Senior Mechanical Engineer

Sr. Mechanical Engineer | 5-days onsite in Sterling, VA | Pay; 120k - 150k/yr | 12-month contract-to-hire

Job Description

The Mechanical Engineer will design, fabricate, test, and deploy prototypes for counter-unmanned aircraft systems (cUAS) technology that directly contribute to next-generation airspace defense solutions. You will own mechanical designs from concept through production release, collaborating closely with electrical, software, systems, manufacturing, and product teams to deliver rugged, reliable hardware deployed in demanding real-world environments.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop mechanical components, assemblies, and enclosures for advanced airspace defense systems.

• Drive product development activities from initial concept generation through testing, validation, and manufacturing release.

• Create detailed 3D CAD models, engineering drawings, and design documentation using SolidWorks, Fusion 360, AutoCAD, or similar tools.

• Design a wide range of hardware including sheet metal components, welded structures, machined parts, injection molded components, and environmental enclosures.

• Build, assemble, and evaluate prototype hardware to validate design concepts and overall system performance.

• Develop and execute test plans to assess functionality, durability, and environmental reliability of mechanical designs.

• Collaborate cross-functionally with electrical engineers, systems engineers, product managers, manufacturing partners, and field teams to ensure cohesive system designs.

• Support system integration efforts and actively contribute to design reviews throughout the product lifecycle.

• Identify technical risks early in the development process and implement creative, practical solutions to complex engineering challenges.

• Maintain thorough documentation, specifications, and engineering change records to support traceability and quality.

• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives focused on product quality, manufacturability, and cost optimization.

• Allocate approximately 30% of your time to CAD design and documentation, 30% to cross-functional collaboration and engineering reviews, 30% to hands-on prototyping, fabrication, testing, and validation, and 10% to rapid-response engineering support and problem solving.

Essential Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related engineering discipline.

• 8+ years of professional mechanical engineering experience.

• Proficiency with CAD software such as SolidWorks, AutoCAD, Fusion 360, or similar platforms.

• Demonstrated experience creating engineering drawings and comprehensive design documentation.

• Strong experience in fabrication, testing, prototyping, and new product development.

• Ability to interpret and apply GD&T (Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing) in mechanical designs.

• Eligibility to obtain and maintain US Secret Clearance.

• Ability to travel up to 10% of the time.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience designing and releasing mechanical products into production environments.

• Hands-on prototyping experience using fabrication tools, machine shop equipment, or 3D printers.

• Experience with sheet metal design, weldments, machined components, injection molded plastics, and ruggedized enclosures.

• Familiarity with embedded systems, microcontrollers, or electromechanical systems.

• Experience designing for harsh environmental conditions and outdoor hardware applications.

• Knowledge of shock, vibration, thermal management, EMI/EMC, and environmental sealing considerations.

• Experience working on military, aerospace, defense, industrial, robotics, or outdoor hardware systems.

• Familiarity with MIL-STDs and environmental qualification testing processes.

• Experience using FEA, CFD, or other simulation tools to support design validation and optimization.

• Comfort working with advanced cUAS technologies that support military and public safety applications, including major global events and complex operational environments.

Work Environment

This role is primarily onsite in Sterling, VA, with a schedule of four days per week in the office (Tuesday through Friday) and the option to work remotely on Mondays. You will work in a cutting-edge facility that includes multiple onsite labs equipped for mechanical design, prototyping, and testing of advanced cUAS hardware. The environment is highly collaborative, with close interaction among engineering, product, and field teams focused on delivering innovative airspace defense systems that support military operations and state and local public safety agencies at major events and in challenging global contexts.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Sterling, VA.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $60.00 - $75.00/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)

Workplace Type

This is a hybrid position in Sterling,VA.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 13, 2026.

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.