New Grad Hardware Engineer Jobs in Compton, CA (NOW HIRING)

Hermeus is a venture-backed defense aviation company reclaiming the lost art of rapid iterative prototyping to build the fastest aircraft in the world today. By prioritizing relentless hardware iteration, we deliver high-speed systems at the pace of the modern battlefield. We work with the Department of War to provide the high-speed capabilities our nation and its allies need to maintain a durable, asymmetric advantage.

Hermeus is seeking a hands‑on, highly motivated New Grad Manufacturing Engineer to support the development, fabrication, and integration of advanced aerospace hardware, including weld-related processes, across our R&D and prototype manufacturing environments.

In this role, you will work closely with design, manufacturing, test, tooling, and integration teams to help bring complex welded assemblies from concept to hardware. This is an ideal opportunity for a recent graduate who has strong hands‑on experience through internships, research, capstone projects, student competition teams, or manufacturing environments and is excited to build, test, learn quickly, and contribute directly to flight hardware development.

• Support the development and improvement of weld processes, parameters, fixtures, and joint designs for advanced aerospace hardware.
• Assist with R&D and prototype builds of welded aircraft structures, tanks, propulsion assemblies, and related hardware.
• Work closely with technicians, manufacturing engineers, and design engineers to support fabrication, assembly, and integration activities.
• Help evaluate weld quality through inspection results, test data, and hands‑on troubleshooting.
• Support weld qualification efforts, including mechanical testing, NDE inspection, documentation, and data review.
• Contribute to root cause investigations related to weld quality, material compatibility, process variation, and hardware performance.
• Partner with design and manufacturing teams to improve weld joint design, tooling, and assembly methods for manufacturability, precision, and repeatability.
• Assist with process control improvements using feedback from weld testing, NDE results, and build data.
• Support research and evaluation of welding technologies, materials, and joining methods for potential use in hypersonic aircraft manufacturing.
• Collaborate with tooling, automation, and integration teams to reduce distortion, improve build accuracy, and accelerate production timelines.

• Graduating or graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Welding Engineering, Materials Science, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Hands‑on experience through internships, research, capstone projects, student competition teams, labs, or manufacturing environments.
• Exposure to fabrication, manufacturing, testing, or integration of mechanical or aerospace hardware.
• Strong problem‑solving skills and willingness to work directly on the shop floor with technicians and engineers.
• Ability to thrive in a fast‑paced, execution‑focused environment.
• Strong communication skills and ability to work cross‑functionally across engineering and manufacturing teams.

• Hands‑on welding, fabrication, or joining experience.
• Experience with aerospace structures, propulsion hardware, tanks, pressure vessels, or structural assemblies.
• Familiarity with welding processes such as gas tungsten arc welding, gas metal arc welding, laser beam welding, electron beam welding, plasma arc welding, resistance welding, friction‑stir welding, or orbital tube welding.
• Exposure to nickel‑based alloys, stainless steel, titanium, copper, aluminum, or other aerospace materials.
• Understanding of weld joint design, mechanical tolerances, thermal effects, and structural loading.
• Experience with NDE, mechanical testing, metallography, brazing, or other joining processes.
• Experience on hands‑on engineering teams such as FSAE, rocketry, robotics, aerospace clubs, or similar build‑focused organizations.
• Interest in automation, robotic welding, tooling, and manufacturing process improvement.

• Ability to work at a computer for extended periods of time.
• Ability to regularly move through office, manufacturing, and test facility environments.
• Ability to work in hands‑on manufacturing environments as needed to support hardware builds, inspections, and troubleshooting.

$91,800 - $112,200 a year

The person hired will have access to information and items subject to U.S. export controls, and therefore, must either be a “U.S. person” as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.62 or otherwise eligible for deemed export licensing. U.S. persons include U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents (green card holders), and asylees and refugees with such status granted, not pending.

Hermeus is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions at Hermeus are based solely on merit, competence, and qualifications, without regard to 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.