Hiring: Staff Engineer - Mechanical Company: Thales Location: Irvine, CA Job Posted Time: 2026-09-10 12:23:11 Employment Type: On-site Target Skills & Keywords : Program Management About the job Experience: •15 years of mechanical design engineering experience within the aerospace industry. Required Skills: •Serve as the technical lead for the design, development, integration, qualification, and lifecycle support of complex electro-mechanical aerospace systems, ensuring compliance with customer requirements, certification standards, and business objectives. •Lead complex mechanical engineering efforts by resolving technical challenges related to thermal management, structural integrity, vibration, EMI/ESD, reliability, manufacturability, and product performance. •Provide technical leadership across multiple development programs by conducting trade studies, evaluating design alternatives, mitigating technical risks, and influencing product architecture and long-term technology strategies. •Partner cross-functionally with cross-functional teams including Systems, Electrical, Software, Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, and Program Management to deliver high-quality, cost-effective mechanical solutions. •Represent the organization as the primary mechanical engineering expert with customers, suppliers, certification authorities, and development partners by leading technical reviews, design discussions, and engineering presentations. •Mentor and develop engineers while driving engineering excellence through design reviews, continuous improvement initiatives, adoption of emerging technologies, and the establishment of mechanical engineering best practices. Qualifications: •Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, or a related engineering discipline; Master’s degree preferred. Minimum of 15 years of mechanical design engineering experience within the aerospace industry. •Proven experience serving as a technical lead, system architect, or recognized subject matter expert across multiple product development programs. •Demonstrated expertise leading innovation initiatives, advanced technology research, or intellectual property development for next-generation aerospace products. •Proven ability to provide technical leadership across geographically distributed engineering teams while mentoring engineers, influencing cross-functional stakeholders, and advancing engineering best practices. •Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related engineering discipline. •Demonstrated success leading innovation initiatives, advanced technology research, or intellectual property (patent) development. •Proven ability to mentor, coach, and develop engineers while fostering technical excellence and continuous improvement across engineering teams. •Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States for any employer at the time of hire. This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship or for assuming sponsorship of an employment visa now or in the future. •If you’re excited about working with Thales, but not meeting the requirements for this position, we encourage you to join our Talent Community! Interested candidates, please apply directly through the job posting on company's career page or try via AI auto apply on this platform. Don't miss this opportunity to join a forward-thinking team!