Mechanical Engineer and Material Science Engineer

QinetiQ US•Fort Belvoir, VA

5d•Onsite

About The Position

QinetiQ US is seeking a full-time Mechanical Engineering and Material Science Engineer to join our Optics, Displays, and Sensor Protection team at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. This position is focused on applying mechanical engineering principles and material science expertise to the design, development, testing, and evaluation of advanced optical systems, micro-display technologies, EO/IR sensors, and sensor protection solutions. The selected candidate will contribute to meaningful technical work supporting the development of innovative solutions operating across the Visible (VIS), Near IR (NIR), Short-Wave IR (SWIR), Mid-Wave IR (MWIR), and Long-Wave IR (LWIR) portions of the electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) spectrum. This role is ideal for candidates with a strong foundation in mechanical engineering and material science who are looking to apply and deepen their technical expertise in a fast-paced defense prototyping environment.

Requirements

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Material Science, or a closely related STEM discipline.
Demonstrated coursework or project experience in mechanical design, material science, or optical systems.
Proficiency in CAD software (e.g., SolidWorks, AutoCAD) for mechanical design and analysis.
Experience with Python, MATLAB, or similar tools for instrumentation, data acquisition, and analysis.
Ability to perform hands-on laboratory work, including assembly, alignment, calibration, and testing of mechanical and optical devices.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to contribute to technical reports and documentation.
Must be able to obtain a DoD Secret clearance (or have an active clearance).

Nice To Haves

Experience with optical systems, imaging science, or infrared technologies.
Familiarity with thin-film coatings, surface treatment processes, or material characterization techniques.
Experience with machining, mechanical design, electronics, or building scientific instruments.
A passion for mechanical engineering, material science, and their application to national defense.

Responsibilities

Design, develop, and prototype advanced optical materials, components, assemblies, and subassemblies for imaging and non-imaging systems.
Apply mechanical engineering principles to the development of lightweight eyepiece optics and electronically switchable optical devices.
Conduct research and development of anti-reflectance, high-reflectivity, and enhanced absorption optical coatings and thin-film optical surface treatments for broad and narrow band applications.
Contribute to the development of micro-display components and eyepiece optics, including refractive, waveguide, and freeform prism technologies for advanced virtual displays.
Investigate and improve materials and processes for display technologies, build prototypes, and assess displays and eyepiece optics in a laboratory environment.
Support the development, testing, and evaluation of IR and EO devices operating across VIS, NIR, SWIR, MWIR, and LWIR wavebands.
Perform laboratory testing, characterization, and field testing of advanced EO/IR camera sensors and imaging systems.
Collaborate within multidisciplinary teams of hardware engineers, software engineers, and scientists to design, develop, assemble, test, and optimize optical and electro-optical systems.
Prepare technical reports, test plans, and documentation in accordance with applicable standards.
Participate in design reviews and present findings to government and internal stakeholders.