Mechanical Engineer (Manufacturing Tooling)

L3Harris Technologies•Palm Bay, FL

7d•Onsite

About The Position

This is not your typical engineering desk job; it's for those who want to get their hands dirty and enjoy creating with both their minds and their hands. The role involves designing innovative custom tooling and fixtures to support the manufacture, assembly, inspection, testing, transportation, and protection of aerospace and defense products. You will develop custom tooling solutions for various applications, ensuring compliance with requirements and standards. This position requires leading engineering investigations, optimizing tooling concepts for efficiency and safety, and evaluating key design factors like material selection, structural integrity, and cost. You will utilize CAD software to create detailed models and documentation, develop rapid prototypes, and collaborate closely with manufacturing and program teams throughout the tooling lifecycle.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree and a minimum of 2 years of prior related experience; Or, Graduate Degree or equivalent with 0 to 2 years of prior related experience; Or, in lieu of a degree, a minimum of 6 years of prior related experience
Minimum of 1 year of prior relevant work experience supporting a manufacturing environment
Experience with CAD software: PTC Creo (preferred), Siemens NX, CATIA, SolidWorks, Fusion 360, Autodesk Inventor, etc.
Intermediate experience in drawing creation, release, and revision skills using a Product Data Management system
Intermediate understanding and application of Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T)
Intermediate knowledge of materials: aluminum, stainless steels, plastics, and additive manufacturing materials
Intermediate knowledge of fasteners and mechanical hardware
Intermediate knowledge of Microsoft Office tools (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
Ability to obtain a U.S. Government Security Clearance

Nice To Haves

Experience with PTC Creo 8.0 (6.0 or higher) and Windchill (11.0 preferred)
Knowledge of industry and military drafting standards and practices, specifically ASME Y14.5‑2018 and ASME Y14.100
Previous manufacturing and machining experience
Design for Manufacturability and Assembly (DFM/DFMA) experience
Experience coordinating or performing hardware installation, tooling assembly, fit checks, verification
Experience coordinating or supporting the procurement of tools and hardware
Knowledge of mechanical shop operations and technology including machining, sheet metal fabrication, welding, plating processes, and painting
Experience with additive manufacturing/rapid prototyping techniques and equipment: Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), 3D printing, etc.
Applies meticulous attention to detail to design, analysis, and documentation
Possesses a high level of initiative and willingness to learn
Strong sense of responsibility, ownership, and follow-through
Excellent organizational, verbal, and written communication skills
Ability to multitask, work with team members, and independently research design solutions

Responsibilities

Design innovative custom tooling and fixtures that enable successful manufacture, assembly, inspection, testing, transportation, and protection of aerospace and defense products.
Develop custom tooling solutions for Electronics Manufacturing, Environmental Test, Mechanical Ground Support Equipment (MGSE), shipping containers, space antennas, and satellite systems.
Ensure compliance with customer requirements, contractual specifications, and industry standards.
Lead engineering investigations and develop new or improved tooling concepts that optimize manufacturability, quality, repeatability, safety, and production efficiency.
Evaluate key design factors including material selection, structural integrity, equipment capabilities, ergonomics, interchangeability, maintainability, schedule, and cost.
Utilize CAD software (PTC Creo) to create detailed 3D models, assemblies, engineering drawings, layouts, BOMs, and technical documentation.
Ensure all custom tooling designs and engineering documentation are complete, accurate, verified, and released in accordance with configuration management processes.
Develop rapid prototypes through the Additive Manufacturing Lab to evaluate form, fit, and function.
Partner closely with the department’s machine shop to transition tooling designs into fabricated hardware, assisting with tool assembly and providing technical guidance.
Work directly with Manufacturing Engineering, Production, Quality, Product Design Engineering, and program teams to troubleshoot issues, implement design improvements, and successfully transition tooling to the manufacturing floor.
Provide hands-on support through the complete tooling lifecycle by assembling, integrating, and validating tooling and fixtures.
Maintain close engagement with manufacturing personnel after deployment to support continuous improvement, resolve production challenges, and optimize tooling performance.
Generate innovative designs by working with internal program groups, research and development teams, and other areas of Engineering and Operations.
Conduct meetings and peer design reviews with program and team members.
Ensure the design is documented and meets all requirements by creating, reviewing, and approving: Material selection, CAD parts and assemblies, detailed drawings, Bills of Materials (BOMs), drawing release, part fabrication, part inspection, integration & proof loading, and verification of product performance on the manufacturing floor.