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Mechanical Development Engineer Jobs in California

Apple

Mechanical Design Engineer

Cupertino, CA · On-site

$93K - $127K/yr

Mechanical Engineer to be part of team to design, development and validation of silicon validation test solutions and provide fixture-design support to other Apple engineering teams. Description This ...

IPL (Indiana)

Development Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

The Engineer, Development - WEST will be responsible for the design and engineering of utility ... Undergraduate degree in engineering (electrical or mechanical preferred) or equivalent technical ...

IPL (Indiana)

Development Engineer

San Diego, CA · On-site

The Engineer, Development - WEST will be responsible for the design and engineering of utility ... Undergraduate degree in engineering (electrical or mechanical preferred) or equivalent technical ...

Simplehuman LLC

Mechanical Engineer

Torrance, CA · On-site

Own mechanical development of consumer electronics products or major product workstreams from ... Create production-ready 3D CAD, engineering drawings, GD&T, tolerance stacks, and manufacturing ...

New

Inversion

Senior Propulsion Development Engineer

Vista, CA · On-site

$137K - $193K/yr

What You'll Do As a Senior Propulsion Development Engineer at Inversion, you will design, build ... You will own the mechanical design and analysis of fluid networks, manage hardware fabrication ...

Simplehuman LLC

Mechanical Engineer

Torrance, CA · On-site

Own mechanical development of consumer electronics products or major product workstreams from ... Create production-ready 3D CAD, engineering drawings, GD&T, tolerance stacks, and manufacturing ...

New

Simplehuman

Mechanical Engineer

Torrance, CA · On-site

Own mechanical development of consumer electronics products or major product workstreams from ... Create production-ready 3D CAD, engineering drawings, GD&T, tolerance stacks, and manufacturing ...

New

Monograph

Mechanical Design Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$90 - $130/hr

Mechanical Design Engineer - Product Design Overview * Product Design, Architecture, Scale OEM ... You'll own the full spectrum of mechanical development--from actuator sizing or design to ...

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Showing results 41-60

All JobsMechanical Development Engineer JobsMechanical Development Engineer Jobs in California

Mechanical Development Engineer information

See California salary details

$71.1K

$110.7K

$139.2K

How much do mechanical development engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 6, 2026, the average yearly pay for mechanical development engineer in California is $110,730.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $100,700.00 and $124,800.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a mechanical development engineer?

Mechanical Development Engineers are professionals who design, develop, and test mechanical devices and systems. They work on creating new products or improving existing ones by applying principles of engineering, physics, and material science. Their responsibilities often include prototyping, analyzing product performance, and collaborating with other engineers to ensure that products meet required specifications and standards. Mechanical Development Engineers play a crucial role in industries such as automotive, aerospace, manufacturing, and consumer goods. Their work helps bring innovative mechanical solutions to market efficiently and safely.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a mechanical development engineer?

To thrive as a Mechanical Development Engineer, you need strong skills in mechanical design, analysis, and problem-solving, typically supported by a degree in mechanical engineering or a related field. Proficiency with CAD software (such as SolidWorks or AutoCAD), simulation tools (like ANSYS), and familiarity with manufacturing processes are commonly required. Excellent teamwork, communication, and project management skills help you effectively collaborate and drive projects forward. These competencies ensure the development of reliable, innovative products that meet performance, quality, and timeline expectations.

What are some common challenges mechanical development engineers face when transitioning prototypes to mass production?

Mechanical Development Engineers often encounter challenges when moving a prototype into large-scale manufacturing, such as ensuring that the design can be produced cost-effectively, maintaining product quality, and adhering to tight schedules. Adjustments may be required to meet manufacturing constraints, supply chain limitations, or regulatory standards. Collaboration with cross-functional teams, including manufacturing, quality assurance, and supply chain, is crucial to address these issues efficiently and achieve a successful product launch.

What is the difference between Mechanical Development Engineer vs Mechanical Design Engineer?

AspectMechanical Development EngineerMechanical Design Engineer
Primary FocusDeveloping and testing new mechanical products and prototypesCreating detailed designs and specifications for mechanical components
Work EnvironmentR&D labs, prototyping workshopsDesign offices, CAD environments
Required SkillsPrototyping, testing, material selectionCAD, technical drawing, design analysis
Common Industry UsageProduct innovation, research projectsManufacturing, product development

While both roles involve mechanical engineering expertise, Mechanical Development Engineers focus on creating and testing new products, whereas Mechanical Design Engineers concentrate on designing detailed parts and assemblies. The roles often overlap but differ mainly in their emphasis on development versus detailed design tasks.

What are popular job titles related to Mechanical Development Engineer jobs in CA?

For Mechanical Development Engineer jobs in CA, the most frequently searched job titles are:

Mechanical Development Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Mechanical Development Engineer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 86% Full Time, 11% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 89% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $110,730 per year, or $53.2 per hour.

