Mechanical Test Engineer

Job Description

Job Description

Do you learn best by taking things apart—or pushing them until they fail? Are you the engineer who can’t help but ask why something works… and how it could work better? If so, you’ll feel right at home at Stress Engineering Services, Inc. (SES).

Founded in 1972, SES is a premier provider of engineered solutions and professional consulting services across an extraordinary range of engineering disciplines. Our clients span medical, consumer, pharmaceutical, energy, and manufacturing industries throughout the U.S. and internationally—so the problems we solve (and the tests we run) are always changing. We’re known for deep technical expertise and proven performance in instrumentation and testing, failure analysis, reliability and predictive engineering, materials science, solid mechanics and structural design, heat transfer, fluid mechanics, floating systems, and forensics. Our reputation speaks for itself: over 80% of our work comes from repeat clients and referrals.

The Role

As a Test Engineer at SES, you’ll turn complex questions into meaningful data. This role blends mechanical engineering fundamentals with hands-on testing and system operation in a dynamic, industrial laboratory environment. You’ll plan and execute custom tests, design fixtures and methods, instrument hardware, collect high-quality data, and transform results into clear, actionable insights.

Projects span medical devices, consumer products, primary and tertiary packaging, mechanical and electrical systems, industrial processes, and engineering materials. The common thread: understanding how a system is supposed to perform—and proving whether it actually does.

Key responsibilities include:

• Developing custom and specialized test plans, fixtures, and test methods
• Executing tests safely and efficiently while monitoring live data
• Collecting, analyzing, and documenting high-quality test data
• Interpreting results and producing clear, concise technical reports

What Success Looks Like

Successful Test Engineers at Stress are adaptable problem solvers who thrive in both independent and collaborative environments. You’re hands-on, mechanically curious, and comfortable working with electro-mechanical systems, instrumentation, and multiple sensor types. You can safely navigate a heavy industrial lab setting, juggle competing priorities, and keep projects moving forward—even when tests don’t go as planned.

Strong communication skills are essential. You’ll routinely interact with teammates and clients, translating technical details into clear verbal explanations and well-written test methods and reports. Experience in regulated industries (medical device, pharmaceutical, aerospace, etc.) is a plus. Depending on your experience, you may also take the lead on managing projects, interfacing directly with clients, and guiding the work of other engineers and technicians.

SES Core Values

• We Over Me – We put the mission, our clients, and our team ahead of individual agendas.
• Unyielding Pursuit of Excellence – Excellence is the standard. We deliver the right solution, on time, every time.
• Own It – We take personal and collective accountability to earn trust and deliver results.

A Day in the Life

No two days are the same—and that’s exactly what makes this role rewarding. Your morning might start with a technical discussion alongside engineers, technicians, and clients, refining a test concept or identifying instrumentation and risk considerations. You may review drawings, finalize a test plan, or troubleshoot an unexpected challenge that requires creative thinking and mechanical intuition.

Before long, you’re in the lab or test yard—instrumenting hardware, coordinating with technicians, monitoring live data, and adapting on the fly. Sometimes that means pushing systems to their limits… breaking them, or even blowing them up (intentionally) to uncover answers that simply can’t be found any other way. Throughout the day, you balance safety, schedule, and performance while managing risk in real time. By day’s end, you can see tangible progress: data collected, questions answered, and another complex test successfully executed. It’s hands-on, fast-paced, occasionally chaotic—and deeply satisfying work that keeps Test Engineers at SES excited to come back every day.

Basic Qualifications

• BS in Mechanical Engineering with 3–5 years of experience in testing or manufacturing/industrial equipment operations
• Experience with mechanical testing methods and instrumentation
• Hands-on aptitude and comfort working with physical systems
• Experience with data acquisition and test control systems
• Ability to conceptualize and develop test methods, fixtures, and equipment with attention to accuracy and repeatability
• Strong technical writing and communication skills in english
• Highly motivated, self-starter with strong critical thinking and problem-solving abilities
• Familiarity with statistical techniques for reliability, capability analysis, regression, ANOVA, and sample size justification (plus)
• Experience with CAD software (SolidWorks or similar)
• Professional Engineer license or willingness to obtain one

ITAR Requirements:

This position may involve access to export-controlled information subject to U.S. Government regulations. To be eligible, applicants must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, lawful permanent resident, refugee, asylee, or otherwise able to obtain any required authorization from the U.S. Department of State.

Preferred Qualifications

• MS in Engineering or more than 5 years of relevant experience
• Knowledge of material properties and failure mechanisms for metals and polymers under mechanical, thermal, and environmental loading
• Experience developing test plans and reports suitable for verification and regulatory submissions
• Experience validating test methods for repeatability and reproducibility
• Familiarity with hazard and risk assessment tools such as FMEA or fault tree analysis
• Experience with U.S. and EU medical device regulations
• Experience or familiarity with finite element analysis

Why Join SES?

• High autonomy, high-impact technical work
• Direct influence on real-world safety and performance
• Collaboration with world-recognized subject matter experts
• Supportive, entrepreneurial, employee-owned culture

What’s in It for You?

At SES, curiosity is encouraged and technical depth is valued. You’ll work alongside some of the brightest engineers in the industry on challenges that truly matter—including technologies that improve and save lives.

As an employee-owned firm, we offer:

• Competitive compensation aligned with experience and market benchmarks
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Paid time off and paid holidays
• A collaborative, inclusive, and technically challenging environment

At Stress Engineering Services, being a Test Engineer means more than running tests. It means creating knowledge, pushing boundaries, and turning complex ideas into reality. You’ll have the autonomy to own your work, the support to grow your skills, and the satisfaction of seeing your efforts make a real impact. If you thrive in dynamic environments, love hands-on problem solving, and want a career where learning never stops, Stress offers a place where you can do your best work—every day.

Our Commitment

SES is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, or other protected characteristics.

At SES we take pride in fostering an inclusive and dynamic workplace that values diverse perspectives and experiences. This position requires legal authorization to work in the U.S. Candidates must be able to provide the necessary documentation to verify identity & employment eligibility through the I-9 verification process.

Recruitment Process Disclosure
As part of your candidacy and potential future employment, you agree to maintain the confidentiality of proprietary, sensitive, and client-related information obtained through interactions with SES. This obligation applies during and after your engagement.

As part of our hiring process, Stress Engineering Services may use technology tools, including automated tools, to help organize, review, or evaluate application materials and interview-related information. These tools are used to support our recruiting process, but hiring decisions are not made solely by technology. If you need would like to request a reasonable accommodation or would like additional information about the process, please contact View email address on click.appcast.io. Where applicable required by law, we will provide additional notices if a specific tool analyzes interview responses, assessments, or other information as part of your evaluation.

No Agency Solicitation: Stress Engineering Services is managing this search directly. We kindly ask that staffing agencies, recruiting firms, and executive search firms do not contact us regarding this position or submit candidate resumes. Any unsolicited resumes submitted without a valid written agreement may become the property of Stress Engineering Services, and no placement fee will be paid.

Equal Opportunity Employer
Stress Engineering Services, Inc. (SES) is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, pregnancy, disability, age, veteran status, or other protected characteristics.