Principal Mechanical Engineer

Leidos•Albuquerque, NM

2d•$154,050 - $278,475•Onsite

About The Position

Leidos is seeking a Principal Mechanical Engineer to join its Directed Energy team in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The role supports research and development of advanced directed energy technologies, including high-power microwave, RF, electromagnetic, and pulsed-power systems. The engineer works with multidisciplinary teams of engineers, scientists, technicians, and fabricators. The engineer takes mechanical designs from concept through detailed design, fabrication, assembly, integration, and test. The role also supports cooling requirements and thermal control systems, including system design, construction oversight, testing, and troubleshooting. Work includes engineering analysis, design documentation, procurement coordination, hardware auditing, and communicating designs and test results to customers and project teams. The position provides technical leadership for complex mechanical subsystems or projects and requires effective coordination across engineering, manufacturing, and customer groups.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering with more than 20 years of prior experience with mechanical and/or thermal systems, or a master’s degree with 15 years of related experience.
Demonstrated experience developing mechanical hardware from concept through detailed design, fabrication, assembly, integration, and testing.
Proficiency with SolidWorks, including 3D part and assembly modeling and creation of detailed engineering drawings; experience with PDMWorks.
Working familiarity with cooling components such as heat exchangers, chillers, pumps, and cooling fans.
Mastery of mechanical design principles, material selection, tolerancing, and design for manufacturability for fabricated hardware.
Ability to work independently and collaborate effectively with machinists, fabricators, technicians, engineers, and scientists.
Experience with thermal measurement diagnostics such as thermocouples, flow gauges, and pressure sensors.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to lead meetings with large groups.
Must reside in or be willing to relocate to Albuquerque, New Mexico; the work location is predominantly Albuquerque.
Demonstrated ability to develop practical solutions to complex mechanical design, fabrication, assembly, and testing problems.
Must be a U.S. citizen and possess and be able to maintain a Final Secret Clearance, or meet eligibility requirements to obtain and maintain a Secret Clearance.
Ability and willingness to adhere to government and company safety requirements.
Ability to manage multiple projects or engineering tasks while maintaining schedules and priorities.

Nice To Haves

Experience with directed energy systems, vacuum components, and pulsed-power systems.
Skill using Simulink to model thermal control systems.
Adaptability in fast-paced environments.
Experience with SolidWorks Simulation.
Application of GD&T to mechanical engineering drawings.
Experience designing machined, welded, sheet metal, and fabricated mechanical components and assemblies, including designs requiring multiple manufacturing processes.
Experience with prototype, low-volume, and research and development hardware.
Structural analysis of mechanical components, assemblies, and systems using analytical methods and FEA as appropriate.
Thermal and heat-transfer analysis of mechanical and electromechanical systems, including development of practical thermal management solutions.
Mechanical packaging and integration of multidisciplinary systems.
Hardware assembly, integration, testing, troubleshooting, and field operations experience.
Expert knowledge of vacuum systems, vacuum hardware, and pressure vessels.
Experience with mechanical design and integration for electromagnetic, RF, high-power microwave, or pulsed-power systems.
Experience with Department of Defense or other government research and development programs.
Active DoD security clearance.

Responsibilities

Develop 3D solid models and detailed mechanical designs, carrying designs from initial requirements and concepts through fabrication, assembly, integration, and testing.
Perform engineering analyses to support design decisions and verify mechanical performance.
Create and maintain engineering drawings with appropriate dimensions, tolerances, and manufacturing requirements in accordance with company standards and customer specifications.
Design hardware with consideration for manufacturability, material selection, machining, welding, fabrication, assembly, and maintenance.
Work with machinists, fabricators, technicians, and external vendors to develop, procure, and support fabrication of mechanical components and assemblies.
Resolve design, fabrication, assembly, and testing issues by developing practical mechanical solutions.
Support hands-on assembly, integration, troubleshooting, modification, and testing of prototype and experimental hardware.
Collaborate with engineers and scientists across disciplines to develop mechanical interfaces and integrated system solutions.
Manage multiple engineering tasks and projects while balancing technical requirements, schedules, and priorities.
Communicate technical concepts, design decisions, and status to engineering teams, project leadership, customers, and manufacturing personnel.
Provide technical leadership for significant mechanical subsystems or projects, establishing mechanical approaches, interfaces, and solutions for complex multidisciplinary problems.
Collaborate with customers, engineers, and technicians to develop cooling requirements.
Conduct FEA thermal analysis to quantify heat loads and cooling needs.
Design cold plates and heat exchangers to manage heat flow.
Conduct CFD analysis to calculate flow rates, pressure drop, and heat removal.
Size commercial heat exchangers, fluid pumps, and fans in accordance with thermal requirements and analysis.
Develop 3D models, drawings, and flow diagrams to document thermal control system designs.
Capture cooling requirements, develop thermal control systems, supervise their construction, and test and troubleshoot cooling equipment to verify performance.
Document designs and present them to customers, generate bills of materials and coordinate purchases, audit as-built systems for design compliance, and document test results.