Mechanical Engineer

• Environmental exposure

Kform is a next-generation defense manufacturer helping leading defense and dual-use startups turn advanced technology into producible hardware. We work across design, engineering, prototyping, manufacturing, quality, and production readiness to move critical products from concept to fielded reality.

We are recruiting mechanical engineers who want to build real systems, solve hard physical problems, and move fast enough to meet the timelines defense technology demands. The battlefield waits weeks, not years.

The right person for this role has strong mechanical engineering depth and enough curiosity, range, and practical ability to work across the rest of the product development stack. You may be strongest in mechanical design, product architecture, thermal management, ruggedization, enclosures, fixtures, mechanisms, or manufacturing, but you want to understand how the whole machine works.

At Kform, you will not be trapped in a narrow lane. You will design, prototype, test, troubleshoot, document, and improve real hardware. You will work with engineers, technicians, machinists, suppliers, quality teams, customers, and production teams. You will learn the full scope of product development because you will be close to the work from idea to prototype to production.

This is one of the few places where mechanical engineers get to build things that matter, learn fast, and help strengthen American industrial capacity for defense.

You will lead the mechanical design, prototyping, testing, and production readiness of complex hardware products for defense and dual-use customers. You will bring strong technical depth in mechanical engineering while working across electrical, embedded software, manufacturing, quality, and test domains.

This is a hands‑on engineering role. You should be comfortable moving between:

• CAD
• Prototypes
• Machine shops
• Test benches
• Inspection tools
• Supplier conversations
• Production feedback
• Customer requirements

We want people who read trade magazines, watch factory walkthroughs on You Tube, take things apart, study how products are made, and learn difficult skills because they cannot help themselves.

• Lead the mechanical design and development of complex hardware products, including:
  • Mechanical assemblies
  • Enclosures and ruggedized systems
  • Brackets, mounts, panels, and structural components
  • Thermal management features
  • Mechanisms and interfaces
  • Fixtures and tooling
  • Test equipment
  • Production‑ready components
• Create detailed mechanical designs, drawings, assemblies, and technical documentation in Solid Works.
• Translate customer requirements, system constraints, and field‑use conditions into practical mechanical designs.
• Work across disciplines to understand how mechanical, electrical, software, manufacturing, and quality decisions affect the final product.
• Design around real‑world constraints, including:
  • Packaging
  • Weight
  • Thermal performance
  • Environmental exposure
  • Shock and vibration
  • EMI and shielding considerations
  • Assembly sequence
  • Serviceability
  • Cost and lead time
• Rapidly prototype proof‑of‑concept designs using practical engineering judgment, fabrication tools, test equipment, and hands‑on iteration.
• Build, assemble, inspect, and troubleshoot prototypes and production‑intent hardware.
• Plan and execute testing to validate:
  • Fit and function
  • Structural performance
  • Durability
  • Thermal behavior
  • Manufacturability
  • Assembly process
  • Safety and reliability
• Analyze test results, identify failure modes, and drive design improvements based on evidence.
• Create and maintain engineering documentation, including:
  • CAD models
  • Drawings
  • BOMs
  • Revision history
  • Assembly instructions
  • Test results
  • Design rationale
  • Technical trade studies
• Collaborate with manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and program teams to improve designs for:
  • Manufacturability
  • Assembly
  • Inspection
  • Cost
  • Schedule
  • Reliability
• Work directly with machinists, fabricators, vendors, and production teams to close the loop between design intent and physical output.
• Mentor junior engineers by modeling technical rigor, practical problem‑solving, strong documentation, and extreme ownership.
• Manage smaller engineering projects independently, driving them from…