Mechanical Design Engineer

Protingent; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 115,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Protingent Staffing has an exciting direct hire Mechanical Design Engineer opportunity in Washington, DC. You will design and develop aerospace structures, mechanical components, and mechanisms to support Navy missions.

The role requires hands-on experience with aerospace hardware, Siemens NX CAD, GD&T, and detailed design/documentation, with collaboration across multi-disciplinary teams and hardware verification campaigns.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical, aerospace, manufacturing/industrial engineering or related field.
• 2–5 years of aerospace mechanical design experience.
• Direct experience with aerospace/spacecraft hardware design and current design practices.

Responsibilities

• Designs and integrates structural components and mechanical assemblies for space or air platforms.
• Creates detailed 3D CAD models and fabrication drawings.
• Collaborates with Integration and Test teams to oversee component assembly.
• Authors test plans, designs test fixtures, and participates in hardware verification (vibration, shock, thermal-vacuum).

Skills

Aerospace mechanical design

3D CAD modeling

Collaboration

Physical strength

Geometric GD&T

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field

Tools

Siemens NX

Job description

Job Title: Mechanical Design Engineer

Position Description: Protingent Staffing has an exciting direct hire Mechanical Design Engineer with our client located in Washington, DC. Job Description: Seeking a highly motivated and skilled Mechanical Design Engineer to support work at the Naval Research Laboratory. This position offers the opportunity to directly impact high-priority Navy missions. The Mechanical Design Engineer will be responsible for the design and development of aerospace structures, mechanical components, and mechanisms. This role requires hands on experience with aerospace or spacecraft hardware and understanding of modern aerospace design standards and practices. The engineer will contribute to detailed design activities, modeling, and documentation using industry standard CAD tools and drafting conventions.

Job Responsibilities:

• Designs, analyzes, and directs the integration of structural components and mechanical assemblies for advanced space or air platforms
• Creates detailed 3D CAD models and fabrication drawings
• Collaborates with Integration and Test teams to oversee component assembly
• Author test plans, design specialized test fixtures, and participate in hardware verification campaigns, including vibration, shock, and thermal-vacuum and/or altitude testing.

Job Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Manufacturing/Industrial Engineering, or a related technical field, or equivalent work experience.
• 2-5 years of proven experience in aerospace mechanical design
• Direct experience with aerospace and/or spacecraft hardware design, including familiarity with current aerospace design practices and hardware standards.
• Proficiency with CAD tools (preferably with Siemens NX)
• Knowledge of ANSI Y14.5 Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T).
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a multi-disciplinary team.
• Ability to lift and/or move 50 pounds.

Job Details:

• Job Type: Direct hire
• Salary: $115K-$160K
• Location: Washington, DC.
• Required US Citizen and Active Secret clearance required with ability to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI.

About Protingent:

Protingent is an Award-Winning provider of top-tier Engineering and IT talent, trusted by companies at the forefront of innovation — from Software and Aerospace to AI, Clean Tech, Medical Devices, and Connected Technologies. We’re passionate about making a positive impact by connecting exceptional talent with meaningful opportunities and helping our clients build the future.