Component​/Sustainment Engineer

At Forterra, we are unleashing autonomy at scale to transform the battlefield. Our mission is to build the foundational platforms that enable an intelligent ecosystem to coordinate, adapt, and execute with speed and precision even in the uncertainty and disruption of modern conflict. In an era marked by rapid technological change and evolving threats, we design for flexibility, survivability, and operational dominance.

Forterra delivers weapons, sensors, and battlefield effects through integrated autonomous networks reaching operational areas faster, safer, and without placing human lives  systems operate with distributed control, dynamic routing, and real-time responsiveness, enabling sustained advantage across complex mission environments.

Forterra is looking for a hands‑on Component / Sustainment Engineer to join the Core Product team in Clarksburg, MD. You will be working with a small team of engineers to develop autonomous systems for military and commercial vehicles. This involves sustaining the products in production and ensuring efficient builds on upcoming product builds.

• Serve as the technical point of contact for PCB/CCA component lifecycle and shortage support
• Identify, validate, and document form-fit-function alternates to resolve shortages, and add them to engineering libraries and PLM
• Prepare and release technical drawing package updates to address obsolescence and shortages
• Qualify new components, including eMMC, DDR modules and ICs, and hard drives
• Review new designs through BOM scrubs, flagging components with known shortages, lifecycle risk, or single-source exposure before release
• Monitor Product Change Notices (PCNs) and assess their impact on active products
• Maintain consistency between engineering component libraries and PLM
• Partner with Supply Chain and Hardware teams to analyze obsolescence risk, develop mitigation strategies, and assess product line impact, including recommending PCB respins or interim solutions
• Support new product gate reviews for sustainment risks and impacts
• Track work and maintain documentation in Net Suite, Arena, Jira, and spreadsheet

• BS in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or similar
• At least 2 years of applicable experience in an engineering field.
• Hands‑on experience with Altium (or comparable ECAD tool) to update designs, drawings, and BOMs.
• Experience with PLM and configuration management practices (ECO/ECN processes).
• Experience with obsolescence management and reporting.
• Working knowledge of memory and storage technologies.
• Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast‑paced environment.

• Experience with Arena and Net Suite specifically.
• Familiarity with component risk tools (Silicon Expert, Z2
  
  Data, or similar).
• Failure analysis or troubleshooting experience.
• Defense industry or high‑reliability experience.

$95,000 - $135,000

On‑Site in Clarksburg, MD

The salary range for this role is an estimate and is based on a wide variety of compensation factors. The salary offered to candidates will vary based on a variety of factors including (but not limited to) relevant work experience, education, specialized training, critical expertise, training, and more. Equity in Forterra is included in most of our full‑time, high‑demand roles and is therefore considered part of Forterra’s overall compensation package.

In addition to base salary and equity, Forterra offers competitive benefits for full‑time employees including:

• Premium Healthcare Benefits:
  Three plan options, including an HSA‑eligible plan, with Forterra covering 80% of the plan premium for you and your dependents.
• Basic Life/AD&D, short and long‑term disability insurance plans…