---
title: 'Senior Aero-Mechanical Engineer - Advanced Systems Engineering Integration and Design Optimization at Orb Aerospace'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-aero-mechanical-engineer-advanced-systems-engineering-integration-and-78t46a96k4ne'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-13'
---

# Senior Aero-Mechanical Engineer - Advanced Systems Engineering Integration and Design Optimization at Orb Aerospace

- **Company:** Orb Aerospace
- **Location:** Lowell, MI
- **Compensation:** $130k–$175k
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2025-01-03
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-13
- **Apply:** https://jobs.lever.co/orbaerospace/5a0fed8b-60ea-4a9a-bcf3-448b6b92b67e

## Job description

US Citizen or Permanent Resident In-Person Fall 2026 Start

5+ Years’ Experience Req. Successful Program Experience

Join us in retuning to a 1940’s design cadence, reducing the cycle time for aircraft design, build and fly – Integrating advanced design tools and experimenting with unconventional planforms. We are reindustrializing the Midwest as Michigan’s first airframe prime since the Second World War. We’releveraging our region’s industrial might and airspace to build aircraft that become decentralized infrastructure. Orb is a small mission-driven team where your initiative, creativity, and dedication will be used to reach every village on the planet with power, logistics, and communications.

Your Role at Orb: We’re establishing a low overhead, fast paced, experimental aircraft development environment that allows new design ideas, tools, and processes to be tested and go to market in an entirely new category of aircraft. We’re giving a passionate engineer with a history of designing, optimizing and shepherding aircraft cradle-to-grave an opportunity to test their ideas in the interests of building the best aircraft to have the highest impact on the greatest number of people. You should have a passion for efficient, multifunctional teams and the experience to lead others in the interested of rapid execution on exciting new air platforms.

If you’re ready to take ownership, embrace complexity, and thrive in a role where your work truly matters, we’d love to hear from you.

## Key Responsibilities

- Aircraft Design, Configuration, Analysis, and Trade Studies
- Engineering First Principals Driven Multi-Disciplinary Systems Engineering from RF to Propulsion and Structures
- Spool up Aircraft Design Tools Like CFD,
- Incorporate Multi-Disciplinary Optimization and Establish Design Tools / Processes
- Incorporate With Every Discipline from Conceptual Design to Flight Test

Desired Skills and Qualifications

- Demonstrated Experience in Wholistic Aircraft Design, Aero, Mechanical, and Systems Integration.
- Demonstrated Success inBuilding Unconventional Air Platforms
- Long Term Commitment to Orbs Mission
- Expert in CAD E.G. Siemens NX, Solid Works, Catia or Similar
- Expert in Simulation of Loads and Aerodynamic Forces
- Experienced in Conceptual Design Tools and Multi-Disciplinary Optimization

## About Orb Aerospace

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Orb Aerospace develops autonomous aerial systems and resilient communications networks to serve as critical infrastructure in peacetime, disaster response, and conflict, with a focus on humanitarian and defense missions.
- **Entity Type**: Private (late-stage venture capital; conflicting total funding reports: $15.6M per Growjo vs. $11.1M per Simplify Jobs)
- **Headquarters**: Lowell, Michigan, United States
- **Founded**: 2019 (Growjo data; Simplify Jobs lists 2017, source conflict noted)
- **Founders**: Not explicitly identified in public sources; early leadership included Cody Copus (former CEO). As of July 2026, Brian Davis serves as CEO.

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Aviation & Aerospace Component Manufacturing / Defense Technology
- **Target customers**: Government agencies (defense, disaster response, border security), humanitarian organizations, and commercial operators needing resilient communications and autonomous aircraft.
- **Mission**: Accelerate human flourishing in peacetime, reestablish critical infrastructure, and protect the vulnerable in times of crisis.

## Products & Services
- **Lassie**: A VTOL-to-fixed‑wing autonomous aircraft designed for real missions, not demonstrations. Used for cargo delivery, surveillance, and infrastructure support.
- **ARC Edge**: A resilient, interoperable, and secure communications backbone for autonomous systems and distributed operations in denied or damaged environments. Combines embedded robotics with tactical communications.
- **Large‑Scale Additive Manufacturing**: In‑house capability (partnering with Massive Dimension) for producing aircraft components and tooling.
- **Orbship Fellowship**: A merit‑based program that selects high‑skill individuals through portfolio review, video interviews, and live “Battle Royale” pitches to work on real aerospace projects.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation / Market Cap**: Not disclosed
- **Key Metric**: Annual revenue ~$772K (Growjo estimate) | Total funding ~$11.1M–$15.6M across 4–6 rounds (conflicting sources)
- **Notable Investors / Partners**: No specific lead investors publicly named; earlier rounds included angel and seed investors. Recent Navy SBIR grant ($240,000 for Orb ARC, October 2025). Past partners include NASA (alumni source).
- **Growth Signals**:
  - Headcount: 13 employees (+5.6% YoY)
  - New CEO (Brian Davis) announced July 2026, emphasizing delivery and program wins
  - Active job postings for senior engineering, finance, and technical roles (Fall 2026)
  - Navy SBIR award for resilient communications technology
  - Launched large‑scale additive manufacturing capability in 2026
  - Demonstrated at XPONENTIAL Show (May 2026)

