Mechanical Engineer, Autonomous Systems

Fathom Robotics; Fort Worth (TX); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

ICHRA plan

Health stipend

401(k) plan

Job summary

Fathom Robotics is seeking a Mechanical Engineer to design payloads for uncrewed surface and underwater vehicles. You will take payload hardware from a customer requirement through CAD, prototype, fit-check, and test, then support it on the water.

We are looking for an experienced engineer who has put real prototypes in the field and can move a design from sketch to working hardware without a large support structure.

Qualifications

• Degree in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent hands-on experience.
• 5+ years of mechanical design experience with prototypes in field use.
• Strong CAD skills in Onshape or SolidWorks with fabrication drawings and GD&T.
• Structural and vibration analysis, including hand calculations and FEA.
• Experience with instrumentation, sensors, and controls including PLCs.
• DFM mindset and experience with machine shops and fabrication vendors.
• Comfortable working in a shop, outdoors, and on boats.
• US Person status required for defense programs and ability to pass a background check for SECRET clearance.

Responsibilities

• Design payload hardware for USVs and AUVs, including enclosures and mounts.
• Run structural and vibration analysis to validate designs before fabrication.
• Fabricate or direct fabrication of prototype parts in shop or vendors.
• Produce fabrication drawings with GD&T and manage design revisions.
• Design for the marine environment, focusing on sealing and corrosion resistance.
• Define mechanical/electrical interfaces with OEMs, payload vendors, and government customers.
• Plan and run bench, leak, pressure, and vibration tests before field use.
• Instrument test articles, build fixtures, and analyze results.
• Support payload integration and on-water testing, including launch/recovery.
• Document designs, test results, and field findings.

Skills

5+ years mechanical design experience

Prototyping from concept to hardware

Shop environment familiarity

Background check clearance readiness

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Onshape

SolidWorks

GD&T

SolidWorks Simulation

ANSYS

Job description

ABOUT FATHOM ROBOTICS

Fathom Robotics provides operations, maintenance, training, and applied engineering services for uncrewed maritime systems supporting U.S. Government and commercial defense programs. We have multiple active projects across a variety of government and commercial clients and are actively fielding systems in operational environments.

ROLE OVERVIEW

Fathom Robotics is hiring a Mechanical Engineer to design and build payloads for uncrewed surface and underwater vehicles. You will take payload hardware from a customer requirement through CAD, prototype, fit-check, and test, then support it on the water. We are looking for an experienced engineer who has put real prototypes in the field and can move a design from sketch to working hardware without a large support structure.

The hardware you build goes onto vehicles supporting active government and commercial defense programs.

LOCATION: Fort Worth, TX, with periodic travel to test sites

WORK TYPE: Full-Time or Part-Time

CLEARANCE: US Person Required | SECRET Eligible

PROGRAM CONDITIONS

Most of the work happens at our Fort Worth shop. Periodic travel to test ranges and customer sites supports integration and on-water testing, which involves boat operations and outdoor conditions. Full-time and part-time candidates will both be considered, with schedule set by experience and program need. Expect added hours and short-notice availability around integration deadlines and test events.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Design payload hardware for USVs and AUVs, including enclosures, pressure housings, mounts, brackets, fairings, and structural interfaces


• Run structural and vibration analysis to validate designs before fabrication


• Fabricate or direct fabrication of prototype parts, in our shop or through outside machine shops and vendors


• Produce fabrication drawings with GD&T and keep design revisions under control


• Design for the marine environment: sealing, corrosion, material selection, shock, vibration, and depth rating


• Work with platform OEMs, payload vendors, and government customers to define mechanical and electrical interfaces, SWaP limits, and cable/harness routing


• Plan and run bench, leak, pressure, and vibration tests before hardware goes to the field


• Instrument test articles, build test fixtures, and analyze test data


• Support payload integration and on-water testing, including launch and recovery


• Document designs, test results, and field findings

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field, or equivalent hands-on experience


• 5+ years of mechanical design experience, with a record of prototypes taken from concept to working hardware


• Strong CAD skills in Onshape or SolidWorks, including fabrication drawings and GD&T


• Structural and vibration analysis, including hand calculations and FEA (SolidWorks Simulation, ANSYS, or similar)


• Experience with instrumentation, sensors, and controls, including PLCs, and analysis of test data


• Design for manufacture and experience working with machine shops and fabrication vendors


• Comfortable working in a shop, outdoors, and on boats


• US Person status required (defense program context)


• Must be able to pass a background check and be eligible to obtain a SECRET clearance

PREFERRED BACKGROUNDS

• SAE Baja, Formula SAE, or comparable hands-on vehicle build experience


• Hands-on manufacturing, including welding and CNC or manual machining


• Payload or subsystem design for USVs, UUVs, or UAS


• Subsea pressure housings, penetrators, and underwater connectors


• Environmental test experience to MIL-STD-810 or similar


• Prior military service or defense contractor engineering experience

For part-time hires, not eligible for health benefits.

For full-time hires, we offer a flexible ICHRA (Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement) plan, giving employees the freedom to choose their own health coverage through an online shopping platform. Each employee receives a $750 stipend to put toward their plan, and the funds can also be used toward other eligible health expenses. This approach lets you tailor your coverage to fit your individual needs rather than a one-size-fits-all option. We also offer a 401(k) plan.

Compensation: Competitive hourly rate or salary, commensurate with experience.