Mechanical Engineer III - Intermodal Container

Nomad GCS • Huntsville, AL

18d • Hybrid

About The Position

Nomad Global Communications Solutions is seeking a Mechanical Engineer III with expertise in intermodal freight container design. This role is critical in the engineering process, responsible for taking designs from concept through full production documentation, ensuring accuracy and completeness for manufacturing teams. The position requires a deep understanding of container structures, interfaces, modifications, and the consistent use of freight-container terminology defined in ISO 830. Mechanical Engineers must apply practical engineering science, including fluid mechanics, materials, structures, dynamics, basic electrical theory, and machine component design. Expertise in raw material selection, manufacturing processes (welding, machining, & sheet metal), quality control, and cost mitigation are core competencies. This advanced contributor role involves leading mechanical design for complete systems or major subsystems, ownership of system-level trade studies, and leading the design and validation of complex intermodal container structures and modifications. The role also includes troubleshooting complex mechanical issues, leading root cause analysis, mentoring junior engineers, and interfacing directly with customers, suppliers, or regulatory bodies.

Requirements

• Must be a US Citizen for consideration and meet all Federal Contractor employee requirements.
• Nomad GCS does not support the H1B Visa for this position.
• Progressively deeper expertise in intermodal freight container design, including container structures, interfaces, modifications, and the consistent use of freight-container terminology defined in ISO 830.
• Apply practical engineering science and technologies to designs, including application of fluid mechanics, materials, structures, dynamics, basic electrical theory, and machine component design.
• Expertise in raw material selection, manufacturing processes (welding, machining, & sheet metal), quality control, and concentration on cost mitigation.
• Demonstrated experience designing or modifying intermodal freight containers, containerized platforms, or comparable transportable structural systems.
• Working knowledge of ISO 830 freight-container vocabulary and familiarity with other applicable container design, dimensional, testing, handling, and certification standards.
• Demonstrated experience designing containers in accordance with International Convention for Safe Containers (CSC) requirements, including container certification, testing, inspection, and recertification processes.
• Working knowledge of American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) rules and approval processes applicable to offshore, maritime, and transportable structures.
• Experience designing to PAM and PAM-IM standards and requirements for military, intermodal, and specialized containerized systems.
• Familiarity with ISO container standards, intermodal transportation requirements, and applicable domestic and international transportation regulations.
• Extensive experience selecting and designing with structural steels, stainless steels, aluminum alloys, and other transportation-grade materials.
• Understanding of material properties, corrosion mechanisms, fatigue behavior, fracture resistance, and weight optimization techniques.
• Ability to balance structural performance, durability, manufacturability, and cost objectives while meeting payload and transportation requirements.
• Experience conducting weight studies, center-of-gravity assessments, and payload optimization analyses.
• Strong understanding of welded structure design principles and applicable welding codes and standards.
• Familiarity with weld joint design, welding procedures, distortion control, inspection requirements, and non-destructive examination (NDE/NDT) methods.
• Knowledge of surface preparation processes, including abrasive blasting, cleaning, and pretreatment requirements.
• Experience specifying industrial coatings, marine coatings, and protective finishing systems for harsh environments.
• Understanding of corrosion prevention strategies for maritime, offshore, military, and long-term storage applications.
• Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field preferred.
• Degree must be ABET accredited.
• Must have CAD experience. SolidWorks preferred.
• 5-8 years Mechanical Engineering experience.
• Regularly anticipates issues before they occur and raises the technical bar for the team.

Nice To Haves

• Demonstrated experience designing or modifying intermodal freight containers, containerized platforms, or comparable transportable structural systems is preferred.
• Working knowledge of ISO 830 freight-container vocabulary and familiarity with other applicable container design, dimensional, testing, handling, and certification standards is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and support mechanical systems for Nomad platforms.
• Design, analyze, and develop ISO shipping containers, specialized cargo containers, and intermodal transport systems in compliance with applicable international standards and customer requirements.
• Create detailed 3D models, fabrication drawings, and engineering documentation using CAD software.
• Perform structural analyses, load calculations, fatigue assessments, and finite element analysis (FEA) to validate designs under transportation, lifting, stacking, and environmental loads.
• Design and integrate automated lifting mechanisms, roof systems, access structures, and cargo handling features while maintaining compliance with applicable container standards.
• Support certification documentation, regulatory submissions, design reviews, and third-party approvals.
• Collaborate with manufacturing teams to ensure designs support efficient fabrication, assembly, and quality control processes.
• Apply Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA) principles to improve production efficiency, quality, and lifecycle costs.
• Collaborate with manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and project teams to transition designs from concept through production.
• Evaluate production methods, tooling requirements, fabrication constraints, and material availability during product development.
• Participate in prototype development, qualification testing, root cause investigations, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Design, analyze, and document intermodal freight container structures, assemblies, and modifications for integration into Nomad vehicles and platforms.
• Apply ISO 830 freight-container vocabulary consistently in engineering requirements, drawings, specifications, design reviews, and supplier communications.
• Evaluate container structural load paths, lifting and securing interfaces, corner structures, openings, reinforcements, mounting provisions, and equipment integration while maintaining safety, durability, manufacturability, and transportability.
• Identify and apply applicable container design, testing, handling, and certification requirements in addition to ISO 830 terminology, based on project scope, customer requirements, and intended modes of transport.
• Support manufacturing by answering technical questions, resolving build issues, and improving design clarity.
• Participate in design reviews, testing, validation, and root cause analysis.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with other Engineering disciplines, Production, Quality, and Project Management teams.
• Apply continuous improvement principles to improve product quality, reliability, and manufacturability.
• Uphold and model Nomad Core Values in all work.
• Create CAD documentation for projects, including top levels assemblies, sub-assemblies, and parts.
• Use FEA to analyze designs: determine stress, create tests to verify results, document analysis, and change designs as needed to optimize.
• Create, implement, supervise, and document tests verifying designs meet customer requirements.
• Complete all analyses, documentation, and drawings required for Production within established time frames as agreed upon by the Operations Team.
• Communicate with vendors and clients to troubleshoot designs, get information on new designs, and obtain specifications/drawings/models of components.
• Track and record work hours for each specific project daily.
• Be willing to travel as needed by Management.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.
• Lead mechanical design for complete systems or major subsystems.
• Ownership of system-level trade studies (cost, performance, safety, reliability).
• Lead design and validation of complex intermodal container structures and modifications, including load-path evaluation, structural reinforcement strategies, transport interfaces, and integration risks.
• Troubleshoot complex mechanical issues and lead root cause analysis efforts, including leading technical problem-solving during production or field failures.
• Review and approve other engineers’ designs.
• Optimize designs for manufacturability, serviceability, and cost.
• Mentor Mechanical Engineer I–II team members on technical and process topics.
• Interface directly with customers, suppliers, or regulatory bodies as needed.
• Demonstrate strong technical judgment and cross-functional leadership.
• Demonstrate system-level ownership.

Benefits

• Nomad GCS is an equal opportunity employer, (EOE) and voluntarily follows affirmative action guidelines.
• As an equal opportunity employer, Nomad GCS does not discriminate in its employment decisions based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable state and local laws.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level