# Principal Mechanical Engineer at Clera

Principal Mechanical Engineer at Clera in San Francisco. On-site, full-time, paying $235k–$305k. Posted November 5, 2026.

- Company: Clera
- Location: San Francisco
- Workplace: On-site
- Job type: Full-time
- Pay: $235k–$305k
- Posted: 2026-11-05
- Apply: https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/clera/bcd1d320-3f66-4ba9-a9ed-dc5e686f623e/application
- Source: https://jobmagic.ai/jobs/principal-mechanical-engineer-clera-3s8zdx

## Requirements

- 10 or more years designing and shipping complex hardware systems, including multiple transitions from prototype through manufacturing and deployment.
- Mechanical engineering is your primary discipline, with recent hands-on experience in CAD, structures, mechanisms, and packaging.
- Deep mechanical expertise and sound judgment in at least one additional area, such as electrical engineering, power electronics, or embedded systems.
- Experience leading full-system hardware integration and designing equipment for demanding real-world environments.
- Ability to correlate FEA or hand calculations with bench or field test data.
- Background as a senior individual contributor or technical lead at a hardware organization that shipped products.
- Experience in defense hardware, aerospace, robotics, high-performance automotive, maritime, or a related field is valuable. Directed energy, laser or high-power systems, thermal management, ruggedized equipment, and manufacturing scale-up experience are also relevant.

## Description

### About the Role

Join a small defense technology team developing autonomous directed-energy systems for counter-drone applications. As Principal Mechanical Engineer, you will own system-wide mechanical architecture and help take complex hardware from prototype through production and field deployment.

### What You'll Do

- Lead mechanical architecture and integration across electrical, power, embedded, and optics subsystems.

- Make technical decisions on challenging hardware problems from concept through production readiness.

- Guide hardware release and production processes in partnership with manufacturing teams.

- Review designs, calculations, and test results to identify risks early and maintain high engineering standards.

- Personally execute mechanical design work when your experience can resolve a problem quickly.

- Balance cost, mass, reliability, schedule, and field performance in design and manufacturing decisions.

- Mentor engineers through hands-on technical leadership and design reviews.

### What We're Looking For

- 10 or more years designing and shipping complex hardware systems, including multiple transitions from prototype through manufacturing and deployment.

- Mechanical engineering is your primary discipline, with recent hands-on experience in CAD, structures, mechanisms, and packaging.

- Deep mechanical expertise and sound judgment in at least one additional area, such as electrical engineering, power electronics, or embedded systems.

- Experience leading full-system hardware integration and designing equipment for demanding real-world environments.

- Ability to correlate FEA or hand calculations with bench or field test data.

- Background as a senior individual contributor or technical lead at a hardware organization that shipped products.

- Experience in defense hardware, aerospace, robotics, high-performance automotive, maritime, or a related field is valuable. Directed energy, laser or high-power systems, thermal management, ruggedized equipment, and manufacturing scale-up experience are also relevant.

### Compensation & Benefits

Base salary: $235,000 to $305,000 annually. Visa sponsorship is not available.

### Location

On-site in San Francisco, California, United States.