---
title: 'Manufacturing Engineer, New Grad at Hermeus'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/manufacturing-engineer-new-grad-hermeus-los-angeles-zw9p6z13tee6'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-13'
---

# Manufacturing Engineer, New Grad at Hermeus

- **Company:** Hermeus
- **Location:** Los Angeles, CA
- **Compensation:** $92k–$112k
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-06-24
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-13
- **Apply:** https://jobs.lever.co/hermeus/d4adbb25-8f9c-4dc0-92dc-958355babd43

## Job description

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.

## About the Role

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.

Responsibilities:

- 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.

Requirements:

- 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.

Preferred Skills and Experience:

- 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.

Physical Requirements:

- 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.

The salary range listed for this role is intended as a general guideline. Final compensation will be determined based on a variety of factors, including role scope and responsibilities, relevant experience, education and training, key skills, market data, and business needs. At Hermeus, compensation is only one part of our total rewards package. We offer competitive pay, equity, and a range of benefits designed to support our team. Benefits: Health & Wellness: 100% employer-paid healthcare and pet insurance Financial: Competitive pay, stock options, 401(k) retirement plan, and potential year-end bonuses Time Off: Paid parental leave, 12 federal holidays, unlimited PTO for exempt employees, and generous accrued PTO for non-exempt employees Office Perks: Weekly paid office lunches and fully stocked breakrooms

## U.S. EXPORT CONTROL COMPLIANCE STATUS

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. US persons include U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents (green card holders), and asylees and refugees with such status granted, not pending.

## EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

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.

## #LI-JC3

## About Hermeus

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Hermeus is an aerospace and defense company building the world’s fastest aircraft through rapid iterative prototyping, targeting high-Mach and hypersonic flight for national security and commercial applications.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series C, ~$350M raised in latest round)
- **Headquarters**: Hawthorne, California, USA (primary HQ at 3401 Jack Northrop Ave; additional offices in Los Angeles/El Segundo, Atlanta, Jacksonville, and Washington, D.C.)
- **Founded**: 2018
- **Founders**: AJ Piplica, Glenn Case, Skyler Shuford, Michael Smayda

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Aviation and Aerospace Component Manufacturing; Defense Technology
- **Target customers**: B2G (primarily U.S. Department of Defense and allied nations), with future potential in commercial high-speed travel
- **Mission**: Build the world’s fastest aircraft by reclaiming the lost art of rapid iterative prototyping, delivering high-speed systems that provide an asymmetric advantage for the nation and its allies.

## Products & Services
- **Quarterhorse Program**: A series of four purpose-built unmanned aircraft, each designed to unlock a specific technical challenge and incrementally de-risk hypersonic technology. The first aircraft flew in 2025, and the company reached supersonic flight just 364 days later—the fastest time from founding to supersonic flight in aviation history.
- **High-Speed Propulsion Systems**: Development of air-breathing engines, including testing at the High Enthalpy Airbreathing Test (HEAT) facility in Jacksonville, FL, using Pratt & Whitney F100 engines as a baseline.
- **Hypersonic Aircraft Platforms**: Future planned vehicles aimed at affordable, reusable hypersonic flight for defense and eventually commercial passengers.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: Not publicly disclosed (conflicting reports; PitchBook lists latest Series C at $350M, total funding ~$566M)
- **Key Metric**: Total Funding ~$566M (9 rounds); Annual Revenue estimated at $5.6M (LinkedIn data, likely early-stage).
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Sam Altman (led Series B), Khosla Ventures (led Seed), United States Air Force ($60M grant), NASA (Non-Equity Assistance), and other defense-focused investors.
- **Growth Signals**: 286 employees (+42% YoY); 122,889 LinkedIn followers (+58.2% yearly); rapid expansion from concept to supersonic flight in under 7 years; multiple open positions across engineering, manufacturing, and operations.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Speed of Iteration**: Hermeus is the fastest company in aviation history to go from founding to supersonic flight (364 days after first flight), using a hardware-rich, test-early approach reminiscent of the Skunk Works era.
- **First-Principles Engineering**: Small, cross-disciplinary teams that own problems end-to-end, enabling rapid decision-making and prototyping.
- **Government & Strategic Relationships**: Deep ties with DoD, USAF, and NASA, providing both funding and clear mission requirements.
- **Facilities & Infrastructure**: Four locations covering design, manufacturing, propulsion testing, and policy engagement, including a 110,000 sq ft facility in Atlanta and a dedicated test site in Jacksonville.

## Strategic Focus
- **Current priorities**: Scaling the Quarterhorse program to achieve hypersonic flight; maturing engine and airframe integration; expanding manufacturing capacity; hiring top engineering and operations talent; deepening partnerships with defense customers.
- **Direction for growth**: Move from unmanned demonstrators to operational hypersonic aircraft for defense, and eventually develop a commercial high-speed air transport capability.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Described as "rapid, relentless iteration" with a "total disregard for what others say can't be done." Emphasizes extreme ownership, stubborn focus, and a small-team, high-impact environment.
- **Remote/Hybrid/Office Policy**: On-site roles required at Hawthorne (LA), Atlanta, Jacksonville, or D.C. (multiple open positions are on-site).
- **Notable Perks**:
  - 100% premium coverage for health, dental, and vision for employees and dependents
  - 3 months paid parental leave (100% pay) plus optional additional unpaid month
  - Stock options for all full-time offers with equity refresher program
  - 401k & retirement plans
  - Unlimited PTO for exempt employees (generous accrued PTO for non-exempt) plus 12 federal holidays
  - Free weekly lunches, dog-friendly offices, commuter benefits
- **Engineering Culture**: Hands-on, cross-functional teams; opportunities to work on flight hardware, propulsion, avionics, software, and test operations; fast promotion cycles for high performers.

## Sources
1. [Hermeus Careers](https://www.hermeus.com/careers)
2. [Hermeus Company Page](https://www.hermeus.com/company)
3. [LinkedIn Company Profile](https://linkedin.com/company/hermeus)
4. [PitchBook Profile](https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/267414-22)
5. [Lever Job Board](https://jobs.lever.co/hermeus)

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