Principal Mechanical Design Engineer, Level 5

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 an experienced 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 experienced design engineer will help to innovate in the space of fluid mechanics, electromechanical devices, and help to solve complex engineering problems. The individual will lead product development of critical importance to the organization, while working with and helping to grow younger engineers.

This individual must be capable of thinking critically and operating independently. An ideal candidate is experienced or at least interested in all aspects of engineering. A broad understanding of aerospace applications is greatly beneficial as products progress towards representative testing on turbojet engines, drivetrain, 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 Principal 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: Lead 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: Oversee the integration of fluidic and mechanical subsystems into larger aerospace platforms, ensuring performance, safety, and reliability requirements are met.
• Modeling and Simulation: Develop and apply advanced computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models and other analytical tools to predict, optimize, and troubleshoot system behavior.
• 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: Translate high-level mission and system requirements into detailed fluidic and mechanical component specifications.
• Problem Solving: Rapidly diagnose and resolve complex 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, designers, operations, and program management) to successfully execute projects on time and within design scope.
• Technical Leadership: Demonstrated ability to act as the System Architect or Lead Responsible Engineer (LRE) for a major subsystem. Ability to mentor junior engineers and effectively present complex technical data and trade studies to internal stakeholders and external customers.

Required Qualifications:

• Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a closely related field. 
• Experience: Minimum of 9 years of professional experience in fluidics, mechanical packaging, and mechanical system technologies. 

Technical Expertise Requirements:

• System Design & Analysis: Proven history of leading the design, analysis, and validation of complex aerospace fluidic subsystems. This includes propulsion components (valves, injectors, turbo-machinery interfaces), high-pressure hydraulics/pneumatics, or advanced thermal management loops (single-phase/two-phase).
• Advanced Fluid Dynamics & CFD: Expert-level proficiency in compressible and incompressible fluid dynamics, heat transfer, and thermodynamics. Extensive, applied experience developing, executing, and interpreting results from complex Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations, including turbulence modeling, transient flows, and fluid-structure interaction (FSI).
• Modeling & Simulation: Exceptional skill in using analytical and system-level modeling tools to develop dynamic models of fluidic and mechanical systems for performance prediction, control loop design, and fault analysis.
• Testing and Validation: Expertise in defining, instrumenting, and executing rigorous component and system-level tests. Advanced skill in data acquisition and post-processing to correlate test results with analytical models and validate performance margins.
• Robust Mechanical Design: Deep understanding of mechanical design principles, including stress analysis (FEA), fatigue life, material selection for extreme environments, and design for manufacturability (DFM) and assembly (DFA).
• Complex Component Packaging: Extensive experience in the 3D packaging and routing of intricate fluidic and mechanical systems within strict, confined aerospace envelopes. 
• Hardware Ownership: Demonstrated ability to drive a component or system from concept/PDR through CDR, prototyping, full-scale production, and successful flight/mission operation. 

• Tools: Expert-level 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. Expertise with FEA (e.g. ANSYS) and system-level modeling tools (e.g., MATLAB/Simulink).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Rocket Propulsion Experience: Direct, hands-on experience in the design, development, or testing of liquid rocket engines (LREs), including high-performance components like injectors, turbopumps, and high-pressure valves. Experience with in-space propulsion or hypersonic fluid dynamics is highly valued.
• Complex Control Systems: Experience designing or integrating fluidic systems that incorporate closed-loop control mechanisms, including familiarity with Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) tuning and system stability analysis.
• Materials Science for Extreme Environments: In-depth 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): Practical experience 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 strict aerospace quality management systems.

Additional Requirements:

• 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. 
• US Citizenship or Permanent Residency (due to the nature of defense-related work).

• 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: Senior engineers are often granted a high degree of technical autonomy and direct influence over core product decisions and architecture.
• Office Amenities: Stocked kitchens with unlimited 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.

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.