Mechanical Assembly, Integration & Test Lead Rio Rancho, NM Mechanical Engineering

• Mechanical Engineering

Castelion is moving incredibly fast to develop and deliver advanced defense systems at a time when execution matters more than ever. We believe focus, ownership, and excellence are decisive advantages - and we're building a world-class team to turn bold ideas into real capability.

This is a rare opportunity to join at an early stage, where you'll have significant ownership, collaborate with exceptional teammates, and make a direct, measurable impact on our mission and the future of the company - regardless of your function.

Castelion is seeking a hands‑on Mechanical Assembly, Integration & Test Lead to own the physical assembly, integration, and testing of its long‑range hypersonic strike vehicles. This role will lead complete vehicle integration from early prototypes through qualification and production transition, establishing the processes, tooling, and technical rigor required for repeatable flight‑hardware builds. The ideal candidate combines deep mechanical judgment with a strong understanding of electrical, avionics, propulsion, and structural interfaces.

This is a hands‑on technical leadership role that will work directly with engineers and technicians to resolve integration issues, execute ground and flight‑test campaigns, and deliver flight‑ready vehicles at a high cadence.

• Own assembly, integration, and mechanical test processes for complete long‑range hypersonic strike vehicle assemblies, including solid rocket motors, structural and composite components, mechanisms, electrical systems, and avionics.
• Develop a deep understanding of vehicle‑level interfaces, subsystem interactions, operational environments, and field use.
• Define vehicle integration strategies, build sequences, test flows, acceptance criteria, and readiness assessments.
• Partner with design, manufacturing, systems, and quality engineering teams to transition hardware from concept and prototype through qualification and production.
• Evaluate designs for manufacturability, assembly, testability, serviceability, and producibility; drive requirements and design changes through technical reviews.
• Develop, document, validate, and qualify manufacturing, assembly, and test processes.
• Create and maintain work instructions, test procedures, manufacturing bills of material, inspection requirements, and quality standards.
• Design and commission tooling, test stands, lifting equipment, jigs, fixtures, and other integration and test equipment.
• Lead hands‑on build and test operations alongside engineers and technicians, including flight‑hardware assembly, subsystem installation, functional testing, environmental testing, acceptance testing, and test‑data review.
• Establish acceptance criteria, assess test results, and make technical recommendations for subsystem and vehicle readiness.
• Lead fault isolation, root cause analysis, corrective action, and resolution of mechanical and cross‑disciplinary integration issues.
• Coordinate with supply chain, vendors, fabricators, and subcontractors to ensure components and subsystems are delivered in a configuration ready for vehicle integration.
• Establish scalable processes that support rapid development while enabling repeatable, production‑ready vehicle builds.
• Balance technical rigor, safety, schedule, and program objectives in a fast‑paced hardware‑development environment.

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, or a related technical field.
• 8+ years of professional experience in aerospace, defense, or another high‑reliability hardware environment, with significant responsibility for vehicle integration, assembly, testing, or production transition.
• De…