Why This Role Stands Out
Leverage your expertise in mechanical design and analysis to drive the full lifecycle development of cutting-edge weapon systems, fostering significant career growth within a reputable defense leader. This hybrid role is ideal for a collaborative engineer with a strong foundation in complex aerospace hardware and a passion for leading multidisciplinary teams from concept to production.
Quick Overview
Job Description
Job Description Weapon System Mechanical Engineer Job Description: Kratos Defense Rocket Support Services is seeking a highly capable mechanical engineer to lead the design, analysis, integration, testing, and production transition of weapon systems and flight-critical aerospace hardware. This position requires a strong foundation in mechanical design and analysis of high?temperature, complex flight environments; multidisciplinary coordination with electrical, RF, and systems engineering teams; and demonstrated leadership across a hardware product's full lifecycle from concept development through flight testing and into sustained production. May require up to 25% travel to support launch operations.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS: • Lead mechanical design and analysis efforts for weapon system hardware, missile sub-assemblies and flight-critical components across design, fabrication, integration, and testing phases. • Conduct and review structural, thermal and CFD analyses to validate hardware survivability, thermal management performance, and environmental robustness across full flight profiles. • Define, execute, and manage hardware test plans, including survivability testing, environmental qualification and requirements verification for customer milestones. • Evaluate airframe structures, radome/window materials, electronics housings, and mechanical interfaces for manufacturability, assembly efficiency, cost, and durability. • Lead cross-functional engineering teams supporting hardware development for weapon systems flight demonstration testing. • Coordinate subsystem trade studies focusing on performance, cost, form factor, structural margin and integration risk to inform architecture and design decisions. • Serve as technical interface with customers, program management, and senior leadership; preparing and delivering technical briefings, status reports, and milestone reviews. • Lead risk identification and mitigation planning, performing technical and schedule risk assessments and advising program management on impacts and risk?reduction strategies. • Support weapon system flight demonstrations by monitoring test events, analyzing post?flight performance data and generating test reports. • Review component and part vendor capabilities for performance, cost competitiveness, and readiness for prototype and production hardware builds. • Support transition of prototype weapon system hardware into manufacturable production ready configurations • Mentor junior engineers in mechanical design practices, laboratory procedures, engineering tools, and professional development.
Experience and Skills JOB SKILLS: • Mechanical design and analysis of aerospace hardware for weapon systems environments. • Structural, thermal, and CFD analysis experience supporting survivability and flight-environment evaluation • Hands-on fabrication, assembly, integration, and testing of weapons system hardware. • Development and execution of test plans, verification procedures and milestone briefings. • Experience conducting subsystem trade studies involving performance, cost, manufacturability, and risk. • Strong communication skills with customers, program managers, prime contractors, and military stakeholders. • Ability to lead cross-functional engineering teams through design, build and test lifecycles. • Familiarity with antenna radome design, flight structure materials, electronic system packaging and thermal management solutions. • Ability to generate high-quality technical documentation, briefings, status reports, and risk assessments. • Active DoD Secret Clearance EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
- BS in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering
- 8+ years relevant professional experience
- Active DoD Secret Clearance Job Benefits
- Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance Coverage
- Life/ADD & Short/Long Term Disability Insurance
- 401(k) Savings Plan
- Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)
- Paid Time-Off (PTO)
- Holidays
- Education Reimbursement
Similar jobs
- LT
Sr Specialist, Thermal Analyst Mechanical Engineer (Space System with Security Clearance
NewL3Harris Technologies
Palm Bay, FL🇺🇸On-site23 hours agoFEAEngineering - SS
Mechanical Engineer III - Thermal Systems with Security Clearance
NewSierra Space
Centennial, CO🇺🇸$110.7k - $152.2k/yrHybrid23 hours agoSolidWorksStructural AnalysisCAD+1Engineering - SM
Engineer, Whole Vehicle Test Requirements and Validation – Propulsion
NewScout Motors
Novi🇺🇸Hybrid10 hours agoComplianceJiraPowertrainAutomotive - RS
Senior Propulsion Test Responsible Engineer
NewRelativity Space
Long Beach🇺🇸Hybrid5 hours agoAssemblyTalent AcquisitionEngineering - AP
Test Flight Engineer
NewApplied
Sunnyvale🇺🇸On-site8 hours agoMachine LearningC++Vehicle DynamicsEngineering - TE
Onsite || Mechanical Engineer || Spartanburg, SC
NewTechridge, Inc.
Spartanburg, SC🇺🇸On-site23 hours agoHVACEngineering