Senior Mechanical Engineering Technician (Journeyman)

LufCo•Aberdeen, MD

16h•$85,000 - $127,000

About The Position

We are seeking a seasoned, high-level Senior Mechanical Engineering Technician to serve as a technical pillar and mentor within our R&D prototyping team. Beyond mastering the bridge between digital design and physical hardware, you will provide technical leadership, oversee complex fabrication workflows, and ensure the highest standards of quality and safety. The ideal candidate is a master "maker" who not only navigates CAD and high-precision machinery with ease but also excels at coaching junior staff and optimizing shop operations in an agile environment.

Requirements

Trade school degree or equivalent military/technical certification.
7-10+ years of hands-on experience in high-tech prototyping or R&D environments.
Proven experience leading small teams, managing shop workflows, or mentoring junior personnel in a technical setting.
Master Operator: Expert-level proficiency in SolidWorks, MasterCAM, and diverse additive/subtractive modalities.
GD&T Authority: Expert ability to interpret complex blueprints and apply Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing at an advanced level.
Operational "Shop-Smarts": Exceptional problem-solving skills to troubleshoot design flaws on the fly and adapt to evolving contract needs.
Ability to travel as required.
Standard office environment with occasional requirements to visit client sites, labs, or field environments.

Responsibilities

Leadership & Technical Oversight
Mentorship: Lead and train junior technicians in advanced manufacturing techniques, including 5-axis CNC, Wire EDM, and industrial additive manufacturing.
Project Coordination: Act as the primary liaison between the engineering team and the shop floor to schedule fabrication tasks, manage resource allocation, and ensure on-time delivery of prototypes.
Process Optimization: Drive continuous improvement by identifying bottlenecks in the fabrication workflow and implementing lean manufacturing principles.
Standardization: Spearhead the development and documentation of advanced Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for emerging technologies and safety protocols.
Advanced Manufacturing & Precision Fabrication
Complex Subtractive Machining: Oversee the programming (CAM), setup, and operation of multi-axis CNC Mills and Lathes for critical-path, high-tolerance components.
Expert Additive Manufacturing: Manage enterprise-level 3D printing workflows across metals, polymers, and ceramics, ensuring the validation of "as-built" parts.
High-Precision EDM: Execute and supervise complex Wire Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) for hardened materials.
Engineering Support & Systems Integration
Senior Design for Manufacturing (DFM): Provide authoritative feedback on 2D/3D engineering designs regarding tolerance stack-ups (GD&T) and cost-reduction.
Advanced Metrology: Lead verification efforts using 3D laser scanning to ensure all hardware meets strict MIL-STD-810H standards.
Strategic Platform Integration: Direct the mechanical installation of hardware racks and antenna mounts onto military vehicles (HMMWV, JLTV) and tactical shelters.