Senior Development Engineer

Job Title: Senior Development Engineer Job Description The Senior Development Engineer serves as a hands-on mechanical product development lead, advancing aerospace hardware from initial concept through detailed design, prototype fabrication, testing, and customer delivery. This role blends mechanical and electromechanical engineering with project execution, customer interaction, proposal support, and cross-functional technical leadership.

You take ambiguous customer or program needs, help define the technical approach, develop the design, coordinate analysis and testing, resolve technical challenges, and deliver technically accurate products on schedule and within budget. You lead multidisciplinary teams, guide concept development, drive mechanical and electromechanical system design, and oversee prototype fabrication and testing to deliver high‑performance solutions for aerospace and defense applications.

Responsibilities Lead the planning, organization, and execution of mechanical system development projects from concept through prototype and testing. Guide concept development and mechanical or electromechanical system architecture and design for aerospace hardware. Perform or oversee hands-on 3D CAD modeling and detailed mechanical design using SolidWorks or comparable platforms. Produce and review manufacturable engineering drawings, applying GD&T to ensure clarity and production readiness.

Coordinate multidisciplinary analysis, mechanical development, prototype fabrication, and testing activities. Develop comprehensive test plans and detailed test procedures to validate mechanical and electromechanical systems. Drive hardware through the full product lifecycle, including concept, design, prototype build, and test execution. Help program and project leaders meet customer objectives on schedule and within budget by aligning technical work with program plans.

Support proposal development involving advanced mechanical and electromechanical technologies for aerospace and defense applications. Interact directly with customers to define technical needs, present proposals, and participate in technical and program reviews. Collaborate closely with engineering, manufacturing, test, and program teams to ensure seamless project execution. Support business development by aligning technical capabilities with customer requirements and contributing to technical content in proposals.

Coordinate work across design, analysis, manufacturing, test, program management, and customer stakeholders to maintain technical accuracy and completeness. Apply knowledge of heat transfer, structural analysis, dynamics, kinematics, advanced materials, CAD, and machine design to solve complex engineering problems. Lead engineering projects while remaining hands-on with design and hardware, balancing creativity, speed, manufacturability, and technical rigor.

Present technical concepts, design decisions, and project status clearly to internal teams and external customers. Participate in qualification and environmental testing activities for aerospace hardware and prototypes. Essential Skills Strong mechanical engineering foundation with a focus on aerospace mechanical systems and hardware development. Approximately 4 to 7 years of mechanical aerospace system development experience, with consideration for candidates with 3 to 4 years of highly relevant experience.

Exposure to electromechanical systems and electromechanical product development. Hands-on 3D CAD experience, with SolidWorks strongly preferred; comparable 3D CAD platforms may be considered. Proficiency in GD&T and the ability to produce and interpret manufacturable engineering drawings and support drawing release. Experience developing test plans and test procedures for mechanical and electromechanical hardware.

Demonstrated experience taking hardware through concept, detailed design, prototype fabrication, and testing. Working knowledge of heat transfer, structural analysis, dynamics, kinematics,