Senior Mechanical Engineer

ABOUT THE ROLE Own major mechanical subsystems for ruggedized, field-deployable directed-energy systems, from architecture through production handoff. You will work across a lean engineering team to ensure systems perform reliably in demanding field conditions. WHAT YOU'LL DO - Design and validate mechanical subsystems, including laser enclosures, beam director structures, gimbals, and precision mounts. - Perform static, modal, random vibration, and shock response spectrum FEA, then correlate results with bench and field testing. - Develop thermal management solutions for high-power laser and electronics packaging across thermal cycles. - Build, instrument, and operate test rigs to characterize system behavior before field deployment. - Design for MIL-STD-810 shock and vibration requirements and other austere environments. - Take designs from concept through prototyping, validation, and manufacturing handoff. - Collaborate with senior engineers, lead design reviews, mentor junior engineers, and travel to field tests. WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR - At least 5 years of mechanical engineering experience on ruggedized, field-deployable, or high-performance systems, including taking a subsystem from prototype to production. - Experience modeling, building, instrumenting, and validating systems designed to withstand shock, vibration, and environmental extremes. - Proficiency with ANSYS, Nastran, Abaqus, or equivalent FEA tools, supported by hands-on testing and analysis correlation. - Experience with MIL-STD-810 or equivalent standards, high-power thermal management, test rigs, instrumentation, and manufacturing handoff. - A BS or MS in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, or a related field. - Experience in lasers, directed energy, ruggedized optical systems, or vehicle-mounted systems is a plus. - U.S. citizenship is required. COMPENSATION & BENEFITS Base salary: $165,000 to $210,000 annually. Visa sponsorship is not available. LOCATION On-site in Detroit, Michigan, with travel for field testing and range validation.