Mechanical Engineer III

Oceaneering•Houston, TX

About The Position

The Mechanical Engineer III is a Thermal Protection Systems (TPS) subject matter expert responsible for design, analysis, development, testing, and integration of textile, mechanical, and electromechanical TPS hardware for launch vehicles, human-rated spacecraft, re-entry vehicles, and hypersonic applications. The role provides technical leadership and mentorship, supports cross-functional project execution, and contributes to customer engagement, business development, and technical sales. The engineer is expected to communicate technical concepts clearly, help refine customer requirements to reduce cost and schedule impacts, and maintain engineering quality throughout project execution. The position generally works in an office environment, with possible inside or outside work depending on the task. Work may involve sitting or standing for extended periods and lifting and carrying up to 25 pounds. Regular attendance is critical, and the role may require schedule adjustments to meet peak periods and surge requirements. The position has no supervisory responsibilities and reports to the Mechanical Engineering Supervisor. U.S. citizenship is required, and the employee must be able to complete a U.S. government background investigation.

Requirements

Bachelor's or master's degree in Mechanical Engineering or Aerospace Engineering.
At least 5 years of experience developing mechanical/electromechanical hardware and systems for launch vehicles and systems.
Experience designing and developing Thermal Protection Systems.
Knowledge and experience in mechanical/electromechanical hardware product and system design and development, fabrication methods, and techniques.
Knowledge and experience in textile and/or thermal protection systems design and development, including familiarity with textile fabrication methods and techniques.
Solid understanding of hardware and textile product manufacturing and production processes.
Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Experience with customer engagement and technical sales.
U.S. citizenship.
Ability to complete a U.S. government background investigation.

Nice To Haves

Ability to perform CAD modeling and generate manufacturing drawings using SolidWorks or Pro-E Creo.
Experience with MathCAD.
Experience with ASME Y14.5, Y14.24, and Y14.41 drawing standards.
Experience using LabVIEW.

Responsibilities

Serve as a Thermal Protection Systems subject matter expert, providing technical leadership, guidance, and mentorship to junior engineers.
Design textile, mechanical, and electromechanical TPS systems, subsystems, and components for launch vehicles and human-rated spacecraft.
Perform and evaluate stress, thermal, and fluid dynamics analyses to ensure designs meet fit, form, and function requirements.
Maintain technical excellence and quality throughout engineering execution, including test setup, test operations, documentation, and project closeout.
Oversee tolerance analysis, interface definition, and manufacturing considerations to ensure designs are producible, affordable, and aligned with customer and program requirements.
Apply knowledge of aerospace metallic and non-metallic materials, particularly materials used in lightweight, high-strength, high-temperature TPS applications.
Generate and support interface drawings defining critical mechanical and thermal features for hardware and TPS integration.
Design custom test fixtures and test methodologies for qualification, verification, and development test programs.
Develop and support requirements documentation, including requirement specifications, verification plans, procedures, and hazard analyses.
Conduct technical and safety risk assessments and execute mitigation strategies to meet industry standards and customer expectations.
Present design concepts and engineering details in customer-ready formats for design gate reviews and technical interchange meetings.
Collaborate with Design/Drafting, Analysis, Production, Quality Assurance, Health & Safety, Program Management, and Finance teams.
Support business development and technical sales, including proposal generation, customer-facing technical presentations, and engineering support during pre-award and post-award sales cycles.
Maintain regular attendance and adjust work schedules as needed for peak periods and surge requirements.