Demo

Reliability Engineer

Sigma Design
Costa Mesa, CA Full Time
POSTED ON 9/19/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 10/20/2026
Reliability Engineer
(Contract-to-hire)

Sigma Design has collaborated with a leading defense technology company seeking an experienced Reliability Engineer to join their facility in Costa Mesa, CA. This company specializes in autonomous systems and next-generation defense technologies. This position is contract to hire and fully In-Office.

While on contract you are eligible for:
  • Multiple options for medical insurance and dental insurance including some with FSA and HSA
  • 401(k) with up to 4% company match
  • 15-days of accrued PTO and 9 company paid holidays
  • Quarterly bonus program
  • Voluntary benefits: vision, long-term disability, and life insurance
  • Monday - Friday, day shift
  • $70.00 - $93.00 an hour. The hourly range for this role is an estimate based on multiple factors, including experience, education, training, skills, and business considerations. Actual compensation may vary based on the candidate's qualifications and alignment with the role

Primary Function:
The Reliability Engineer is responsible for ensuring product reliability and system safety throughout the entire product lifecycle, from concept and design through manufacturing, production, and field deployment. This role partners cross-functionally to evaluate designs, execute reliability analyses and testing, investigate failures, and implement continuous improvements that enhance product performance and production readiness.

Essential Job Functions - Responsibilities:
  • Perform predictive reliability analyses, including MTTF/MTBF calculations, Weibull analysis, and reliability modeling to evaluate product performance and identify failure trends.
  • Lead Failure Modes & Effects Analysis (FMEA), Fault Tree Analysis (FTA), and root cause investigations to identify risks and drive corrective and preventative actions.
  • Develop and execute qualification, validation, environmental, and accelerated life testing plans to verify product reliability and production readiness.
  • Collaborate with engineering, manufacturing, quality, and test teams to improve product designs, manufacturing processes, and system reliability throughout development and production.
  • Support design reviews, manufacturing readiness activities, and the transition of products from development into production.
  • Develop maintainability models and support preventative maintenance and sparing strategies.
  • Create and improve standardized reliability processes, tools, and documentation to support product development and manufacturing.
  • Follow Business Technology policies to protect sensitive data and reduce information security occurrences.

Education and Experience: (Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities)
  • Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, or an equivalent technical discipline required; Master's degree preferred.
  • Minimum of 5 years of experience as a Reliability Engineer, Design/Development Engineer, Test Engineer, or related engineering role preferred.
  • Experience with safety-critical hardware and software systems, preferably within aerospace or defense environments.
  • Strong knowledge of reliability engineering methodologies including FMEA/FMECA, Fault Tree Analysis, Weibull analysis, predictive reliability modeling, and failure investigations.
  • Experience developing and executing qualification, environmental, accelerated life, and validation testing.
  • Familiarity with military reliability and environmental standards, including MIL-STD-810, MIL-HDBK-217, MIL-STD-461, MIL-STD-516C, and MIL-STD-1629; experience with MIL-HDBK-217Plus, MIL-HDBK-472, and MIL-STD-1916 is a plus.
  • Experience supporting design reviews, manufacturing readiness, production testing, and continuous improvement initiatives.
  • Strong analytical, technical writing, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
  • Compliance (background check, ITAR, vaccine, etc.)
    • ITAR - Permanent resident of the United States ("U.S. person" as defined by ITAR)
    • Background - Pass a post-offer background verification.
Work Environment
Standard office environment with normal amounts of office related conditions. Occasionally may be required to work in environmental conditions that emulate typical user environments in order to facilitate design testing and validation. Occasionally may be required to travel as required to other facilities, clients, or suppliers.

SigmaDesign is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Salary : $70 - $93

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution. Compensation Planning
Enhance your organization's compensation strategy with salary data sets that HR and team managers can use to pay your staff right. Surveys & Data Sets

What is the career path for a Reliability Engineer?

Sign up to receive alerts about other jobs on the Reliability Engineer career path by checking the boxes next to the positions that interest you.
Income Estimation: 
$92,877 - $110,401
Income Estimation: 
$120,933 - $155,034
Income Estimation: 
$114,618 - $136,401
Income Estimation: 
$92,877 - $110,401
Income Estimation: 
$120,933 - $155,034
Income Estimation: 
$114,618 - $136,401
Employees: Get a Salary Increase
View Core, Job Family, and Industry Job Skills and Competency Data for more than 15,000 Job Titles Skills Library

Job openings at Sigma Design

  • Sigma Design Camas, WA
  • CNC Machinist II Sigma Design is a product development, engineering, and manufacturing firm. Based out of the Pacific Northwest, we offer innovative concep... more
  • 4 Days Ago

  • Sigma Design Fort Wayne, IN
  • Tool & Die Machinist I (Direct Placement for Client) Sigma Design has collaborated with a heavy industrial fabrication and machine shop seeking an experien... more
  • 9 Days Ago


Not the job you're looking for? Here are some other Reliability Engineer jobs in the Costa Mesa, CA area that may be a better fit.

  • Anduril Industries Costa Mesa, CA
  • Anduril Industries is a defense technology company with a mission to transform U.S. and allied military capabilities with advanced technology. By bringing ... more
  • 1 Day Ago

  • Hydrogen Group San Clemente, CA
  • Electrical Distribution Reliability Engineer We are seeking an Electrical Distribution Reliability Engineer to support electric utility distribution reliab... more
  • 1 Day Ago

AI Assistant is available now!

Feel free to start your new journey!