Lead Mechanisms Engineer

About Castelion

Castelion is bringing a new approach to defense development and production: one that focuses on short, iterative design cycles, rapid testing in development, and modern commercial manufacturing strategies for production at scale. We're designing, building, and testing next generation long range strike weapons systems to give America and its Allies a definitive edge and deter future conflicts.

Lead Mechanisms Engineer

Castelion is seeking a Lead Mechanisms Engineer to drive the design, development, and integration of the actuation and mechanical systems that enable control across our missile programs. In this role, you'll lead a small, cross-functional team owning the design, integration, and validation of fin control actuators, thrust vectoring mechanisms, release devices, and other mission-critical mechanical subsystems.

This position combines technical leadership with hands-on engineering. You'll set the technical direction, ensure designs meet demanding system requirements, and mentor a growing team while remaining directly engaged in modeling, prototyping, integration, and testing. Your work will span mechanical design, electromechanical actuation, and system-level integration to deliver robust, high-performance hardware that survives the extreme environment of flight.

This is a high-impact role - your team's hardware will fly within months, not years.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of engineers responsible for missile mechanisms and actuation systems.
• Architect, design, and deliver mechanisms for fin actuation, thrust vector control, release/separation devices, and related subsystems.
• Select and integrate motors, sensors, bearings, geartrains, linkages, and control electronics into complete actuator assemblies.
• Drive dynamic and structural analysis of mechanisms for performance, stiffness, backlash, and survivability under flight loads.
• Lead bench-level, HWIL, and flight-relevant testing to validate performance and reliability.
• Partner closely with GNC, Propulsion, Avionics, and Test teams to ensure end-to-end integration and flight readiness.
• Own subsystem reliability through qualification, flight test operations, and post-flight analysis.
• Provide technical guidance in areas spanning actuation hardware, mechanisms design, and system integration.

Basic Qualifications

• B.S. or M.S. in Mechanical, Aerospace, or related engineering discipline.
• 5+ years of experience in mechanisms and electromechanical actuation systems.
• Demonstrated experience leading or mentoring technical teams.
• Deep knowledge of actuators, motors, sensors, geartrains, bearings, and motion control fundamentals.
• Proficiency in CAD and analysis tools (e.g. SolidWorks, NX, ANSYS) for mechanisms design and validation.
• Hands-on experience building, testing, and integrating flight-relevant hardware.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Prior experience in missile systems, guided projectiles, or aerospace actuation/mechanisms.
• Familiarity with thrust vector control, fin actuation, or separation/release devices.
• Knowledge of high-bandwidth servo systems and control integration.
• Exposure to flight test environments and anomaly resolution.

All employees are granted long-term stock incentives as part of their employment at Castelion. All employees receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental insurance, and the company offers four weeks of paid time off per year.

Leadership Qualities

Bias to Action and Creative Problem Solving. Desire and experience questioning assumptions in ways that lead to break through ideas that are ultimately implemented. Successfully bring in applicable processes/concepts/materials from other industries to achieve efficiency gains. Ability to personally resolve minor issues in development without requiring significant support.

High Commitment, High Initiative. A successful candidate will have a genuine passion for Castelion's mission and consistently look for ways to contribute to the company's technical goals and prevent hardware blockers. Ability to work in a fast paced, autonomously driven, and demanding atmosphere. Strong sense of accountability and integrity.

Clear Communicator. Proactively communicates blockers. Trusted in previous roles to be voice of company with regulators, suppliers, gate keepers and customers. Capable of tactfully managing relationships with stakeholders to achieve company-desired outcomes without compromising relationships. Emails, IMs and verbal interactions are logical, drive clarity, and detailed enough to eliminate ambiguity.

ITAR Requirements:

• To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Employment with Castelion is governed on the basis of competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.