Mechanical Design Engineer

Mechanical Design Engineer

The Mechanical Design Engineer supports the design and development of advanced aerospace systems with a focus on composite components such as radomes and ground support equipment. This role plays a key part in new product development while maturing engineering concepts into production-ready documentation. The position is ideal for a highly experienced, self-directed engineer who can make sound technical decisions with minimal supervision and collaborate closely with engineering leadership to deliver critical design projects for upcoming customer and program milestones.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop composite aerospace structures and assemblies, ensuring performance, reliability, and manufacturability.

• Design and develop radomes, composite structural components, and related aerospace hardware for advanced aircraft systems.

• Support the design and documentation of ground support equipment and associated mechanical systems.

• Create and maintain detailed 3D CAD models, assemblies, engineering drawings, and manufacturing documentation using SolidWorks.

• Develop product structures, bills of materials (BOMs), and complete production-ready engineering packages.

• Convert design concepts, prototypes, and existing hardware into comprehensive manufacturing documentation suitable for suppliers and production teams.

• Apply GD&T and engineering best practices to create robust, supplier-ready drawing packages that meet quality and industry standards.

• Participate in and support design reviews, collaborating closely with manufacturing, program management, and other engineering teams.

• Evaluate, troubleshoot, and solve complex mechanical and structural design challenges in a fast-paced development environment.

• Drive engineering tasks independently with limited oversight while maintaining schedule commitments and meeting quality requirements.

• Communicate effectively with technical stakeholders to align design decisions with program objectives and constraints.

Essential Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering, or a closely related discipline.

• 10+ years of mechanical design engineering experience.

• Demonstrated expertise in designing composite structures in an aerospace or aviation environment.

• Hands-on experience with composite radomes, aerospace structures, aircraft components, or similar composite products.

• Advanced SolidWorks proficiency, including part design, assembly design, detailed drawings, BOM development, and design documentation.

• Strong understanding of composite materials and manufacturing methods.

• Experience creating engineering documentation suitable for production and supplier manufacturing.

• Ability to operate independently and make technically sound engineering decisions with minimal supervision.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills for effective collaboration across multidisciplinary teams.

• Proven ability to work in a fast-paced environment while maintaining high standards of quality and accuracy in design work.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience in aerospace, defense, rotorcraft, UAV, or unmanned systems environments.

• Specific experience developing composite radomes from concept through production.

• Experience designing ground support equipment and related mechanical systems.

• Knowledge of aluminum, titanium, steel, and hybrid composite assemblies and their integration into aerospace structures.

• Familiarity with SolidWorks PDM or Vault environments for configuration management and data control.

• Experience supporting transitions from prototype to full-scale production, including design refinement and documentation updates.

• Working knowledge of finite element analysis (FEA) or structural analysis tools to support design decisions.

• Strong mechanical design skills with a focus on composite structures and aerospace applications.

Work Environment

This role is based onsite in Bingen, WA, with primary onsite presence expected during onboarding and initial project execution. Hybrid flexibility may be available over time based on project needs and individual performance. The position offers direct interaction with engineering leadership and technical stakeholders, providing opportunities for high-impact contributions and visibility within the organization. The work environment is a fast-paced aerospace development setting focused on advanced aircraft systems, where teams collaborate closely to bring innovative composite designs from concept to production using modern CAD tools and engineering processes.

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Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Bingen, WA.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $50.00 - $65.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: Medical, dental & vision Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital 401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) Short and long-term disability Health Spending Account (HSA) Transportation benefits Employee Assistance Program Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Bingen, WA.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Nov 2, 2026.

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Bingen,WA.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email View email address on click.appcast.io for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.