Sr. Design Engineer

North Wind is a leading independent supplier of complex hypersonic and Research, Development, Test & Evaluation (RDT&E) systems and services. Leveraging decades of specialized experience, North Wind delivers hypersonic and RDT&E capabilities through five complementary business segments: Applied R&D; Test Articles and Critical System Components; Test Facility Design & Build; Test Services; Flight Testing & Flight Systems. The Company’s offerings span the full life cycle of aerospace & defense and commercial systems, including end-to-end turnkey solutions. Learn more at www.north-wind.com.

Position Overview:

We are expanding our Hypersonics Team and are looking for an experienced Mechanical Engineer to join us. Our Mechanical Engineers are responsible for providing mechanical and structural design and analysis services for wind tunnel and hypersonic ground test projects. This is a diverse role that includes designing and validating predominantly custom one-off equipment and components for new tunnel facilities as well as major capability upgrades to existing facilities.  Everything we do with our customers and employees is based upon our goal of being selective to join and difficult to leave. We operate with a core set of values surrounding inclusiveness, accountability and innovation. Do you have what it takes to Be North Wind?

Responsibilities:

Design - Design and develop mechanical subsystems. The mechanical subsystems include welded steel structures, pressure vessels, piping systems, simple and complex mechanisms, rotating equipment, and process equipment (pneumatic, hydraulic, fuel, and cooling water). Work collaboratively with Designers to prepare drawings and bills of material for internal release or work with sub-contracts to construct a procurement specification when components our outsourced.

Analysis - FEA analysis and calculations for substantiation of mechanical subsystems to assure compliance with self-derived and customer requirements.

Document & Present - Document and present work in accordance with quality and customer requirements. Prepare design criteria, calculation packages, procurement specifications, technical reports, design verification & validation plans. Participate and lead internal and customer design reviews.

Support - Provides guidance to fabrication, procurement, assembly and installation teams. Assists with vendor selection, subcontractor quality assurance, site surveys, equipment installation and commissioning.

Budget and Schedule Management - Effectively time manage and communicate resource usage to ensure projects stay within schedule and on budget. Coordinate with Project Manager, Systems Engineer and other disciplines to ensure cohesiveness.

Quote - Assist in developing proposals for future work. Develop concepts, cost estimates, and proposal write-ups in cooperation with the Sales department.

Education / Experience:

• Bachelors or Masters in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering from accredited university.
• 7 years of practical work experience in design engineering, systems engineering, or similar roles with large industrial equipment or facilities;
• A combination of education and experience equivalent to above.

Knowledge / Ability:

• Must be a self-starter, able to work on multiple projects, and prioritize workload.
• Design & analysis experience of welded steel structures.
• Design & analysis experience of fluid packages or process equipment (valves, filters, pumps, instruments, etc. for pneumatic, hydraulic, fuel, and/or cooling water systems).
• Experience with 3D CAD modeling. SolidWorks experience preferred.
• Proficiency with Finite Element Analysis. ANSYS experience preferred.
• General knowledge of fabrication methods including forming, welding, machining, and additive manufacturing.
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills and positive attitude.
• Able to work collaboratively with a multi-disciplinary team.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally. Travel typically is less than 20%.

Preferred Knowledge:

• Prior wind tunnel or other aerospace design experience.
• Design & analysis experience of pressure vessels & piping systems in accordance with code requirements (e.g. ASME BPVC, B31.3, PED, etc.).
• Design & analysis experience with high temperature environments (>2000°F / >1365K) which includes transient heat transfer analysis, liquid and air-cooling methods, high temperature materials (e.g. super alloys, ceramics, etc.) and coatings (e.g. thermal barrier coatings).
• Familiarity with GD&T.
• Familiarity with risk assessments (e.g. FMEA, Safety Risk Assessments, HAZOP analysis, etc.).
• Basic understanding of subsonic, supersonic and hypersonic aerodynamics

Due to U.S. State Department restrictions on access to technology, candidates must be “U.S. Persons” as defined by the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR)

North Wind is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status. North Wind supports a safe and drug free workplace through pre-employment background checks and drug testing.

Salary : $100,000 - $140,000