimate of the current salary range is $130,000-$180,000 annually. Compensation packages also include early-stage equity and access to company-sponsored benefit plans. Individual compensation packages are based on geographic location, scope of the role, relevant experience, and the ability to deal with complexity and problem solve within our organization, among other factors. All employees are required to provide proof of authorization to work in the U.S. within their first 3 days of work. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. Any unsolicited resumes/candidate profiles submitted through our website or to personal email accounts of employees of Chariot Defense are considered property of Chariot Defense and are not subject to payment of agency fees. Apply now See more open positions at Chariot Defense