Principal Mechanical Engineer
Core
Technical authority for hands-on design, development, packaging, integration, and qualification of ruggedized sensor systems, avionics, and mission-critical hardware for dual-use aerospace and defense applications.
Role type
Principal Mechanical Engineer (Technical Authority)
Builds
Ruggedized sensor systems, avionics, electronic hardware, and related mission-critical systems
Domain
Aerospace and Defense
Deliverable
production ML models | product features | infrastructure
Required skills
Mechanical design and integration, complex assemblies and packaging, CAD modeling (SolidWorks), structural and thermal analysis, interface control documents (ICDs), military/aerospace standards (MIL-STD-810), ruggedized hardware qualification, cross-disciplinary system integration, make/buy evaluation, engineering process establishment
Preferred skills
System-level requirements allocation, architecture trade studies, environmental qualification testing (thermal cycling, vibration, shock), mechanisms and actuation systems, additive manufacturing and CNC machining, commercial FEA/multiphysics simulation (NASTRAN, ABAQUS, ANSYS, COMSOL)
Technologies
SolidWorks, NASTRAN, ABAQUS, ANSYS, COMSOL, MIL-DTL-38999, ARINC, Micro-D
Responsibilities
Lead design, development, packaging, and mechanical integration of ruggedized electronic hardware and sensor systems; Serve as final mechanical technical authority for major programs; Define and review mechanical architectures and interfaces; Resolve high-risk or ambiguous mechanical problems; Create and maintain CAD models, complex assemblies, drawings, and ICDs; Perform or guide structural and thermal analyses and design verification; Evaluate make/buy options and provide technical recommendations; Support production transition, configuration control, and fielded system sustainment; Provide technical and career mentoring to less-experienced engineers
Seniority
Principal, technical authority & mentorship