Mechanical Design Engineer

Wild West Systems Inc.•Leander, TX

8d•Onsite

About The Position

As a Mechanical Design Engineer, your job is to design, build, test, and ship mechanical systems that survive real-world use. From early prototypes to scaled production, you own your parts end-to-end. If it breaks, you fix it. If it doesn't exist yet, you design it. If it works on paper but fails in the field, it's not done. Extreme ownership is the baseline. You will be expected to work late hours and weekends if needed to accomplish the mission. Your work directly arms the warfighter. That responsibility is non-negotiable. Real ownership, not task lists, Hardware that goes from bench to field fast, A team that values execution over ego, A mission that actually matters.

Requirements

Proven, hands-on mechanical design experience
Strong CAD and GD&T capability
Ability to work independently in high-stakes, fast-moving environments
Bias for action, high accountability, and resilience under pressure

Nice To Haves

Weapons systems, UAVs, aerospace, or high-performance mechanisms
Designing hardware that survives testing not just reviews it
Additive manufacturing and 3D printer operation/maintenance
Designing for production-not just prototypes
Startup or small-team environments where impact is immediate
Onshape experience a plus; willingness to transition required

Responsibilities

The mechanical integrity, performance, and manufacturability of your designs
Components, mechanisms, and structures from concept → production
Iteration speed without sacrificing reliability or safety
Getting parts built, assembled, tested, and validated-no handoffs
If it touches metal, motion, load paths or force, you're accountable
Component & System Design
Design components with full lifecycle responsibility: calculations, tolerances, GD&T, drawings, and validation
Design in context-your parts must work with everyone else's, under real loads
Mechanisms
Design and integrate linkages, gears, motors, actuators, and assemblies that work under stress
Prototyping & Fabrication
Build fast using in-house tools or external vendors
Own the loop from CAD → part → install → revision
Testing & Validation
Test like it's going to the field-because it is
Measure performance, identify failure modes, and fix them
Paper success doesn't count. Field performance does
DFM & Scale
Design for manufacturability from day one
Work directly with manufacturing and machinists to ensure precision, repeatability, and scale
Procurement & Build Support
Source materials, components, and vendors to keep builds moving
Solve supply problems without waiting for permission
Ownership & Adaptability
Priorities shift. Problems emerge. You step in
No "that's not my job." Only "what needs to be done."
Documentation & Improvement
Document designs, tests, processes, and lessons learned so hardware can be built again
Raise the bar on safety, reliability, and speed every cycle