Mechanical Engineer II

Overview

As Chemring Energetic Devices (CED) celebrates 50 years of building products that protect our country, protect the individual warfighter, and send rockets into outer space, our growth is creating new opportunities to expand our team with talented individuals who want to shape the next era of mission‑critical innovation.

CED is well situated in Downers Grove, Illinois – located a commuter train ride west of Chicago and a short drive from farmland.

CED's current salary range for this role is $84,000 to $108,500 per year. Compensation is determined by education, skills, experience, performance, shift, location, and geography. In addition to base salary, the total compensation package may include participation in a bonus, commission or incentive program. CED’s benefit offerings include medical, dental, and vision coverage; paid time off; disability insurance; 401(k) with company match;

life insurance; voluntary supplemental insurance; parental leave; adoption assistance; tuition assistance; and employer/partner discounts. CED follows a 9/80 work schedule allowing employees to enjoy alternating Fridays off.

CED’s Mechanical Engineer II holds technical accountability in developing new products and supporting existing legacy devices for military, aerospace, pyrotechnic, pneumatic, or electro‑mechanical products throughout the product lifecycle. The Mechanical Engineer II will be the specialist on complex technical and product matters.

• Create solid models using Creo software (with Windchill).
• Generate detailed drawings per ANSI Y14.5M requirements applying correct dimensional tolerances and GD&T best practices.
• Perform engineering calculations in support of technical analysis using tools such as Matlab, Mathcad, Ansys, etc.
• Build, test, and evaluate prototypes.
• Lead internal and customer‑driven technical meetings, including System Requirements Reviews (SRR), Preliminary Design Reviews (PDR), Critical Design Reviews (CDR), and Production Readiness Reviews (PRR).
• Develop technical documentation including assembly and test procedures, presentations, SOWs, and BOMs.
• Manage complex technical programs during all phases of the product’s life cycle.
• Support legacy production jobs through disposition of nonconforming hardware, updating build documentation, supporting product improvement initiatives, and assisting in failure investigations.
• Maintain customer management with little supervision.
• Assist in proposal development by generating and reviewing management, technical, and cost proposal volumes.
• Provide project status updates, both internal and external, when required.
• Assist with the identification of project risk (schedule, technical) for assigned engineering efforts.
• Review customer requests, ensuring they comply with project contractual agreements and mitigate scope creep.
• Serve as a resource for less experienced engineers seeking best‑practice or program‑related answers.
• Perform the above functions in relation to project schedules throughout Concept, Design, Development, Pre‑Production, and Production.

• Comply with government and corporate laws, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Ensure 100% compliance with the Chemring Operational Framework, BACM, Code of Conduct, and U.S. Code of Ethics and Business Conduct.
• Special projects and other duties/responsibilities as assigned.

Bachelor’s degree in engineering;
Master’s degree in engineering preferred.

• Minimum of 3 years experience in CAD modeling (preferably Creo 8.0 or higher), including detailed drawing generation compliant to ANSI Y14.5M GD&T.
• Minimum of 3 years experience generating engineering calculations in support of technical analysis utilizing Mathcad, Matlab, or Ansys.

• Lawful U.S. person (ITAR restrictions).
• Eligible to possess explosives under the Safe Explosives Act of 2003 (as amended) as required by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) for all employees of Chemring Energetic Devices.
• Ability to document design activities to support all stages of a program including PDR, CDR, DRR, TRR, etc.
• Ability to read, analyze, and…