Mechanical Assembly, Integration & Test Lead at Castelion in Rio Rancho, NM

Job description

Why Castelion, Why Now 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. Responsibilities • 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. Basic Qualifications • 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. • Demonstrated ownership of complex aerospace hardware from prototype development through qualification or production. • Experience leading hands-on assembly, integration, and test activities for complex mechanical or electromechanical systems. • Strong understand