Electro-Mechanical Survivability Engineer (Systems Design & Hardening)

LufCo•Aberdeen, MD

3d•$130,000 - $180,000

About The Position

We are seeking a Senior Electro-Mechanical Survivability Engineer to serve as the lead architect for the electrical and mechanical integrity and environmental hardening of integrated hardware, computing, and communication suites. This role requires a master-level balance of clean-sheet electro-mechanical design and the structural hardening of Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) and Non-Developmental Item (NDI) components that implement commercial grade mounting and electrical connectors. You will be responsible for the "chassis-up" structural architecture of next-generation expeditionary systems, ensuring that high-density processors, sensitive RF components, and high-speed networking hardware and electrical connections survive the violent dynamics and environmental conditions of tactically deployed equipment—including ballistic shock, high-G impacts, relentless vehicle vibration, and weather/other environmental conditions (e.g. humidity, electromagnetic).

Requirements

BS in Electrical, Electronics, or Mechanical Engineering, Structural Engineering, or a related field.
7+ years of experience in electro-mechanical design and systems integration, specifically within the Defense, Aerospace, or Ruggedized Industrial sectors.
Analysis Mastery: Expert proficiency in FEA dynamics tools (e.g., Ansys Mechanical, Abaqus, LS-DYNA, or Simcenter 3D).
System Design & Hardening: Proven track record of designing complex mechanical assemblies and "hardening" commercial electronics for high-reliability military use.
DfAM Proficiency: Experience with generative design and lattice-optimization tools (e.g., nTopology or Altair Inspire) to integrate damping directly into structural components.
Material Science: Deep knowledge of fatigue limits, the anisotropic properties of AM-produced alloys, and galvanic compatibility in expeditionary environments.
Dynamic Expertise: Expertise in interpreting Power Spectral Density (PSD) and shock response spectra (SRS) to validate system survival.
Military Standards: Mastery of MIL-STD-810H (Vibration/Shock/Drop), MIL-S-901D, and MIL-STD-1472.
MIL-DTL-38999: Expertise in circular connectors (the "Gold Standard" for military comms) and high-speed fiber optic interconnects.
MIL-STD-1275/704: Understanding how to protect sensitive computing gear from "dirty" power coming from military vehicles or field generators (surges, spikes, and ripples).
Ability to travel as required.
Standard office environment with occasional requirements to visit client sites, labs, or field environments.
TS/SCI (able to process, US citizenship is a must)

Nice To Haves

MS is preferred.

Responsibilities

Bespoke Structural Design: Lead the ground-up mechanical design of ruggedized enclosures and internal sub-frames. Responsible for the primary load paths and structural survival of the entire integrated system.
Integrated System Hardening: Identify and mitigate mechanical vulnerabilities in high-density computing and communication hardware, such as reinforcing un-ruggedized cards, securing high-speed cabling, and hardening RF connectors against shear forces.
COTS/NDI Integration: Design bespoke internal "exo-skeletons" and isolation strategies that allow commercial servers, switches, and radios to operate far beyond their original structural specifications.
Shock & Vibration Isolation Architecture: Design and integrate complex isolation systems—including wire-rope, elastomeric, or 3D-printed energy-absorbing lattices—specifically tuned to protect delicate internal electronics from tactical vehicle vibration and high-impact events.
Additive Manufacturing for Hardening: Leverage Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) to create hyper-optimized, lightweight structures. Use AM for part consolidation, weight reduction, and the creation of "conformal" structural supports that wrap around uniquely shaped COTS components.
Environmental Sealing & Ingress Protection: Design and validate IP67/68-rated seals. Ensure the chassis architecture accounts for pressure equalization during rapid altitude changes while preventing the ingress of sand, dust, and salt fog.
Structural FEA & Dynamic Simulation: Perform high-fidelity Finite Element Analysis (FEA), including linear/non-linear dynamics and fatigue analysis, to simulate environmental and operational stress profiles.
Verification & Standards Compliance: Direct all structural validation and correlation efforts to ensure both bespoke designs and integrated hardware meet or exceed MIL-STD-810H and MIL-S-901D requirements.
RF Shielding & EMI/EMC: Expertise in MIL-STD-461 (Electromagnetic Interference). This involves designing Faraday cages, selecting conductive gaskets, and ensuring that high-speed processors don't jam the radio receivers sitting right next to them.
SWaP-C Optimization: In expeditionary gear, "Size, Weight, Power, and Cost" are the primary constraints, and frequently at odds with survivability goals.