Full-Time
Senior MDAO Engineer
Posted on 10/31/2025
Mach Industries
201-500 employees
Unmanned defense hardware and propulsion systems.
Compensation Overview
$150k - $200k/yr
Huntington Beach, CA, USA
In Person
 Aerospace Engineering (2) |
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- Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field
- 2+ years of experience in a related role
- Broad knowledge of how various aerospace disciplines influence aircraft design
- Experience with a high-level programming language such as Python or C++
- Excellent collaboration and communication skills, with experience working in fast-paced, multidisciplinary environments
- Develop and integrate MDAO software for use in the initial sizing of Mach’s vehicles
- Conduct trade studies and optimization runs to provide design guidance in the conceptual design process for new vehicles
- Incorporate data from higher fidelity analysis and test results to understand current vehicle performance and improve future development efforts
- Understand design workflows between different disciplines and ensure all needed inputs and outputs are provided to relevant stakeholders
- Interface with other teams to incorporate design guidance into MDAO tooling
- Advanced degree in a related field
- 5+ years of experience in a related role
- Experience with Python for scientific programming in a version-controlled environment
- Experience with UAV development, particularly in sizing and configuration trade studies
- Knowledge of optimization techniques and other computational design methods
Mach Industries is a defense manufacturer focused on unmanned warfare hardware. It develops hydrogen-fueled unmanned systems and operates a propulsion division called Mach Propulsion. Its Forge network uses decentralized factories to produce components through partnerships, enabling vertical integration and collaboration with allies. The goal is to build a resilient defense manufacturing base that delivers unmanned platforms and propulsion at scale.
Company Size
201-500
Company Stage
Series C
Total Funding
$484.7M
Headquarters
Huntington Beach, California
Founded
2022
Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Rapid 71-day Venom prototype proves Mach can iterate hardware at software-like speed.
- Stratos, Glide, and Viper platforms align with urgent Pentagon demand for asymmetric unmanned strike.
- $100M round and $1.8B valuation give Mach capital to scale Forge and Mach Propulsion output.
What critics are saying
- Hydrogen propulsion fragility and JetCat dependence threaten platform delivery if in-house engines stall.
- Forge’s distributed factories face export-control and security risks that could block deployment.
- Valuation reset and prototype-heavy revenue make Mach vulnerable to procurement delays or autonomy scrutiny.
What makes Mach Industries unique
- Mach vertically integrates weapons, propulsion, and Forge manufacturing to compress defense hardware cycles.
- Its hydrogen-fueled unmanned platforms and Mach Propulsion create a closed-loop propulsion stack.
- Forge’s decentralized factory network aims to de-risk allied supply chains for mass unmanned systems.
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People at Mach Industries who can refer or advise you
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
6 month growth
↓ -2%1 year growth
↑ 4%2 year growth
↑ 4%Release Date June 2, 2026 Whisper Aero reveals 'stall-proof wing,' Mach Industries partnership. When Tennessee-based Whisper Aero unveiled its electric ducted fan technology in 2023, the emphasis was on its extremely low noise - the reason for the company's name. Whisper's unique high-blade-count fan design pushes the blade passage frequency into the ultrasonic range, where the resulting tonal noise is inaudible to humans. The potential applications for the tech range from leaf blowers to regional aircraft; essentially anywhere there is value in moving air quietly. At the time of the unveil, Whisper also revealed the design for a notional Whisper Jet, an example of how its technology could be integrated into an aircraft using a "JetFoil" array of ducted fans along a wing's leading edge. Besides low noise, Whisper said the JetFoil design would provide extremely high lift by virtue of blowing air across the upper surface of the wing, along with very low drag thanks to its smooth integration with the wing and clean exhaust air flow. In 2023, however, these benefits were still largely theoretical. Whisper co-founders Mark Moore and Ian Villa haven't said much about the JetFoil in the three years since, but their team has been busy behind the scenes developing the technology and testing it in the lab. Now, they're finally ready to share some of the results as Moore receives the F.E. Newbold V/STOL Award from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). In an interview with The Air Current ahead of their reveal at SAE International's AeroTech conference in West Palm Beach, Florida on June 2, Moore and Villa claimed the JetFoil is proving to be even more revolutionary than they originally suggested, with properties that could enable otherwise conventional airplanes to approach the capabilities of vertical take-off and landing aircraft. Whisper is now partnering with California-based startup Mach Industries to develop this "near-VTOL" capability for the Defense Innovation Unit Runway Independent Maritime & Expeditionary Strike (RIMES) program, which seeks drones that can carry fighter-class munitions from destroyers and other warships that lack large flight decks. "We've never been able to get the wing to stall - this is a stall-proof wing," said Moore, explaining how the JetFoil design delivers near-constant lift even as airspeed approaches zero. "Even as you're flying at crazy low speeds, you cannot stall the wing, which is an incredible safety feature." Our award-winning aerospace reporting combines the highest standards of journalism with the level of technical detail and rigor expected by a sophisticated industry audience. * Exclusive reporting and analysis on the strategy and technology of flying * Full access to our archive of industry intelligence * We respect your time; everything we publish earns your attention
Mach Industries, a defence manufacturing company developing advanced unmanned systems, has appointed Anand Gopalan as Chief Autonomy and Systems Officer. Gopalan will oversee the company's autonomy, avionics, guidance, navigation and control, and advanced AI divisions. Gopalan brings over 20 years of experience in mission-critical systems across semiconductors, sensing, AI and robotics. He previously served as CEO of Velodyne Lidar and co-founded Vayu Robotics. He has also held senior roles at Avago, K-Micro and Rambus. In his new role, Gopalan will lead system-level architecture, autonomy strategy, sensor fusion and AI development for contested operational environments. Founded in 2023 and based in Huntington Beach, California, Mach Industries vertically integrates weapons, propulsion and manufacturing capabilities.
