Electro-Mechanical Survivability Engineer; Systems Design & Hardening

Overview

Position Title: Electro-Mechanical Survivability Engineer (Systems Design & Hardening)

Location: Aberdeen, MD

Reports To: APM Hardware

Job Type: Full-time

Clearance Requirement: TS/SCI (able to process, US citizenship is a must)

Summary:

We are seeking a Senior Electro-Mechanical Survivability Engineer to serve as the lead architect for the electrical and mechanical integrity and environmental hardening of integrated hardware, computing, and communication suites. This role requires a master-level balance of clean-sheet electro-mechanical design and the structural hardening of Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) and Non-Developmental Item (NDI) components that implement commercial grade mounting and electrical connectors.

You will be responsible for the “chassis-up” structural architecture of next-generation expeditionary systems, ensuring that high-density processors, sensitive RF components, and high-speed networking hardware and electrical connections survive the violent dynamics and environmental conditions of tactically deployed equipment—including ballistic shock, high-G impacts, relentless vehicle vibration, and weather/other environmental conditions (e.g. humidity, electromagnetic).

• Bespoke Structural Design:
  Lead the ground-up mechanical design of ruggedized enclosures and internal sub-frames. Responsible for the primary load paths and structural survival of the entire integrated system.
• Integrated System Hardening:
  Identify and mitigate mechanical vulnerabilities in high-density computing and communication hardware, such as reinforcing un-ruggedized cards, securing high-speed cabling, and hardening RF connectors against shear forces.
• COTS/NDI Integration:
  Design bespoke internal "exo-skeletons" and isolation strategies that allow commercial servers, switches, and radios to operate far beyond their original structural specifications.
• Shock & Vibration Isolation Architecture:
  Design and integrate complex isolation systems—including wire-rope, elastomeric, or 3D-printed energy-absorbing lattices—specifically tuned to protect delicate internal electronics from tactical vehicle vibration and high-impact events.
• Additive Manufacturing for Hardening:
  Leverage Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) to create hyper-optimized, lightweight structures. Use AM for part consolidation, weight reduction, and the creation of "conformal" structural supports that wrap around uniquely shaped COTS components.
• Environmental Sealing & Ingress Protection:
  Design and validate IP67/68-rated seals. Ensure the chassis architecture accounts for pressure equalization during rapid altitude changes while preventing the ingress of sand, dust, and salt fog.
• Structural FEA & Dynamic Simulation:
  Perform high-fidelity Finite Element Analysis (FEA), including linear/non-linear dynamics and fatigue analysis, to simulate environmental and operational stress profiles.
• Verification & Standards Compliance:
  Direct all structural validation and correlation efforts to ensure both bespoke designs and integrated hardware meet or exceed MIL-STD-810H and MIL-S-901D requirements.
• RF Shielding & EMI/EMC:
  Expertise in MIL-STD-461 (Electromagnetic Interference). This involves designing Faraday cages, selecting conductive gaskets, and ensuring that high-speed processors don’t jam the radio receivers sitting right next to them.
• SWaP-C Optimization:
  In expeditionary gear, "Size, Weight, Power, and Cost" are the primary constraints, and frequently at odds with survivability goals.

Education:

• BS in Electrical, Electronics, or Mechanical Engineering, Structural Engineering, or a related field.
• MS is preferred.

Experience:

• 7+ years of experience in electro-mechanical design and systems integration, specifically within the Defense, Aerospace, or Ruggedized Industrial sectors.

Skills:

• Analysis Mastery:
  Expert proficiency in FEA dynamics tools (e.g., Ansys Mechanical, Abaqus, LS-DYNA, or Simcenter 3D).
• System Design & Hardening:
  Proven track record of designing complex mechanical assemblies and "hardening" commercial electronics for high-reliability military use.
• DfAM Proficiency:
  Experience with generative design and…