Mechanical Design and Manufacturing Engineer

Job Summary

Mechanical Design and Manufacturing Engineer position leads the design, development, and manufacturing of advanced mechanical components and assemblies for Hera Technologies’ industry-leading thermal protection systems (TPS). The engineer works hands‑on with TPS soft goods, composites, and engineered surface finishes, supporting the full lifecycle from concept and design through prototyping, manufacturing, and production. The role requires close collaboration with cross‑functional teams to ensure manufacturability, performance optimization, and compliance with aerospace and defense standards.

• Lead the design, development and manufacturing of mechanical components and assemblies for Hera’s industry-leading thermal protection systems (TPS), including soft goods, composites, and engineered surface finishes.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams to develop and implement scalable manufacturing and assembly processes that ensure quality, efficiency, and compliance with aerospace and defense standards.
• Create and maintain process documentation and controls to support consistent production outcomes and optimize throughput across design, prototyping, and manufacturing phases.
• Utilize traditional and advanced manufacturing techniques for metallics, composites, and other materials used in thermal protection systems and critical aerospace structures, ensuring performance, durability, and production scalability.
• Prototype and test advanced materials—including carbon fiber composites, high-temperature elastomers, and reinforced fabrics—iterating based on performance data and failure analysis.
• Investigate material failures, process anomalies, and manufacturing defects by leading root cause analyses to implement corrective actions in both development and production phases.

• 4+ years of mechanical design and manufacturing experience, with emphasis on metallic, composites and thermal protection systems (TPS).
• Proven leadership in engineering projects involving design, prototyping, and production of mechanical systems, including soft goods and polymer-based components.
• Hands‑on experience with advanced materials and mechanical components in aerospace or defense applications, including TPS and engineered surface finishes.
• Strong understanding of elastomer and composite manufacturing processes, material properties, and relevant aerospace testing standards.
• Proficient in CAD software (e.g., Solid Works) with the ability to produce high‑quality, production‑ready engineering drawings.
• Solid foundation in engineering principles including structures, materials science, thermal management, and mechanical system design.
• Skilled in prototyping and fabrication techniques such as machining, composite layups, bonding and mechanical assembly.
• Expertise in creating manufacturing and build plans/procedures for variety of customer products and assemblies with respect to industry standards or customer supplied specifications.
• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or a related field, or equivalent industry experience in advanced material applications.

• Proficient in Solid Works or similar CAD/CAM tools, with experience using PLM systems to manage design and production workflows.
• Strong knowledge of GD&T per ASME Y14.5, with demonstrated ability to apply tolerancing principles in aerospace-grade engineering drawings.
• Advanced design experience across CNC machining, composites, ceramics, sheet metal, and injection molding, including tooling and mold development for high-performance applications.
• Demonstrated leadership and strong interpersonal skills in cross‑functional engineering environments, including collaboration with manufacturing, quality, and program teams.
• Familiarity with qualification campaigns for aerospace and defense hardware, including ruggedized systems and TPS components.
• Experience designing for harsh environments, ensuring durability, thermal resilience, and mechanical integrity under extreme conditions.
• Active U.S. Security Clearance (Secret or higher), or the ability to obtain one based on eligibility. This includes meeting background check…