Mechanical Engineer

The Mechanical Engineer will take ownership of mechanical design efforts from concept through production, primarily focused on mechanisms and packaging for electronics and larger enclosure/box-level systems. This is a hands-on design role, not a specialist or analysis-heavy position. The right person has been through a full product development cycle before, has felt the consequences of their own design decisions, and knows how to design something that can actually be built.

Key Responsibilities

• Own mechanical design efforts from concept through prototype, working closely with the team and directly with clients.
• Design mechanisms and packaging solutions ranging from electronics enclosures to larger box-level and production-oriented builds.
• Create 3D models and detailed engineering drawings in Creo (preferred).
• Design parts with manufacturability in mind, understanding how components are actually machined and fabricated.
• Collaborate with electrical and hardware engineers to integrate mechanical components into full systems.
• Participate in client-facing design reviews and program updates.
• Bring familiarity with relevant MIL-STDs (461, 810) to design decisions, or equivalent rugged product design experience from automotive or medical device backgrounds.

Required Experience

• Enough experience to be past entry-level, but not so much that the person has only ever worked on narrow, specialized pieces of a project. The sweet spot is someone who has seen a design through from concept to the field and dealt with the fallout of their own decisions, not someone who handed off pieces and moved on.
• Ground-up design experience is required. Candidates who have only modified existing designs are not a fit.
• Background in rugged product design. Defense or aerospace experience is a plus but not required. Automotive, medical device, or similar rugged commercial design backgrounds are welcome.
• Proficiency with Creo (preferred) or SolidWorks. Comfort learning new tools is expected, but internal candidates need to consolidate on one CAD platform.
• Familiarity with how parts are fabricated and machined (understanding what a CNC shop can and can't do) is far more important than deep expertise in any single manufacturing process like injection molding.
• FEA, thermal analysis, and simulation experience are a plus but not a requirement or regular part of the job.
• Not looking for someone with narrow specialization (e.g., airflow/blade design) who hasn't worked across a broader mechanical scope.

Soft Skills / Culture Fit (Critical)

• High emotional intelligence and comfort working directly with clients. This is not a back-office design role.
• Strong sense of accountability and humility. The team wants to see how a candidate responds when something doesn't work, not defensiveness or blame-shifting.
• Comfortable in a culture that includes firearms and alcohol on-site. Not a fit for candidates who would be uncomfortable in that environment.
• Well-presented and professional in appearance.
• Open to and unafraid of AI-assisted design tools used for design review and workflow support.

Education

• BSME preferred, not a hard requirement if experience demonstrates the above.

Certifications / Clearance

• Must be a U.S. Citizen (born or naturalized). Green card holders and other work-authorized non-citizens are not eligible. No sponsorship available.
• No active clearance required. Candidate must be eligible to become ITAR-compliant.