Mach Industries, a defence manufacturing company developing advanced unmanned systems, has appointed Amanda Sustak as senior vice president of business development. In this role, Sustak will drive strategic growth across the US Department of War, Intelligence Community, and national security sectors. Sustak brings over 17 years of leadership experience in operational and business development roles. She previously served as head of business development at Somewear Labs and held positions at Jacobs Engineering Group, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Founded in 2023 and headquartered in Huntington Beach, California, Mach Industries develops unmanned systems by vertically integrating weapons, propulsion and manufacturing capabilities.
Mach Industries selects nominal to run test infrastructure for its next-generation strike and surveillance systems. The partnership brings automated readiness decisions and full traceability from the simulation to the factory floor. March 24, 2026 06:00 ET | Source: Nominal, Inc. LOS ANGELES, March 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) - Nominal, the connected test and operations platform for complex hardware systems, today announced that Mach Industries, developer of next-generation unmanned systems for the U.S. Army, Air Force, and Special Operations Command, has selected Nominal as its engineering, test and operations data infrastructure. The partnership spans Mach's entire development arc - from early flight test through high-rate production at Forge, its flagship manufacturing facility in Huntington Beach. Mach Industries designs and produces unmanned systems, including Viper, its jet-powered vertical-takeoff UAV; Glide, a high-altitude precision strike platform; and Stratos, a persistent stratospheric platform for customers including the U.S. Army, Air Force, and Special Operations Command. As Mach's program portfolio expanded and flight test tempo increased, its engineering teams needed a way to ingest and compare test data across distributed teams and facilities without losing the traceability that active DoW programs demand. With Nominal, Mach's engineers ingest test data from each flight and ground run in seconds, enabling real-time, post-test review and cross-run comparison from a unified platform. Engineering teams use Nominal's automated checks and workbooks to define what "good" looks like and to flag anomalies early, before they compound across a growing fleet of systems. As Mach advances toward higher flight test cadence and scales manufacturing at Forge, next phases of the partnership will bring automated go/no-go reporting and direct requirements-to-test traceability - the connective tissue between what a system is supposed to do and what it actually did during testing. Nominal supports Mach's rapid "fly-fix-fly" cycles with rigor, enabling the delivery of breakthrough capabilities at the speed of operational relevance. The Mach partnership extends Nominal's footprint into next-generation aerial and strike programs and reinforces a pattern the company has seen across its customer base: the teams moving fastest are also the most disciplined about data.The partnership also demonstrates that speed and rigor are not in tension, but compound when teams have the right data foundation. "Mach is building some of the most capable unmanned systems in the world, and they're building them fast. Nominal gives their engineers the data infrastructure to match that pace without cutting corners on rigor," said Cameron McCord, CEO and co-founder of Nominal. "National security depends on America's ability to field asymmetric capability faster than adversaries can respond. Nominal helps us compress the loop between test and production so we can do exactly that," said Ethan Thornton, founder and CEO of Mach Industries. The Nominal platform connects data across simulation runs, bench tests, and live flight telemetry, giving Mach's engineers a consistent analytical environment regardless of test phase or location. As Mach scales flight test tempo and brings Forge online for high-rate production, Nominal's connected test infrastructure provides the traceability layer that links component performance to system-level outcomes, from simulators to the factory floor to the field. About Mach Industries Founded in 2023, Mach Industries is a defense manufacturing company headquartered in Huntington Beach, California. The company develops advanced unmanned systems and the manufacturing infrastructure to scale their production. By vertically integrating weapons, propulsion, and manufacturing, Mach delivers the speed, adaptability, and resilience required to preserve the allied edge in an increasingly contested world. For more information, please visit us at machindustries.com and follow us on LinkedIn and X About Nominal Founded in 2022, Nominal is built on the belief that learning from tests faster than the threat is how the United States builds lasting technological advantage. By turning testing into a continuous, secure source of truth across complex programs, Nominal helps the government and its partners field mission-critical systems with speed and confidence. For more information, visit nominal.io. Follow Nominal on LinkedIn and X. Release Summary Nominal powers Mach Industries' UAV test infrastructure - connecting simulation to factory floor and compressing test-to-production loops for rapid fielding. Recommended reading. Explore. March 24, 2026 08:00 ET March 24, 2026 08:10 ET March 24, 2026 08:02 ET March 24, 2026 08:00 ET March 24, 2026 08:10 ET March 24, 2026 08:02 ET March 24, 2026 08:00 ET
Mach Industries, a defence manufacturing company specialising in advanced unmanned systems, has opened a new hub in San Francisco to strengthen collaboration and support growth amid rising demand from the US military and allied partners. The company's headquarters will remain at its 115,000-square-foot Forge 1 facility in Huntington Beach, California. Founder and CEO Ethan Thornton said the San Francisco expansion enables faster movement within the broader technology ecosystem whilst strengthening existing engineering, prototyping and manufacturing operations. The Bay Area's concentration of technical talent, research institutions and emerging technologies makes it a critical centre for the company's rapid iteration and growth. Founded in 2023, Mach Industries vertically integrates weapons, propulsion and manufacturing to deliver speed and adaptability for military applications.