Senior Mechanical Engineer
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Oct 4, 2026. First seen by Alion on Mar 31, 2026. Sphere Defense scores B on the Alion truth index.
Who we are
Sphere Defense is a fully funded technology startup with the mission of providing allied countries with sovereign, effective and seamless autonomous countermeasures to neutralize todays’ and tomorrow’s aerial threats.
Sphere Defense was founded by industry veterans with previous successful exits, and is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, in the heart of Europe.
About you
You are an experienced and highly-motivated Senior Mechanical Design Engineer that has worked with high-speed, small-scale flying vehicles (ideally fixed-wing drones). You are familiar with electro-mechanical systems, composite materials, aerodynamics, flight control surfaces and mid-volume production.
What you'll do
You will own the mechanical design of our countermeasure, define the manufacturing technologies and ensure a smooth transition from internal R&D to external production partners.
Be one of the first members of a high-performing team, designing and developing autonomous countermeasures to protect allied countries from aerial threats
Design, develop, prototype and test flying vehicles for flight performance, vibration resistance, reliability
Calculate tolerances, stress and buffers to ensure the correct balance between cost, durability and performance
Identify the right materials and production techniques for different parts of the vehicles
Identify and interface with external prototype and production partners
Work closely with the electrical engineering team for E/M co-design
Identify and work closely with simulation partners for FEA/CFD
Ensure the designs adhere to the industrial quality standards by drafting test plans and working with test houses for validation and certification
Draft production-level documentation, including GD&T, during the entire product lifecycle
Be a team player and a mentor, being available to support and grow the team
Location: Onsite in Brussels, Belgium. Our office is close to Central Station.
Reports to: Chief Technology Officer
Requirements
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent
At least 8 years in relevant roles, with increasing levels of ownership
Demonstrated experience in the role, bringing products from conception to production with mid-volume production
Proficiency with SolidWorks or other established CAD packages
Experience with composite materials and at least two among: plastic injection, thermoforming, metal stamping
Experience with medium-scale, integrated electro-mechanical systems (actuators, sensors, flex circuits mechanical outlines, wiring harnesses, electrical connections, etc.)
Experience in creating and maintaining production-ready documentation (technical drawings, assembly diagrams, etc.)
Hands-on, with demonstrated ability in quickly prototyping mechanical systems
Ability to execute incoming inspection and dimensional accuracy checks on golden samples
Preferred Qualifications
First-hand expertise with CFD and/or FEA
Experience with CAM programs for manufacturing with CNC and lathe machines
Experience with electro-optical systems
Experience setting up in-house prototyping labs
Experience tutoring operators for incoming quality inspection
What we offer
Attractive compensation
Year-end bonus
Stock Options Plan
Mobility Budget
32 days of holidays
Meal vouchers
Private Health insurance
We are building a core team of hard-working people. If you want to join a company with tremendous impact and you are autonomous, creative and driven, we want to hear from you!
Sphere Defense offers attractive compensation, stock options, and a unique opportunity to change the global defense landscape.
This role is only open to candidates with right to work in Belgium. We cannot provide visa sponsorship at this time.