Senior Mechanical Design Engineer

Job Description

Job Description

Senior Mechanical Design Engineer

Defense Electromechanical Systems

Phoenix, Arizona | Full time, on site | Base salary $125,000 to $140,000

About the role

Strongwatch designs and manufactures surveillance systems that support defense and homeland security customers. We are seeking a Senior Mechanical Design Engineer with defense industry experience to lead a small mechanical engineering team and improve complex electromechanical systems already in production and field use.

You will quickly develop an understanding of existing designs, evaluate proposed changes, and deliver practical mechanical revisions that preserve system functionality. You will set priorities, assign and review work, and keep the team moving while making substantial hands-on design contributions. Clear communication is central to the role: you will translate design decisions into actionable instructions and keep production and company leadership informed of progress, risks, and decisions needed. Your work will be visible across the company, and you will see your designs move from the model to production and into the field.

You will work closely with the engineers responsible for electronics and system integration. You must understand how mechanical features interact with electronics, sensors, and other subsystems and carry those constraints forward in your designs.

This is a full-time, on-site position at our facility in Phoenix, Arizona. A current security clearance is not required. Strongwatch will sponsor eligible employees if and when a clearance becomes necessary.

Responsibilities

· Review existing assemblies, drawings, and system configurations to understand design intent, dependencies, and constraints before making changes.

· Revise and extend mechanical designs for mobile and deployable surveillance platforms, including sensor mounts, equipment enclosures, structural supports, and mechanisms.

· Assess how proposed mechanical changes affect existing component placement, interfaces, cable routing, connector access, thermal performance, environmental protection, and service access.

· Make hands-on SolidWorks design revisions and maintain accurate models, drawings, bills of materials, and engineering changes using PDM and controlled documentation practices.

· Use tolerance analysis, material selection, structural and thermal assessments, and FEA as appropriate to evaluate revisions and resolve design issues.

· Set priorities, break work into clear assignments, and manage schedules, dependencies, and follow-through across a small team. Identify obstacles early and communicate what is needed to resolve them.

· Review team members’ designs and drawings, provide practical technical guidance, and confirm that revisions are consistent with the existing system and ready for release.

· Communicate design changes and tradeoffs clearly to engineers, technicians, production staff, and company leadership. Provide usable written instructions and concise updates on progress, risks, and decisions needed.

· Work with production, technicians, suppliers, and other engineering disciplines to resolve fit, clearance, assembly, and field issues quickly.

· Support builds, testing, and verification of mechanical changes; investigate failures and implement corrective actions.

· Improve manufacturability, reliability, and field serviceability while balancing turnaround time, cost, and the effect of changes on existing systems.

Required qualifications

· Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering Technology.

· At least 8 years of progressive mechanical design experience, or a master’s degree plus at least 6 years, including direct experience developing or revising mechanical designs within defense electromechanical products or systems.

· Demonstrated ability to understand complex existing designs quickly, identify the effects of proposed changes, and deliver accurate revisions through controlled production release.

· Advanced proficiency in SolidWorks, including complex assemblies and production drawings, and experience with PDM systems. Candidates with advanced Creo or NX experience who can transition quickly to SolidWorks will also be considered.

· Strong working knowledge of GD&T, tolerance analysis, drawing standards, and configuration control.

· Working knowledge of how mechanical design interacts with electronics, sensors, motors or actuators, power components, and cable assemblies, including packaging, clearances, heat, vibration, and access.

· Knowledge of machining, sheet metal fabrication, welding, materials, finishes, and design for manufacturability and assembly.

· Experience troubleshooting existing hardware, supporting prototype or production builds, evaluating design changes, and resolving manufacturing or field issues.

· Demonstrated experience leading technical work across a small team: setting priorities, assigning work, reviewing designs, coaching less-experienced staff, and following through on commitments while remaining an active design contributor.

· Ability to explain technical decisions to different audiences, write clear instructions, and communicate schedule or design risks early.

· Must be eligible to obtain a U.S. government security clearance. No active clearance is required. Additionally, work supporting U.S. Customs and Border Protection may require the successful completion of a CBP background investigation.

Preferred qualifications

· Professional Engineer (PE) license.

· Experience with mechanical design for surveillance or ISR systems, electro-optical/infrared sensors, radar equipment, pan-and-tilt mechanisms, or vehicle-mounted and deployable equipment.

· Experience applying MIL-STD-810, MIL-STD-461, MIL-STD-464, MIL-STD-1472, or comparable customer requirements when evaluating mechanical design changes.

· Experience with environmental sealing and ingress protection, EMI/EMC considerations in mechanical packaging, vibration isolation, and ruggedized electronics enclosures.

· Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field, or relevant technical certifications.

Compensation and benefits

The anticipated starting base salary range is $125,000 to $140,000 per year, depending on relevant experience, technical capability, and demonstrated leadership. Strongwatch covers employee healthcare premiums. Merit increases and discretionary performance bonuses recognize demonstrated capability and results.

What to highlight in your application

If you would like, include a brief example of improving an existing defense electromechanical system. Explain what you personally revised, how you evaluated the effects on other components, and how you assigned and reviewed the team's work. Describe how you communicated the change to production or other stakeholders. Nonconfidential summaries are sufficient; please do not submit proprietary or restricted technical information.

\nCompany Description

Freedom Surveillance, LLC dba Strongwatch develops and sells innovative, integrated imaging systems for detection and surveillance. Our rugged, reliable and easy to use mobile "On-The-Move" systems are being deployed for border security, law enforcement and mission intelligence. Additionally, our fixed solutions, which leverage our patented Human Detection and Tracking, solve the need for effective and affordable round-the-clock protection of wide-area critical infrastructure.

Company Description

Freedom Surveillance, LLC dba Strongwatch develops and sells innovative, integrated imaging systems for detection and surveillance. Our rugged, reliable and easy to use mobile "On-The-Move" systems are being deployed for border security, law enforcement and mission intelligence. Additionally, our fixed solutions, which leverage our patented Human Detection and Tracking, solve the need for effective and affordable round-the-clock protection of wide-area critical infrastructure.