Principal Mechanical Engineer - Platform Integration

HIKINEX•Los Angeles, CA

46d•$180,000 - $230,000•Onsite

About The Position

An advanced aerospace and defense technology company is seeking a Principal Mechanical Engineer to lead the integration of ruggedized sensor and electronics systems onto large mobile platforms for government and defense applications. This role is focused on translating advanced sensing and electronics technologies into durable, field-deployable systems capable of surviving demanding operational environments across vehicle, trailer, and maritime platforms. The ideal candidate brings deep experience with mechanical integration, ruggedized hardware design, environmental survivability, and large-scale platform constraints. This is a highly hands-on engineering role requiring practical judgment, systems thinking, and the ability to identify integration risks before they become field failures.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related discipline
10+ years of experience in aerospace, defense, or ruggedized platform integration environments
Demonstrated experience integrating electronics, sensors, or mission systems onto large mobile platforms such as vehicles, trailers, ships, or other deployable systems
Strong understanding of ruggedized mechanical design principles including vibration isolation, thermal management, sealing, shock loading, and environmental survivability
Experience designing to environmental qualification standards such as MIL-STD-810
Strong CAD proficiency with experience managing large assemblies and mechanical interfaces
Experience developing installation approaches, tolerancing strategies, interface definitions, and integration documentation
Practical hands-on engineering mindset with strong troubleshooting and systems integration capability
Strong communication skills and ability to work cross-functionally in fast-paced development environments
U.S. citizenship preferred; ability to obtain a security clearance is strongly preferred

Nice To Haves

Multi-spectral sensor system integration including EO/IR, radar, RF, or ISR-related hardware
Vehicle, maritime, naval, or trailer-mounted defense platform integration experience
Thermal management design for electronics operating in extreme ambient environments
Experience designing vibration isolation systems and shock mitigation approaches
Familiarity with FEA and structural analysis tools such as ANSYS, NASTRAN, or ABAQUS
Experience supporting environmental testing, qualification, and field deployment activities
Knowledge of military connectors, ruggedized cabling, and harsh-environment electrical integration
Background working with government or defense platform programs
Experience bridging electronics packaging requirements with large structural integration constraints

Responsibilities

Lead the mechanical integration of multi-sensor and electronics systems onto mobile ground, trailer-mounted, and maritime platforms
Define and manage mechanical interfaces between electronics packages, structural systems, mounting hardware, and vehicle platforms
Develop ruggedization strategies for vibration, thermal exposure, dust, sand, corrosion, and harsh environmental conditions
Design sensor mounts, enclosures, brackets, and support structures optimized for durability, serviceability, and field deployment
Support environmental qualification efforts including shock, vibration, thermal, and environmental testing
Collaborate closely with electrical, manufacturing, systems, and program teams throughout development and integration activities
Create and manage interface control documentation (ICDs), installation requirements, alignment strategies, and tolerancing schemes
Evaluate installation constraints and field-maintenance considerations across complex deployment environments
Drive root-cause analysis and resolution of integration or survivability issues discovered during testing or deployment
Provide technical mentorship and integration guidance across multidisciplinary engineering teams