Sr. Mechanical Engineer

The Sr. Mechanical Engineer applies engineering techniques to design, fabricate, analyze, and test composite structures and mechanically functioning equipment for high-altitude aerospace applications. Leads and supports the mechanical design, testing, and production of composite airframe structures, housings, and enclosures for unmanned aerospace systems. Manages mid-size development projects outsourced to sub-contractors (development of a system, equipment or components).

Position Responsibilities

• Leads or supports structural, dynamic, and thermal analysis for composite structures and electronics enclosures
• Leads the design and development of composite components from concept through production, including layup schedules, tooling design, and manufacturing process definition
• Develops composite structural designs using fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRP, GFRP) and hybrid material systems
• Performs stress and fatigue analysis specific to composite materials and bonded joints
• Develops mechanical drawings and specifies dimensional tolerances with an emphasis on composite fabrication and assembly
• Develops assembly instructions, layup procedures, cure cycle documentation, and test procedures
• Develops test plans and test procedures to verify structural designs against environmental and load requirements
• Works on complex issues where analysis of situations or data requires in-depth knowledge of composite behavior and failure mechanisms
• Executes team assignments effectively following the given schedule, milestone, and available resources. May coordinate activities of other engineering and manufacturing personnel (Team Lead)
• Other duties as assigned

Basic Qualifications (Required Skills & Experience)

• Minimum 8 – 12 years of relevant technical experience in Mechanical Engineering, of which a minimum of 5 years focused on composite structure design and production for aerospace applications
• Experienced in developing requirements specifications for structural subsystems in accordance with MIL-STD-961D or equivalent
• Has sufficient proficiency with the following CAD/CAE tools to perform one's position responsibilities:
  • SolidWorks for mechanical and tooling modeling
  • ANSYS for structural and fatigue analysis of composite assemblies
• Extensive experience with composite manufacturing methodologies including wet layup, prepreg, autoclave, and out-of-autoclave processes
• Experienced with composite bonding and joining techniques including co-cure, co-bond, and secondary bonding using aerospace-grade adhesives
• Experienced with composite tooling design including matched-die, mandrel, and caul plate tooling
• Experienced with creating and maintaining product document trees and bills of materials (BOM)
• Experienced with test and measurement techniques for structural verification including DIC, strain gauging, and load frame testing

Other Qualifications & Desired Competencies

• MS degree in Mechanical Engineering or Aerospace Engineering is preferred
• Familiarity with MIL-STD-810 or DO-160 environmental qualification testing
• Familiarity with composite-specific standards and process specifications (e.g., ASTM D3039, D3410, Nadcap composite processing)
• Experience with repair and inspection methods for composite structures (NDI, ultrasonic, visual)
• Demonstrates full understanding of composite mechanics, classical laminate theory, and failure criteria (Tsai-Wu, Max Strain)
• Demonstrates full understanding & knowledge of engineering principles in the technical discipline and successfully works independently
• Effectively articulates concepts and ideas to both technical and non-technical staff
• Able to excel in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment, where small teams share a broad variety of duties
• Displays strong initiative and drive to accomplish goals and meet company objectives
• Takes ownership and responsibility for current and past work products
• Is committed to learning from mistakes and driven to improve and enhance performance of oneself, others, and the company
• Has effective problem-solving, analytical, interpersonal and communication skills (verbal and written)
• Focuses on teamwork, collaboration and puts the success of the team above one's own interest

Salary Range: $125,000-140,000

The actual salary offered is dependent on various factors including, but not limited to, location, the candidate’s combination of job-related knowledge, qualifications, skills, education, training, and experience.

Note: Due to the nature of the work, only US Persons (citizens or permanent residents) need apply for this position.