Scientist, Mechanical Engineering

L3Harris•Clifton, NJ

13h•$146,000 - $271,000

About The Position

The Scientist, Mechanical Engineering will lead mechanical engineering efforts for the development, design, implementation, qualification, and productionization of ruggedized ground and airborne military systems, with emphasis on electronic packaging for Electronic Warfare programs. The role combines team leadership with individual-contributor work, including mechanical and electromechanical design, layout, testing, evaluation, and analysis. The position supports new-business preproposals and proposals, including development of Basis of Estimates, and may serve as the responsible Mechanical Project Engineer for programs and internal development projects. The role leads mechanical activities across design, analysis, documentation, fabrication, assembly, and qualification to meet product specifications and demanding technical, schedule, and process requirements. It includes generating specifications, models, and drawings; reviewing thermal, structural, dynamic, and fatigue analyses; conducting trade studies and mechanical/environmental testing; troubleshooting products and processes; and participating in Failure Review Board activities. The engineer works with designers, analysts, systems engineers, other engineering disciplines, program managers, customers, and upper management. The position also serves as a mechanical engineering subject-matter expert and site/business point of contact, helps develop site-wide mechanical strategy, leads design reviews, provides mentorship and oversight, and may take on IPT Lead responsibilities. Domestic and international travel may be required at an estimated 2–5% annually. The work schedule is a 9/80 schedule: 80 hours over 9 of every 14 days, with every other Friday off. The job is located in Clifton, New Jersey.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering and at least 12 years of relevant experience; or a graduate degree and at least 10 years of related experience; or, in lieu of a degree, at least 16 years of related experience.
Experience in 3D modeling and critical hardware design and development, including environmental requirements, power delivery, and aggressive thermal management.
Ability to work independently and in a multidisciplinary team environment.
Experience leading a team and advancing mechanical technologies.
Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Secret security clearance and any additional clearances required.

Nice To Haves

Experience with ASME Y14.5M-1994 and geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T).
At least 6 years of 3D CAD modeling experience with PTC Creo.
At least 8 years of experience packaging electronics, including design for and testing in military environments such as temperature, vibration, and shock.
At least 8 years of experience with thermal management of high-power electronics.
Experience leading technical content development for bids, including scope capture, requirements development, materials pricing, and labor estimates.
Ability to obtain a Top Secret security clearance.
Strong interpersonal skills and experience leading and collaborating in a multidisciplinary, diverse, and dynamic team environment.
Excellent written, verbal, and presentation communication skills.
Strong hands-on capabilities, including integration and diagnosis of complex mechanisms and products.
Design for Manufacturability and Assembly (DFM/DFMA) experience.
Vibration and shock analysis experience for airborne applications.
Additive manufacturing and part optimization experience.
Basic understanding of control systems.
Experience with machined-part design.
Experience with EVMS cost and schedule practices.
Familiarity with Windchill, military design and environmental test standards, FloTHERM, MATLAB, and MathCAD.
Familiarity with the Mechanical Engineering role in the PCB design process.
Knowledge of electrical and optical cable routing and management in high-reliability environments.
Experience overseeing a team of Mechanical Engineers.

Responsibilities

Serve as the Chief Mechanical Engineer for the business and point of contact for General Managers, Chief Engineers, Program Managers, and Mechanical Engineering leadership.
Serve as a subject-matter expert for Electronic Warfare programs and products.
Lead mechanical design efforts for electronic systems, boxes, and modules, including electromechanical integration and electronic packaging.
Generate mechanical specifications, models, and drawings in accordance with ASME Y14.100 and ASME Y14.5.
Develop mechanical design concepts that meet equipment specifications and refine them using CAD, 3D-printed models, simulation tools, and functional prototypes.
Perform significant CAD modeling of parts and assemblies and conduct trade studies to determine optimal designs.
Review structural and thermal analyses of components and assemblies, including thermal management of high-power electronics in constrained volumes.
Conduct mechanical and environmental testing and troubleshoot mechanical issues in electronic systems.
Support proposals and new-business development, including generating technical content, Basis of Estimates, and related materials.
Lead peer reviews, PDRs, CDRs, and other required design reviews.
Manage schedule, cost, and technical responsibilities at the major-subsystem level and interface with customers and upper management.
Provide formal or informal guidance and mentorship to team members, and direct and review the work of junior engineers, designers, and technicians.
Participate in risk assessments and develop mitigation strategies for complex projects.
Investigate product or process problems and participate in the Failure Review Board.
Assist with development of the site-wide Mechanical Engineering strategy and work with cross-functional teams to develop new solutions.
Oversee the Clifton Mechanical Engineering group, including staffing, training, onboarding, employee development, engagement, and retention.
Partner with programs on staffing, engineering-process adherence, and proposal support; review performance metrics to drive improvement.
Serve as the Mechanical Engineering functional representative for site-specific design reviews and review or approve proposals and Basis of Estimates as needed.
Provide technical evaluation and oversight of program execution and lead or participate in technical issue-resolution teams.
Ensure knowledge transfer and mentoring of less experienced engineers.
Travel domestically and internationally as required, estimated at 2–5% annually.
Obtain and maintain a U.S. Secret security clearance and any additional clearances required.
Take on roles such as IPT Lead when necessary.