## Competitive Advantages
- **Resilient communications-first design**: ARC Edge provides backhaul and COP (Common Operating Picture) for autonomous systems without relying on existing infrastructure.
- **Humanitarian focus with defense credibility**: Positions itself as a non‑weapons builder that still serves national security and disaster response.
- **Michigan manufacturing base**: Leverages strong industrial talent pipeline (e.g., from Steelcase, NASA, Embry-Riddle).
- **Orbship fellowship**: Sources engineering talent based on proven skills and project work, not traditional degrees.

## Strategic Focus
- Transition from technology development to program execution – winning government contracts, delivering field‑ready systems, and scaling production.
- Expanding autonomous communications for maritime and global operations.
- Building a humanitarian “air force” that can operate in environments where connectivity has been destroyed.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture & Mission**: Described as “less like the flying taxis, more like the flying cowboys.” Emphasis on solving hard problems for the good of the world. Branding: “Rebuilding America’s industrial backbone.”
- **Work Policy**: All current job postings are on‑site in Lowell, Michigan. No remote or hybrid positions listed.
- **Benefits**: Health (incl. dental & vision), life, disability insurance, 401(k) company match, professional development budget.
- **Engineering Environment**: “Cracked Engineers” job posting invites outliers to tackle first‑principles autonomy problems. Small team (13 people) allows broad ownership.
- **Growth Trajectory**: Recent funding, new CEO, and active hiring signal a push from R&D into production and deployment.

## Sources
1. [orb.aero (homepage)](https://orbaerospace.com)
2. [LinkedIn Company Page](https://linkedin.com/company/orbaerospace)
3. [Growjo Profile](https://growjo.com/company/Orb_Aerospace) (financials, headcount, funding)
4. [Simplify Jobs Company Profile](https://simplify.jobs/c/Orb-Aerospace) (funding, benefits, stage)
5. [Lever Careers Page (openings)](https://jobs.lever.co/orbaerospace)
6. [LinkedIn Post – CEO Announcement (July 2026)](https://linkedin.com/company/orbaerospace) (mission, leadership change)
7. [LinkedIn Post – XPONENTIAL (May 2026)](https://linkedin.com/company/orbaerospace) (product demonstration)
8. [LinkedIn Post – Mission Statement](https://linkedin.com/company/orbaerospace) (rebuilding industrial backbone)
9. [Navy SBIR Award (Oct 2025)](https://simplify.jobs/c/Orb-Aerospace) (contract win)
10. [Lever Open Application](https://jobs.lever.co/orbaerospace/5efe843f-7ec9-4044-92e4-b5467ad59bb4) (talent philosophy, salary range)

## Other roles at Orb Aerospace

- [Cracked Engineers](https://feeny.ai/job/cracked-engineers-orb-aerospace-lowell-k3m81djr1pd2) — Lowell, MI
- [Autonomous Resilient Communications - Full-Time Technician](https://feeny.ai/job/autonomous-resilient-communications-full-time-technician-orb-aerospace-lowell-27ek89cqvedv) — Lowell, MI
- [Autonomous Resilient Communications (Embedded Robotics / Tactical Communications) Product Lead](https://feeny.ai/job/autonomous-resilient-communications-embedded-robotics-tactical-communications-w4kafkdj0pn6) — Lowell, MI
- [Principal Electrical Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/principal-electrical-engineer-orb-aerospace-lowell-jt0y02x7p563) — Lowell, MI
- [Senior Software Engineer – Autonomous Air Systems (Avionics)](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-software-engineer-autonomous-air-systems-avionics-orb-aerospace-lowell-nfyh9pn56y56) — Lowell, MI
- [Head of Finance – Civilian and Defense Operations](https://feeny.ai/job/head-of-finance-civilian-and-defense-operations-orb-aerospace-lowell-mqf2r7x9e5c7) — Lowell, MI
- [Open Application](https://feeny.ai/job/open-application-orb-aerospace-lowell-fhmt63txscp7) — Lowell, MI
- [AeroMechanical/Composite Structures Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/aeromechanical-composite-structures-engineer-orb-aerospace-lowell-3serka01xy9k) — Lowell, MI