Principal Mechanical Engineer

Worker Type

Regular

Job Description

The Principal Mechanical Engineer applies advanced engineering techniques to design, install, modify, analyze, repair, and test air vehicles, propulsion systems, support equipment, and related subsystems. In this role, the Principal Mechanical Engineer leads the mechanical design, testing, and production of unmanned systems and munitions, including advanced polymer matrix composite structures (such as carbon fiber/epoxy systems) and high-performance electronics packaging for aerospace applications.

You will lead the mechanical packaging and structural development effort for structural components that withstand stringent environmental requirements (i.e., mass, volume, thermal, vibration, and dynamic loading) while managing mid-size development projects and acting as a technical authority.

Position Responsibilities

• Architect Composite & Mechanical Systems:
  Lead the structural design, tailoring, and optimization of advanced carbon fiber composite components, matching ply orientations to complex bending, axial, and torsional load paths.
• Lead Multi-Disciplinary Analysis:
  Spearhead thermal, structural, dynamic, and fluid flow analysis efforts for airframe structures using advanced modeling and analysis tools.
• Manage Laboratory & Field Testing:
  Lead testing, data collection, and physical qualification testing in the laboratory and the field to verify structural and environmental designs.
• Material & Process Selection:
  Model mechanical devices, select proper materials, perform stress/fatigue/thermal analysis, and specify bonding materials and techniques for extreme environmental conditions.
• Tooling & Manufacturing Integration:
  Oversee composite manufacturing methods (autoclave prepreg curing, RTM, OOA), tooling development, thermal residual stress management, and galvanic corrosion mitigation between carbon fibers and reactive metals.
• Documentation & Compliance:
  Develop mechanical drawings, geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T), product document trees, Bills of Materials (BOMs), assembly instructions, and rigorous test plans/procedures.
• Technical Leadership:
  Act independently to determine methods and procedures on new or special assignments. Act as the primary technical focal point for composite architecture, guiding cross-functional teams and mentoring senior/staff-level engineers.
• Project Oversight:
  Manage mid-size development projects outsourced to sub-contractors (development of systems, equipment, or components). Perform other duties as assigned.

Basic Qualifications (Required Skills & Experience)

• Education:
  
  B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or Materials Science (M.S. or Ph.D. preferred).
• Experience:
  
  Minimum 12 to 15 years of relevant technical experience in Mechanical Engineering, with at least 6 to 7 years specifically focused on the structural design, analysis, and manufacturing of advanced polymer matrix composites (e.g., carbon fiber/epoxy systems) for aerospace applications.
• Analytical Mastery:
  Proven expertise in finite element analysis (FEA) of orthotropic and isotropic materials using tools like ANSYS (including ANSYS Icepack for thermal analysis), Abaqus, or NASTRAN, specifically handling failure criteria (e.g., Tsai-Wu, Hashin) and progressive damage modeling.
• Tooling & Processing:
  Deep familiarity with composite manufacturing methods—such as autoclave prepreg curing, resin transfer molding (RTM), or out-of-autoclave (OOA) processing—and their direct impacts on structural performance.
• Technical Standards & Requirements:
  Experience developing requirements specifications for mechanical subsystems according to MIL-STD 961D standard or equivalent.
• Tooling & Software Proficiency:
  Extensive experience with Solid Works for mechanical…