Senior Mechanical Engineer

ARA’s Engineering Science Division is seeking an experienced mechanical engineer to support the design, development, prototyping, integration, and qualification of complex mechanical systems. The successful candidate will be a hands-on mechanical engineer who can move comfortably between computer-aided design (CAD), engineering analysis, prototyping, system-level reviews, and hardware integration. You should be comfortable working in a collaborative, technically demanding environment and communicating engineering decisions to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.This is an on-site position in the ARA office in Panama City, FL. Hybrid work may be possible for the right candidate, requiring attendance in the office a minimum of 3 days per week. This position also requires regular travel to Newport, RI (up to 15%). What you will do as a senior mechanical engineer:Design, develop, test, handle implementation, and analysis of technical products and systems using applied engineering principles, including solid and fluid mechanics, and heat transferPerform engineering design evaluations on weapons systemsPerform dimensional tolerance analysis and functional analysesProcure, assemble, and test advanced prototypes to inform design decisions, refinements, and to demonstrate performancePrepare and present designs, at various design reviewsAssist in the development of requirements for hardwareEnsure designs satisfy requirements and demonstrate performance in a thorough verification and validation programAnalyze data and make recommendations for improvementUnderstand nominal and off-nominal operations for a technical system and its interaction(s) with other systemsManage multiple issues at one time and develop an integrated solutionWork with fabrication and manufacturing departments to ensure final design is properly executed in the creation of mechanical productsBe agile and willing to assist in all areas of the development process to meet project milestonesSenior mechanical engineer requirements:Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field8+ years of related work experience; graduate degree/research may serve to partially fulfill the experience requirementExcellent verbal, written, interpersonal, leadership, and team working skillsDemonstrated skill in using CAD and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling software in design workDemonstrated experience in design analysis and mechanical design requirements developmentAbility and willingness to travel as requiredAbility to obtain a DoD Secret clearance; active Secret clearance is highly desiredPreferred capabilities:Strong background in thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, heat transfer as applied to high-pressure, high-temperature systemsProficiency with CFD for compressible, high-temperature, high-pressure flowAbility to conduct static and dynamic structural finite element analysis (FEA) including thermal stress, pressure loading, vibration, and shock responseExperience with thermo-mechanical coupling to evaluate stresses resulting from rapid pressure and temperature transientsKnowledge of material behavior under elevated temperatures, high strain rates, cyclic loading, and thermal fatigueAbility to correlate analytical models with experimental test data, identify model uncertainties, and improve predictive accuracyExperience developing first-principles engineering calculations to validate numerical simulations and support design decisionsExperience interpreting high-speed instrumentation data, including pressure, temperature, strain, and acceleration measurementsUnderstanding of reliability engineering, failure analysis, and root cause investigationStrong cross-functional communication skills, with the ability to collaborate across mechanical, materials, manufacturing, and test engineering teamsDemonstrated ability to take complex engineering concepts from analytical modeling through prototype testing and production implementationUnderstanding or previous experience in the Undersea Warfare domainAbout ARA:ARA is an employee-owned international research and engineering company recognized for providing technically superior solutions to complex and challenging problems in the physical sciences. The company, founded in Albuquerque, NM, in 1979, currently employs more than 2,200 professionals and continues to grow. ARA offices throughout the United States and Canada provide a broad range of technical expertise in civil technologies, computer software and simulation, defense technologies, systems analysis, environmental technologies, and testing and measurement. The corporation also provides sophisticated technical products for pavement analysis, environmental site characterization, and robotics.At ARA, employees are our greatest assets. The corporation realizes that employee ownership spawns greater creativity and initiative along with higher performance and customer satisfaction levels. ARA gives its employees the tools, training, and opportunities to take more active roles as owners. The culture is challenging; innovation and experimentation are the norm. Employees are eligible for contributions which not only add to the company’s success, but also their own through the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). The motto, “Engineering and Science for Fun and Profit” sums up the ARA experience.Job SummaryRequisition Number: SENIO010056Job Category: Engineering Support ServicesSchedule: Full-Time