Mechanical Design Engineer, Mechanical Routing

About Karman Industries

Founded in 2024 and headquartered in Gardena, California, Karman Industries is at the forefront of revolutionizing industrial thermal energy. Our mission is to electrify global thermal systems across data centers, manufacturing, and energy industries. Karman is developing the revolutionary Heat Processing Unit (HPU) to reinvent thermal handling for giga-scale data centers & AI factories. The HPU is built around a supercritical CO2 chiller system utilizing a high-speed electrically driven turbomachinery core. Our system aims to reduce energy consumption in data center thermal management by greater than 25% and increase energy density by 10x.

At Karman Industries, we are committed to fostering a dynamic and inclusive work environment where innovation thrives. Our team is composed of passionate professionals dedicated to making a tangible impact on the future of industrial manufacturing. Join us in our mission to transform the industry and contribute to a more sustainable world.

Mechanical Design Engineer, Mechanical Routing

Location: Gardena, CA (on-site) · Type: Full-time · Team: Mechanical Engineering

Karman is looking for a Mechanical Design Engineer who lives in Siemens NX and wants to own the fluid routing on a first-of-its-kind machine. You will turn P&IDs into piping, tubing and hose networks for the HPU that are compact, serviceable, buildable and released fast.

On high-pressure, high-temperature lines, every routing choice affects thermal growth, support loads, vibration, assembly time and leak risk. You will learn those trade-offs alongside our analysis, turbomachinery and controls engineers, then follow your designs from the model to the shop floor and the test cell. If you are the person your team asks when NX misbehaves, we want to talk to you.

Responsibilities

• Route piping, tubing and hose in NX Mechanical Routing from P&IDs, across skids, test stands and turbomachinery interfaces, balancing flow, thermal growth, clearance and service access.

• Build and maintain clean, robust NX assemblies, using WAVE-linked routing spaces and reference sets so models hold up as the design changes.

• Create and maintain routing libraries for tube, pipe, fittings, valves and flanges, with correct stock, bend radii and port definitions.

• Release isometrics, bend tables, weld maps and fully dimensioned drawings with GD&T through Teamcenter.

• Design pipe supports, brackets and restraints, and iterate with analysis engineers on ASME B31.3 flexibility and stress results.

• Work with suppliers and technicians on tube bending, orbital welding, cleaning and pressure test so parts fit on the first build.

• Support prototype builds, leak and proof testing and instrumentation, and bring what you learn back into the model.

• Coordinate packaging with the electrical routing engineer and other disciplines in design reviews, so fluid lines, harnesses and instrumentation share space cleanly.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering or a related discipline.

• 1+ year of hands-on mechanical design or build experience; internships and engineering project teams count.

• Expert-level Siemens NX: large assemblies, WAVE and interpart linking, parametric modeling and production drawings. Be ready to walk us through models you built.

• Hands-on experience with NX Mechanical Routing, or with tube and pipe routing in another 3D CAD tool.

• Solid drawing and GD&T fundamentals (ASME Y14.5).

• Strong hand-calculation fundamentals: pressure drop, wall thickness, thermal expansion and support loads.

• Clear communication and the habit of keeping models, files and documentation organized.

Desired Skills and Experience

• Teamcenter experience: revisions, BOMs and change workflow.

• NX Open, journaling, Python or VBA to automate bend reports, BOMs or drawing checks.

• Tube and pipe fabrication knowledge: bend limits, weld joint types, and flared, flareless and welded fittings.

• Experience with ASME B31.3, B31.1 or BPVC, and pipe stress or FEA tools such as CAESAR II, ANSYS or NASTRAN.

• Exposure to turbomachinery, heat exchangers, refrigeration, or supercritical and high-pressure working fluids.

• Formula SAE, Baja SAE, rocketry, Design Build Fly or similar project-team experience.

Compensation and Benefits

Base pay range: USD $80,000 to $160,000 per year, set by level, experience and market data. Full-time hires are also eligible for stock options, medical, vision and dental coverage, and a 401(k) retirement plan.

Karman Industries is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment is based on merit, competence and qualifications, and is not influenced by race, color, religion, gender, national origin or ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.