Senior Mechanical Design Engineer

Position: Senior Design Engineer – Aerospace & Defense

Employment Type: Full-Time

Compensation: Up to $125K–$135K annually

Benefits: 3 weeks PTO, 17% profit sharing

Overview

We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Senior Design Engineer to lead upfront manufacturing engineering for high-precision customer designs and brazed assemblies in aerospace and defense applications. This role focuses on concept development, detailed design, DFM/DFA optimization, and lifecycle support—particularly for engineered brazed joints and precision-machined components.

Key Responsibilities

Mechanical Design Leadership

• Lead design efforts for machined parts and brazed assemblies using SolidWorks

Engineering Excellence

• Apply core engineering principles to develop robust, lightweight, and thermally/mechanically efficient designs that meet aerospace and defense standards

Brazing Expertise

• Define and develop joint designs for high-temperature brazing, ensuring optimal geometry, clearances, and material compatibility

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with manufacturing, quality, and materials engineering to ensure designs are manufacturable and cost-effective

Documentation & Compliance

• Generate and maintain engineering documentation including drawings, BOMs, specifications, and test plans

Customer Package Review

• Evaluate customer design packages for completeness and manufacturability; recommend cost-saving and quality-enhancing improvements

Fixture Design

• Design, document, and assemble manufacturing work-holding and inspection fixtures

Continuous Improvement

• Lead or contribute to design reviews, root cause investigations, and process improvement initiatives

Mentorship & Technical Guidance

• Provide support and mentorship to junior engineers

Stakeholder Communication

• Interface with customers and suppliers on technical issues, design intent, and product requirements

Regulatory Adherence

• Ensure all designs comply with applicable industry regulations and standards

Skills & Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field

Experience

• Minimum 7 years of mechanical design experience in aerospace and/or defense

Technical Expertise

• Precision machining
• GD&T tolerances and tolerance stack-ups
• High-temperature brazed joint design
• CNC machining (milling, turning, grinding)
• Vacuum and dip brazing process design

Industry Knowledge

• Familiarity with mil-spec materials, plating, finishes, and painting processes
• Understanding of AS9100, ITAR, and aerospace customer specifications
• Background in defense contracting or working with DoD primes (e.g., Raytheon, Lockheed Martin)
• Working knowledge of manufacturing process validation and First Article Inspection (FAI)

Software Proficiency

• SolidWorks (7 years of experience)
• Solid modeling, complex assemblies, and ASME-standard drawings