Senior Mechanical Engineering Manager (Vacuum Systems)

Future Soft IT

Milpitas, CA

$119K - $157K/yr

Full-time

Posted 6 days ago

Key responsibilities

  • Lead and develop a high-performing mechanical engineering team; set technical direction, priorities, and execution plans to deliver on schedule, cost, and quality.

  • Own mechanical system architecture and delivery for EUV source subsystems including vacuum chambers, laser/mechanical integration, collector mirror mounting, plasma target hardware, precision motion components, gas delivery interfaces, thermal management, and structural dynamics.

  • Drive design review and release discipline, including requirements definition, tolerance analysis, validation/qualification planning, and documentation quality.

Job description

Keys:
  • 5+ years Experience in managing an R&D mechanical engineering team
  • PHD or Master's Degree
  • Must have experience with Vacuum Systems
  • Semiconductor industry experience
  • Lead and develop a high-performing mechanical engineering team; set technical direction, priorities, and execution plans to deliver on schedule, cost, and quality.
  • Own mechanical system architecture and delivery for EUV source subsystems including: vacuum chambers and ultra-clean/UHV-compatible hardware; laser/mechanical integration and beam delivery mechanical packaging; collector mirror mounting/alignment mechanisms; plasma target delivery hardware; precision motion components; gas delivery mechanical interfaces; thermal management and structural dynamics.
  • 10+ years of experience developing complex hardware/capital equipment (semiconductor tools, precision vacuum systems, opto-mechanical equipment, aerospace-grade mechanisms, or similar).
  • 5+ years of people management experience leading engineers through concept-to-release development.
Group/Division
With over 40 years of semiconductor process control experience, chipmakers around the globe rely on Client to ensure that their fabs ramp next-generation devices to volume production quickly and cost-effectively. Enabling the movement towards advanced chip design, Client's Global Products Group (GPG), which is responsible for creating all of Client's metrology and inspection products, is looking for the best and the brightest research scientist, software engineers, application development engineers, and senior product technology process engineers. The RAPID division is the world leading provider of reticle inspection solutions for the semiconductor industry. The company provides inspection solutions to both the mask shops and the semiconductor fabs to ensure that lithography yields are consistently high thus enabling cost-effective manufacturing.
Job Description/Preferred Qualifications
Job Description
The Advanced Technology of RAPID Division is seeking a Senior Mechanical Engineering Manager to lead mechanical development for next-generation EUV light source in the cutting-edge reticle inspection products. This role leads a multidisciplinary mechanical team delivering precision hardware operating in extreme environments including high vacuum, high-power laser, thermal transients, precision opto-mechanics, and precision motion mechanisms.
Responsibilities
  • Lead and develop a high-performing mechanical engineering team; set technical direction, priorities, and execution plans to deliver on schedule, cost, and quality.
  • Own mechanical system architecture and delivery for EUV source subsystems including: vacuum chambers and ultra-clean/UHV-compatible hardware; laser/mechanical integration and beam delivery mechanical packaging; collector mirror mounting/alignment mechanisms; plasma target delivery hardware; precision motion components; gas delivery mechanical interfaces; thermal management and structural dynamics.
  • Drive rigorous design review and release discipline, including requirements definition, tolerance analysis, validation/qualification planning, and documentation quality.
  • Partner closely with Technology, Optics, Systems, Production Development, Machine Controls, Manufacturing and Service organizations to improve cost, performance, manufacturability, reliability, and serviceability.
  • Lead root-cause analysis and corrective actions for complex subsystem issues; implement design improvements that increase availability and uptime.
  • Manage supplier technical engagement for precision parts and subassemblies, including vendor selection, qualification, and issue resolution.
  • Embed safety-by-design into mechanical solutions and enable people/machine safety service/production tooling (jigs, fixtures, alignment tools, handling/lifting concepts).
  • Occasional domestic/international travels may be required to support build/validation and customer-site readiness.
Preferred Qualifications
  • Experience with EUV-adjacent source or illumination subsystems, high-power laser-integrated hardware, or precision opto-mechanical alignment systems.
  • Experience with cryogenic mechanisms and vacuum feedthroughs/seals designed for reliability and maintainability.
  • Track record of production transfer and sustaining engineering support (tooling, procedures, and field escalation readiness).
Minimum Qualifications
  • B.S. in Mechanical Engineering (M.S. preferred) or equivalent related discipline.
  • 10+ years of experience developing complex hardware/capital equipment (semiconductor tools, precision vacuum systems, opto-mechanical equipment, aerospace-grade mechanisms, or similar).
  • 5+ years of people management experience leading engineers through concept-to-release development.
  • Demonstrated expertise in multiple of: vacuum/UHV design, precision mechanisms, rotating machinery/air bearings, thermal-structural design, vibration/dynamics, contamination-aware mechanical design, and design-for-manufacturability/serviceability.
  • Strong cross-functional communication and leadership skills; ability to drive alignment across technical stakeholders and suppliers.

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