Senior Mechanical Engineer - Thermal & Structural Analysis

Leonardo DRS, Inc.•San Diego, CA

1d•$107,089 - $166,255•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Mechanical Engineer - Thermal & Structural Analysis at Daylight Solutions will be responsible for advanced simulation and analysis to predict structural, thermal, and coupled physics behavior of electro-optical and laser systems. This position will leverage expertise across finite element analysis, load & boundary definition, and test correlation to support the design and development of opto-mechanical assemblies for challenging environments. Collaborating with interdisciplinary teams, this position offers the opportunity to innovate and lead technical initiatives critical to product advancement in the aerospace, defense, and scientific sectors.

Requirements

Proficiency with ANSYS toolchain for the analyses in this role, including ANSYS Mechanical (Structural), ANSYS Workbench, and ANSYS Fluent (CFD), with the ability to build, solve, post-process, and package review-ready engineering artifacts.
Experience with scripting and analysis automation (e.g., Python, APDL, MATLAB) and with managing compute resources for large simulation workloads
Proven ability to analyze and qualify designs subjected to thermal, shock, and vibration environments as defined in MIL-STD-810.
Experience with CFD and flow analysis for convective cooling, purge flows design.
Proven ability to manage multiple projects effectively and independently, demonstrating strong organizational and time-management skills.
Exceptional communication and collaboration skills to convey findings effectively to technical and non-technical audiences.
Experience using FEA tools such as ANSYS Workbench.
Deep expertise of structural, dynamic, and thermal analysis, including boundary conditions, meshing, and material properties.
Understanding of shock, vibration, thermal stress, and environmental qualification methods.
Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering (or related field) with 5+ years of experience; Master’s or PhD in relevant field may be substituted for years of industry experience.
Fluency in technologies and application domain
Ability to lead a technical group independently
U.S. Citizenship required. This position requires an active DOD security clearance or the ability to obtain such clearance within a reasonable time after commencement of employment.

Nice To Haves

Opto-mechanical and electro-optic hardware experience is highly desirable.
Experience with modelling adhesive bonds a plus
Experience performing Structural-Thermal-Optical (STOP) analysis for optical systems is highly desirable.
Experience with SigFit & Zemax a plus.
Proficient with CAD a plus. SolidWork preferred.

Responsibilities

Perform advanced FEA tasks, including static, dynamic, modal, random vibration, and transient & steady state thermal analysis.
Develop, prepare, and validate load scenarios, boundary conditions, meshing strategies, and material properties for high-fidelity models.
Execute coupled loads analyses where mechanical, thermal, and flow effects interact.
Correlate simulation results with experimental data to refine models and validate performance.
Collaborate with optical and mechanical engineers to support Structural-Thermal-Optical (STOP) analysis to ensure system-level optical requirements are met.
Support environmental testing of hardware, including vibration, shock, and thermal testing.
Investigate product problems and provide corrective actions that improve yield and predictability.
Present technical findings and recommendations to cross-disciplinary teams and stakeholders.
Maintain and improve analysis workflows, automation, and reusable templates.
Provide mentorship to junior engineers and foster the development of engineering continuous improvement initiatives.

Benefits

comprehensive health insurance (medical, dental, vision)
employer matching 401(k) retirement plan
paid time off including vacation, holidays, and sick leave (including ant state-mandated paid sick leave)
parental leave benefits
tuition reimbursement
professional development support
life and disability insurance coverage
company contribution to a health savings account
telemedicine
legal insurance
401(k) savings plan
wellness programs that focus on physical, emotional, and financial well-being
programs and activities to support career-growth, professional development, and skill enhancement
flexible work schedules with our 9/80 program
competitive vacation
health/emergency leave
paid parental leave
community service hours