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Mach Industries

Develops unmanned military systems and propulsion

New Graduate Flight Test & Operations Engineer - Flight Test & Ops

Full-Time
$105k - $110k+ Performance-based bonus + Stock options/equity
Entry
Bachelor's, Master's
Huntington Beach, CA, USA
In PersonOn-site in Huntington Beach; travel to test ranges is required.
Aerospace EngineeringAviation Operations & Aircraft Maintenance
No H1B Sponsorship

About the job

Requirements
  • A bachelor's or master's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related technical field is required.
  • Graduation by summer 2027 is required.
  • Relevant experience through internships, research, academic projects, flight programs, or technical student organizations is required.
  • A foundational understanding of aircraft systems, flight mechanics, systems engineering, testing, or vehicle operations is required.
  • Experience developing technical documentation, analyzing engineering data, or executing structured test procedures is required.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills are required.
  • Ability to remain organized and communicate clearly in dynamic, high-pressure environments is required.
  • Willingness to travel to test ranges as required is required.
  • Ability to work on-site in Huntington Beach, California is required.
  • Availability to work extended hours and weekends as needed is required.
  • Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. lawful permanent resident, refugee, or asylee, or eligible to obtain required U.S. Department of State authorizations under export regulations.
Responsibilities
  • Support the planning and execution of ground and flight-test operations for unmanned aircraft systems.
  • Develop test plans, procedures, concepts of operations, test cards, readiness-review materials, and post-test reports.
  • Coordinate test activities across flight operations, systems, guidance, navigation, and control (GNC), avionics, software, energetics, and other engineering teams.
  • Support test campaigns through preparation, systems checks, dry runs, readiness reviews, day-of-test execution, and post-test analysis.
  • Assist with aircraft preparation, ground-control-station setup, test equipment, data systems, and range infrastructure.
  • Help identify test requirements, instrumentation needs, operational constraints, and success criteria.
  • Monitor vehicle and test-system performance during ground and flight operations.
  • Collect, organize, and analyze test data to communicate results and support engineering decisions.
  • Participate in root-cause investigations and help resolve issues identified during testing.
  • Support the coordination of flight demonstrations and operations at private and Department of Defense test ranges.
  • Contribute to test-site procedures, safety analyses, operating policies, and process improvements.
  • Help scale the company's flight-test and flight-operations capabilities as products and programs grow.
Desired Qualifications
  • Experience with unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), flight testing, aircraft operations, rocketry, robotics, or autonomous systems.
  • Participation in student organizations such as Design/Build/Fly, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), rocketry, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), Formula SAE, or autonomous vehicle teams.
  • Experience developing test plans, test cards, procedures, safety documentation, or post-test reports.
  • Familiarity with ground-control-station software, including Mission Planner or similar platforms.
  • Experience with data acquisition, instrumentation, telemetry, or flight-data analysis.
  • Familiarity with MATLAB, Python, or other engineering analysis tools.
  • Experience building, operating, maintaining, or troubleshooting aircraft or other complex hardware.
  • Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate, private pilot certificate, or radio-controlled aircraft experience.
  • Willingness to travel domestically and internationally.
  • Enthusiasm for aviation, field testing, and hands-on vehicle operations.

About the company

Mach Industries designs and builds unmanned military systems, including VTOL drones, long-range strike weapons, and counter-UAS, along with propulsion and energetics. Its products integrate flight hardware, powerplants, and munitions into compact, mission-ready systems with a focus on in-house manufacturing to lower costs. It differentiates itself through vertical integration, owning propulsion and energetic components, and expanding via the Exquadrum acquisition to ease munitions bottlenecks while maintaining a large California manufacturing footprint. Its goal is to scale manufacturing capacity and accelerate programs to meet defense contracts, supported by large funding rounds to grow production and operations.

Company Size

201-500

Company Stage

Series C

Total Funding

$1.1B

Headquarters

Huntington Beach, California

Founded

2022

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • September 2026 investors added $600 million, backing Mach's scale-up after June's $300 million round.
  • June 2026 production and DIU wins validated demand from the Navy, Army, and allies.
  • Mach's Viper demo to Lithuania and Estonia broadened NATO interest beyond U.S. procurement.

What critics are saying

  • Brian Harley sued Mach in California Central Court in February 2026; hearings resumed September.
  • Mach's September 2026 $3.7 billion valuation dwarfs its still-early production and contracts.
  • A manufacturing or certification failure would stall Atlas, Viper, and Energetics revenue.

What makes Mach Industries unique

  • Ethan Thornton vertically integrates airframes, propulsion, and energetics under one 2023 company.
  • June 2026 DIU awarded Mach the Navy's runway-independent strike aircraft integrator role.
  • May 2026 Exquadrum acquisition gives Mach in-house solid-rocket-motor supply and sales.

