Lead Mechanical Engineer
Neros
Torrance, CA · Posted June 17, 2026
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Where Torrance, CA ranks
Where Torrance, CA placed in our monthly rankings, month by month. Each month stays online at its own address.
November 2026
- #3Best cities for manufacturing and industrial pay after cost of living$157k · of 35
- #4Best cities for energy and utilities pay after cost of living$160k · of 18
- #5Best all-round cities for new graduates in the West Coast63 / 100 · of 39
- #8Cities with the most jobs that need no experience in the West Coast1.5% · of 66
- #10Cities with the most jobs that do not need a four-year degree in the West Coast65 jobs · of 47
- #10Cities that post pay most often43% · of 100
Rankings about engineering jobs
- Best cities for software and engineering jobs #1 San Francisco (3,412 openings)
- Best cities for engineering pay after cost of living #1 San Mateo ($216k)
- Most requested AI skills in engineering jobs #1 AI tools in daily work (6.1%)
- AI tools named most often in engineering jobs #1 Claude (1.7%)
- Employers with the most engineering jobs #1 Amazon (2,992 roles)
How AI is used in this kind of work
AI use among mechanical engineers is little observed so far. Measured exposure for mechanical engineers: 8% (little observed).
Share of this job’s tasks that AI is already used for at work, from real usage. It is not a forecast of job loss, and a low number means no use seen yet. Source: Anthropic Economic Index.
Skills this job asks for
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About the job
Who we are
Neros is a defense technology company rebuilding America’s drone industrial base. We design and manufacture high-performance unmanned systems that are tested in combat, iterated at startup speed, and built at massive scale. Our team culture is fast, hands-on, and obsessed with closing the gap between design and deployment.
As drones transform the character of warfare, Neros is delivering the systems the West needs to compete on the modern battlefield and deter the adversaries of democracy. We’re hiring engineers, operators, and builders who want to move fast, take on extreme ownership, and get capability into the hands of warfighters in months, not years.
What you will be doing
As a Lead Mechanical Engineer at Neros, you will own products or key subsystems, starting from the conceptual design phase all the way through mass production. This is a dynamic and exciting role at a rapidly growing startup and presents an opportunity to be a foundational member of the Mechanical Engineering team. We are looking for passionate, skilled, and hands-on engineers that take pride in delivering best-in-class hardware.
Responsibilities
Own all aspects of hardware design to optimize for performance, high-volume manufacturability, and cost
Gather requirements and translate these into defensible engineering architectures and decisions
Perform detailed design trades by effectively leveraging CAD, FEA tools, prototyping, and engineering first principles
Participate in and lead design reviews
Create high-quality engineering drawings
Root cause hardware failures and manufacturing issues
Work with the Manufacturing and Supply Chain teams on build instructions, production tooling/fixtures, and vendor selection. Own these items yourself where necessary
Plan and execute validation testing for your designs, working with the Flight Test team and other engineering teams as appropriate
Develop, mentor, and train peers and colleagues. Lead engineers will often manage more junior engineers directly
You should have the following
Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field
8+ years of experience in fast paced engineering/manufacturing environments
Strong engineering fundamentals and the ability to solve problems through first principles thinking
Experience with CAD software like Solidworks or NX
Nice to have
Experience managing and leading an engineering team
Experience piloting, working with, or designing UAVs (including as a hobby!)
Experience working in a high volume, cost sensitive industry like consumer electronics or automotive
Broad knowledge of manufacturing processes and their appropriate applications
Experience with packaging and integration of PCBAs, batteries, and RF components
Familiarity with electrical and electromechanical components like BLDC motors and optical sensors
Experience designing for harsh environments
Subject matter expertise in an analysis discipline: structural, vibration, thermal, CFD, etc.
Experience with Teamcenter or similar PDM systems
Hands-on fabrication skills (general shop tools, manual machining, welding, CNC machining, etc.)
US Salary Range
$165,500 - $241,500 USD
The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are considered part of Neros' total compensation package.
We’re an equal opportunity employer. We welcome all applicants without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.