Mechanical Engineer

Akkar; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Akkar in Los Angeles designs and builds electronic components for aerospace and defense, seeking a Mechanical Engineer who can handle thermal models and electronics layout reviews.

You will own thermal design from first principles to qualification, including heat load budgets, heat sinks, cold plates, heat pipes and radiators, while collaborating with electrical engineers on integration.

Qualifications

• : Degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering or related discipline.
• : Proven experience designing mechanical systems that house or integrate electrical/electronic components.
• : Strong grounding in thermodynamics and heat transfer with flight or fielded hardware context.
• : Proficiency in SolidWorks / Creo / NX / CATIA, plus GD&T.
• : Hands-on experience with both analysis and environmental testing.
• : Working electronics knowledge: reading schematics and understanding power dissipation and component temperature limits.

Responsibilities

• Design enclosures, chassis, brackets and structures for electronic assemblies, including PCBAs, power electronics, RF units and harnesses.
• Own thermal design from first-principles analysis through qualification: heat load budgets, conduction paths, heat sinks, cold plates, heat pipes, radiators and TIMs.
• Analyze radiative and conductive heat transfer for vacuum and orbital environments, plus convective cooling for airborne and ground systems.
• Run thermal and structural simulations in Thermal Desktop, ANSYS, NX Space Systems Thermal or FloTHERM, and correlate models with test data.
• Support environmental test campaigns: thermal cycling, thermal vacuum, vibration and shock.
• Collaborate with electrical engineers on component placement, derating, connector and cable routing, sealing and EMI shielding.
• Guide designs through DFM/DFA, tolerance analysis, design reviews (PDR/CDR) and supplier engagement into production.

Skills

Thermodynamics

Heat transfer

DFX experience

Environmental testing

Electronics cooling

Education

Bachelors in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

Creo

NX

CATIA

Job description

Our client designs and builds electronic components for aerospace, defense and space programs. Their hardware has to survive vibration, shock, wide temperature swings and, in orbit, vacuum, while carrying dense, high-power electronics. They need a Mechanical Engineer who is as comfortable with a thermal model as with an electronics layout review.

What you’ll work on

• Designing enclosures, chassis, brackets and structures for electronic assemblies, including PCBAs, power electronics, RF units and harnesses
• Owning thermal design from first-principles analysis through to qualification: heat load budgets, conduction paths, heat sinks, cold plates, heat pipes, radiators and thermal interface materials
• Analyzing radiative and conductive heat transfer for vacuum and orbital environments, alongside convective cooling for airborne and ground systems
• Running thermal and structural simulations in tools such as Thermal Desktop, ANSYS, NX Space Systems Thermal or FloTHERM, and correlating models with test data
• Supporting environmental test campaigns, including thermal cycling, thermal vacuum, vibration and shock
• Working closely with electrical engineers on component placement, derating, connector and cable routing, sealing and EMI shielding
• Taking designs through DFM/DFA, tolerance analysis, design reviews (PDR/CDR) and supplier engagement into production

What you’ll bring

• A degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering, or a related discipline
• Proven experience designing mechanical systems that house or integrate electrical and electronic components
• A strong grounding in thermodynamics and heat transfer, backed by flight or fielded hardware you can talk through
• Proficiency in SolidWorks / Creo / NX / CATIA], plus GD&T
• Hands-on experience with both analysis and environmental testing
• Working electronics knowledge: reading schematics, understanding power dissipation and component temperature limits

Nice to have

• Experience designing to DO-160, MIL-STD-810, MIL-STD-461 or GSFC-STD-7000 (GEVS)
• Two-phase cooling, heat pipe or loop heat pipe design
• Materials knowledge for space use, such as outgassing and thermal coatings
• Python or MATLAB for analysis and test data processing