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Benefits

  • Health Insurance
  • 401(k) Retirement Plan
  • 401(k) Company Match
  • Paid Vacation
  • Paid Holidays
  • Relocation Assistance
  • Professional Development Budget
  • Meal Benefits

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

7%

1 year growth

2%

2 year growth

2%
PR Newswire
Oct 8th, 2026
Mach Industries wins US Army contract to develop 1,000km+ precision strike missile prototype

Mach Industries has been selected by the US Army to develop a prototype for the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) Increment 4 programme. The Huntington Beach–based defence manufacturer is one of five companies awarded an Other Transaction Authority agreement to create systems capable of launching from HIMARS and engaging moving maritime and relocatable land targets at ranges exceeding 1,000 kilometres. The award builds on Mach's development of Pike, its long-range strike platform designed for affordable precision effects at production scale. Pike uses rocket-assisted launch before transitioning to sustained jet flight, with a range of up to 1,000 miles. Prototype development and flight testing will begin in fiscal year 2027.

TechCrunch
Sep 10th, 2026
Defense tech Mach Industries doubles valuation to $3.7B in three months with $600M raise

Mach Industries, a defense tech startup, has raised $600 million in a Series C extension round, doubling its valuation to $3.7 billion in just three months. The company previously raised $300 million at a $1.8 billion valuation in June. Investors include Ribbit Capital, Infinite Capital, Bedrock Capital, and Sequoia. The startup manufactures unmanned military vehicles and weapons, including drones and counter-drone systems, from its 115,000-square-foot facility in Huntington Beach, California. Mach acquired solid rocket motor startup Exquadrum for $50 million in May, creating a new business line called Mach Energetics. Founded by 22-year-old Ethan Thornton, who dropped out of MIT at 19, Mach represents Sequoia's first defence tech investment. The company secured a US Army contract earlier this year.

PR Newswire
Jul 28th, 2026
Mach Industries demonstrates autonomous Viper strike platform to Lithuanian and Estonian forces

Mach Industries demonstrated its Viper autonomous strike platform to Lithuanian and Estonian Armed Forces during the VANGUARD 2026 exercise at Lithuania's Rūdininkai military training area. The vertical-takeoff system combines long-range strike capability with precision targeting. The exercise brought together 15 defence companies from seven countries to evaluate emerging technologies under realistic operational conditions. Lithuanian Minister of National Defence Robert Kaunas emphasised the importance of testing advanced systems capable of meeting the country's defence requirements and reinforcing NATO's eastern flank. Mach Industries CEO Ethan Thornton said the company develops systems based on insights from Russia's war against Ukraine. The demonstration results were later presented at a networking event hosted by the US Embassy in Lithuania, attended by defence representatives from multiple countries. The California-based company manufactures advanced unmanned systems and supporting industrial capacity.

PR Newswire
Jun 16th, 2026
Mach Industries wins DIU contract for hybrid-electric strike aircraft with 1,400 nautical mile range

Mach Industries has been awarded a Defense Innovation Unit contract for the Runway Independent Maritime Expeditionary Strike programme. The California-based defence manufacturer will serve as aircraft integrator, leading development of Atlas, a hybrid-electric unmanned aerial system designed for the US Navy. Atlas, developed in partnership with Whisper Aero, can carry a 1,000-pound payload over 1,400 nautical miles whilst operating from expeditionary locations without runways or from ships lacking large flight decks. The aircraft uses Whisper Aero's JetFoil technology, enabling operations from unimproved landing zones with reduced acoustic signature and improved efficiency. Founded in 2023, Mach Industries has manufactured over 250 aircraft and designed more than 1,000 solid rocket motors. The company currently operates five distinct platforms across four countries.

Washington Technology
Jun 3rd, 2026
Mach Industries hauls in $300M to move on second-generation systems.

Mach Industries hauls in $300M to move on second-generation systems. Stay Connected Find opportunities - and win them. June 3, 2026 01:55 PM ET The unmanned systems maker has five vehicles under development and wants to do more for military organizations like the Army and Air Force. Mach Industries, a maker of unmanned and other defense systems, has fetched $300 million in Series C capital from investors to aid efforts in expanding manufacturing capacity and partnerships with military forces. The company opened for business in 2022 and has five vehicles under development with plans in place to start producing at least three of them this year. In April, Mach Industries acquired solid rocket motor manufacturer Exquandrum in order to gain greater control over SRM supply chains and directly incorporate energetics system development processes. New investors Infinite Capital and Ribbit Capital led the Series C round announced Tuesday, which values Mach Industries at a touted $1.8 billion. Bedrock Capital, Sequoia Capital and Khosla Ventures are returning investors. Mach Industries intends to use this new capital to expand its Forge manufacturing network, further advance its propulsion capabilities and move to develop second-generation systems. The company also is looking to expand its work with military organizations such as the Army, Air Force, Special Operations Command and allied forces. Some examples of platforms made by Mach Industries include Viper, a vertical-takeoff strike vehicle; Glide, a high-altitude glider built to launch weapons; and Stratos, an airborne satellite platform for surveillance. Mach Industries also manufactures the Dart counter-drone interceptor and Pike, a long-range strike munition.