Actuation Mechanical Engineer

Job Description

ABOUT THE JOB You will design the mechanisms that make payloads do things — deployment arms, release mechanisms, doors, latches, and the actuated hardware that moves payloads into position and lets them go. Reporting to the Payload Lead, you will own mechanism design from concept through qualification, in an environment where a single-shot mechanism has to work the first time, under pressure, after months of dormancy in seawater.

Your spectrum of support will be diverse in nature and require you to leverage your technical expertise as well as leadership skills to set objectives, build cross-functional teams, and rapidly drive to completion. The ability to leverage your intuition and prior experience will be key in making sure the right design, analysis, and test steps are completed to ensure success. The ideal candidate will leverage their experience executing and successfully completing prior highly optimized multi-disciplinary projects.

• Design actuated payload mechanisms — deployment, release, latching, and door systems
• Select and qualify actuators, motors, and drive hardware for subsea service
• Perform mechanism analysis: kinematics, load paths, margin, and duty cycle
• Design for single-shot and low-cycle reliability after long dormancy
• Own mechanism qualification testing, including pressure and life-cycle validation
• Develop failure modes analysis and redundancy strategy for critical mechanisms
• Produce drawings, tolerance stackups, and specifications for mechanism hardware
• Partner with Payload Mechanical, Payload Electrical, and Launch Systems on integration
• Travel up to 25% to test sites and supplier facilities

Skills and Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent
• 5+ years of mechanism or actuation design experience on deployed hardware with Siemens NX or Solidworks
• Demonstrated ownership of a mechanism from concept through qualification test
• Experience selecting and integrating actuators, motors, or drive systems
• Maritime experience, either UUV, subsea, or pressure vessels
• Strong kinematic and load path analysis, including margin and duty cycle calculation
• CAD and drawing release experience with GD&T
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Secret security
• Demonstrated ownership of a mechanism from concept through qualification test
• Experience selecting and integrating actuators, motors, or drive systems
• Maritime experience, either UUV, subsea, or pressure vessels
• Strong kinematic and load path analysis, including margin and duty cycle calculation
• CAD and drawing release experience with GD&T
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Secret security clearance

• Experience with subsea or marine mechanisms, including pressure-compensated actuation
• Background in single-shot or pyrotechnic release mechanisms
• Familiarity with deployment and separation systems for aerospace or defense hardware
• Experience with mechanism reliability after long storage or dormancy
• Experience in defense programs or qualification-driven development

We are a company committed to creating diverse and inclusive environments where people can bring their full, authentic selves to work every day. We are an equal employment opportunity/affirmative action employer that believes everyone matters. Qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, marital status, national origin, ancestry, genetic factors, age, disability, protected veteran status, military or uniformed service member status, or any other status or characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations, and ordinances.

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