Mechanical Engineer II

Overview

At HighQ, we strive to provide talented engineers with three things — challenging work, a great team, and a strong work-life balance. We want to provide the opportunity to pursue all of your passions, inside and outside of work.

We're looking for engineers that are thrilled to work on things that make noise and go fast, engineers that like mixing hardware and software, and engineers who aren't afraid of diving into a problem they haven't seen before. Engineers that want to do great things at work and then take a break to conquer a mountain, film a movie, or sail across an ocean.

Nobody at HighQ is solely a mechanical engineer or electrical engineer; everyone is expected to contribute across disciplines through design, prototyping, testing, analysis, and integration. Our projects don't fit neatly into traditional engineering silos — they require creative problem-solving that blends mechanical engineering with electrical design, software, systems integration, and real-world implementation. And at the end of the day, when everyone's systems work together, the whole team succeeds.

We don't require that folks have an aerospace background — in fact some of our best people come from other industries. Our projects span from custom PCBs and hardware-in-the-loop testing platforms to power distribution systems, RF data links, and entire avionics systems.

Roles & Responsibilities

We are seeking an experienced mechanical engineer to work in a collaborative team environment to create innovative aerospace designs. The ideal candidate is an engineer who has demonstrated success in solving complex mechanical design challenges, can work effectively across project disciplines, and has the capability to take ownership of mechanical design projects and lead integration efforts with growing independence.

This is a professional position in which the person is expected to exercise independent judgment, work with minimal supervision on assigned tasks, mentor less experienced team members, and provide technical guidance on elements of mechanical design. The person in this position will be expected to lead specific mechanical design activities, contribute to project planning, support the development of a healthy and effective team environment, and help establish mechanical engineering standards and best practices.

Additional desired qualities include:

• Proven experience with full-cycle mechanical engineering design projects, including modeling, building, testing, analysis, documentation, and delivery
• Ability to work independently and take ownership of technical deliverables and subsystems
• Strong communication skills to convey technical concepts to team members, customers, and stakeholders
• Solid background in mechanical engineering with hands-on hardware experience and proven track record of successful projects
• Capability to develop mechanical solutions from loose requirements
• Willingness to mentor junior engineers and contribute to team knowledge and best practices
• Experience working across electrical and software disciplines in integrated systems

In addition, specific project assignments will be tailored to both your background and our current client needs. The following are examples of common responsibilities at HighQ, although experience is not necessarily required in all of the following:

Mechanical design & analysis: Lead and directly contribute to mechanical system design for complex assemblies, perform basic structural analysis, design for harsh environments, lead design reviews, architect mechanical solutions from high-level requirements, design enclosures and integration structures for electrical and software systems, and create detailed assembly documentation and technical specifications.

Prototyping & testing: Lead prototype development and establish criteria and testing procedures for environmental validation, oversee detailed design and testing for production readiness, develop and execute mechanical assembly and test procedures, troubleshoot integration issues, support the sourcing and fabrication of custom components, and validate mechanical system performance against requirements.

Systems integration & leadership: Take ownership of mechanical subsystems and deliverables, lead cross-disciplinary problem-solving between mechanical, electrical, and software teams, lead mechanical-electrical-software system integration activities, participate in customer technical discussions and design reviews, support development of mechanical engineering standards and best practices, mentor junior team members on mechanical design challenges, and ensure successful delivery of integrated mechanical systems.

Required Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or equivalent, along with 7+ years of experience in mechanical component design and development.
• Substantial hands-on experience designing, prototyping, and testing mechanical systems in aerospace or related high-reliability environments.
• Demonstrated ability to independently execute mechanical design projects from requirements through delivery and production.
• An understanding of mechanical design principles including stress analysis, structural design, materials science, and manufacturing processes.
• Proficiency with advanced CAD tools such as OnShape, SolidWorks, NX, Catia, or similar, including assembly design and detailed drafting.
• Experience developing mechanical engineering documentation, drawings, and technical specifications to production standards.
• Proven ability to work independently with minimal oversight while collaborating effectively across disciplines.
• Effective communication and collaboration skills for customer interaction, team coordination, and technical presentations.

Bonus Points

• Experience with mechanical design for harsh environmental conditions or aerospace-grade requirements.
• Familiarity with aircraft systems, mechanical design for avionics integration, or aerospace standards and certification processes.
• Experience with design for manufacturing and production optimization.
• Experience with mechanical analysis tools such as FEA, thermal analysis, or similar simulation software.
• Knowledge of reliability engineering, failure analysis (FMEA), or design validation methodologies.
• Experience with 3D printing, additive manufacturing, or advanced fabrication techniques.
• Experience with project management, proposal development, or business development activities.
• Hands-on experience with hardware-software integration and understanding of mechanical constraints on electronics and controls.
• Aviation or piloting experience.

Culture + Perks

HighQ offers competitive compensation, holidays and paid time off, and a flexible work environment that truly supports work-life balance. We believe in providing opportunities for professional growth through challenging projects, mentorship from experienced engineers, and exposure to cutting-edge aerospace technologies. Our collaborative culture values innovation, continuous learning, and the pursuit of excellence both inside and outside of work.

Location

This position is fully remote.

Get in Touch

If the above sounds good to you, reach out to us with a resume or any documentation that shows you've built cool things and solved interesting problems. Our work is too varied and, we think, too interesting to fit into standard job descriptions — if you get excited by the prospect of tackling diverse engineering challenges while maintaining time for your other passions, we'd love to connect.

Job Types: Part-time, Contract

Pay: From $80.00 per hour

Expected hours: 10 – 30 per week

Work Location: Remote