Role Overview
Luminit Inc. is seeking a Mechanical Design Engineer responsible for the mechanical design, structural analysis, prototyping, and integration of Luminit’s optical product assemblies across aerospace and emerging programs, beginning with an eVTOL cabin display program.
This role designs the hardware that houses, mounts, and interfaces Luminit’s optical components; owns the mechanical and structural engineering analysis required to substantiate the design for certification; develops the fixtures and test apparatus used for build and characterization; and produces the mechanical engineering documentation required by formal design control.
The position works hands-on through prototype and sample build and partners with the program/certification lead, optical engineering, and the customer’s mechanical and integration teams.
This is a cross-program role supporting multiple Luminit programs
Key Responsibilities
Mechanical Design & CAD
- Design housings, mounts, fixtures, and tooling for optical product assemblies and prototypes.
- Develop and maintain CAD models, .step models, top-level part drawings, indented BOMs, and configuration-controlled mechanical documentation.
- Conduct tolerance analysis and lead design reviews; apply GD&T.
- Balance mechanical design requirements with optical, manufacturing, and environmental constraints.
Design & Structural Analysis
- Own the mechanical and structural design analysis required for certification, including mechanical and electrical tolerances, positional accuracy, mechanical wear and freeplay, and behavior under normal and abnormal operation.
- Coordinate stress and structural analysis for abuse and inertia load cases, addressing safety factors and margins of design.
- Support inertia and structural substantiation by analysis or by environmental test (e.g., DO-160G Section 7 load cases) as appropriate, and produce the structural analysis packages supporting certification deliverables.
Cross-Functional Engineering Support
- Coordinate with optical engineering on opto-mechanical interface definition and integration.
- Provide mechanical and structural inputs to the program/certification lead for qualification and certification deliverables.
- Collaborate with process and quality teams on design decisions affecting producibility and inspection.
Mechanical Interface & Integration
- Support execution of avionics optical programs from concept through qualification and delivery
- Coordinate technical deliverables, engineering timelines, and issue tracking across teams
- Assist with risk management, milestone tracking, and program communication activities
- Lead the mechanical design and assembly of prototype and sample hardware, coordinating build activities with internal teams (optical/holography) and external partners such as the lamination/process partner.
- Specify mechanical components, materials, and procurement requirements; support iteration based on engineering and customer feedback.
Documentation & Configuration Management
- Work closely with Optical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Manufacturing, and Quality teams
- Support development of fixtures, tooling, and test apparatus for engineering validation and characterization
- Contribute to production-readiness and manufacturability discussions for new products and assemblies
Customer & Integration Support
- Support customer integration activities and interface coordination as needed
- Develop and maintain the mechanical interface control drawing (MICD), including installation instructions, with the customer’s mechanical and integration teams.
- Coordinate with sub-tier vendors on the mechanical and environmental aspects of integrated assemblies, including vibration, thermal performance, and form-fit interfaces.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related technical field (Master’s preferred)
- 7+ years of mechanical design experience in aerospace, defense, automotive, or other technically demanding industries
- Strong CAD proficiency (SolidWorks or equivalent), including assembly modeling, drawing creation, and GD&T.
- Demonstrated mechanical and structural analysis capability (stress, tolerance, and load-case analysis) supporting design substantiation.
- Experience producing mechanical interface control documents and interfacing with customer mechanical and integration engineering teams.
- Direct experience within AS9100 or an equivalent formal design-control and quality-management environment.
- Strong design discipline, including tolerance analysis, configuration management, and design review participation.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with precision opto-mechanical design (thermal stability, alignment tolerances, vibration isolation, contamination control).
- Familiarity with environmental qualification methodology (RTCA DO-160, MIL-STD-810, or equivalent), particularly as it relates to mechanical aspects such as vibration, thermal cycling, and structural tolerance.
- Experience with model-based definition (MBD) platforms for technical data package delivery.
- Experience with prototype-to-production transition, pilot-line buildout, or production fixturing.
- Experience with sub-tier vendor management on mechanical or environmentally qualified components.
- Familiarity with AS9100 or similar quality systems
Work Environment
- On-site role based in Torrance, CA
- Cross-functional engineering and manufacturing environment
- Customer interaction and technical program collaboration required
- Travel to customer or partner sites as needed
Export Control Eligibility
This position may involve access to information or technology subject to U.S. export control regulations (ITAR or EAR). Applicants must qualify as a U.S. person under applicable U.S. export control regulations.
Luminit develops advanced optical technologies used across automotive, aerospace, defense, and industrial applications. Employees work on cutting-edge holographic and photonic systems in a collaborative, technically driven environment with opportunities to contribute directly to next-generation mobility and display technologies.