Mechanical Systems Architect, Defense Hardware

Kform; Sterling (VA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Kform is seeking a hands-on Mechanical Engineer to translate customer requirements into robust, production‑ready hardware. You will move designs from CAD to on‑the‑shop floor, validate through testing, and iterate with suppliers to deliver rugged products for defense programs.

You will own assemblies, tolerances, and DFx decisions, collaborating with machinists and cross‑functional teams to meet cost and schedule targets while maintaining rigorous documentation and revision control.

Qualifications

• BS in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• 3–5 years in mechanical design, product development, prototyping, or manufacturing engineering.
• Strong fundamentals in CAD modeling, assemblies, tolerancing, and design for manufacturability.
• Hands‑on experience with rapid prototyping, shop tools, inspection equipment, and physical hardware.
• Experience with electronics packaging, thermal management, and systems integration.

Responsibilities

• Develop end‑to‑end mechanical design for complex products, including enclosures, mounts, fixtures, and production components.
• Create production‑grade drawings with GD&T and revision control in SolidWorks.
• Translate field conditions into manufacturable designs and optimize for weight, packaging, and environmental exposure.
• Plan and execute validation for fit/function, durability, heat transfer, and manufacturability.
• Collaborate with manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and program teams to close the loop from concept to release.

Skills

CAD modeling

GD&T

Rapid prototyping

Mechanical design

Materials knowledge

Education

BS in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

CAD platforms

Job description

Kform is a next-generation defense manufacturer turning breakthrough ideas into field-ready hardware. If you like solving concrete, physical problems and seeing designs become real products fast, you’ll feel at home here.

Life in the role

Morning might start with translating a customer requirement into a clean mechanical architecture in SolidWorks. By midday you’re on the shop floor checking a first article, talking tolerances with a machinist, and iterating a fixture. The afternoon could be running a thermal test, logging results, and calling a supplier about coatings. You’ll finish by updating documentation and folding production feedback into the next rev. You’ll move fluidly between:

• CAD and assemblies
• Hands‑on prototypes and quick‑turn fabrication
• Machine shops and inspection tools
• Test benches and instrumentation
• Supplier and vendor conversations
• Production feedback loops
• Customer and program requirements

What you’ll own

• End‑to‑end mechanical design for complex products: assemblies, ruggedized enclosures, mounts/brackets/panels/structural elements, mechanisms/interfaces, thermal features, fixtures/tooling, test equipment, and production‑ready components.
• Creation of detailed models, drawings, and assemblies in SolidWorks (or comparable), with production‑grade dimensions, tolerances, notes, finishes, and revision control.
• Translation of field conditions and system constraints into practical, manufacturable designs.
• Design within real constraints: packaging, weight, thermal behavior, environmental exposure, shock/vibration, EMI/shielding, assembly sequence, serviceability, cost, and lead time.
• Rapid prototyping: build, assemble, instrument, inspect, and troubleshoot prototypes and production‑intent hardware.
• Planning and executing validation for fit/function, structural performance, durability, thermal response, manufacturability, assembly process, safety, and reliability.
• Failure analysis, test data review, and evidence‑driven design improvements.
• Clear, complete documentation: CAD, drawings, BOMs, revision history, assembly instructions, test reports, design rationale, and trade studies.
• Cross‑functional optimization with manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and program teams for manufacturability, assembly, inspection, cost, schedule, and reliability.
• Direct collaboration with machinists, fabricators, vendors, and production to close the loop between intent and output.
• Mentorship of junior engineers—modeling rigor, documentation discipline, practical problem‑solving, and ownership.
• Independent ownership of smaller engineering projects from ambiguous inputs to delivered outcomes.
• Continuous improvement of Kform’s engineering and manufacturing systems.

Who you are

Curious, Practical, Disciplined, And Biased Toward Action. You’re Comfortable With Ambiguity, Eager To Understand The Whole System, And Able To Turn Partial Data Into Confident Progress.

You Can

• Develop designs at a CAD workstation
• Build or modify prototypes
• Inspect fabricated and machined parts
• Bridge mechanical–electrical interfaces
• Gather feedback on the production floor
• Plan and run tests
• Diagnose failures and explain your reasoning

Minimum qualifications

• BS in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Aerospace, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field.
• 3–5 years in mechanical design, product development, prototyping, test, manufacturing engineering, or multidisciplinary hardware development.
• Strong fundamentals: CAD modeling; assemblies; materials; tolerancing; fabrication methods; structural design; design for manufacturability.
• Advanced proficiency in SolidWorks (or similar mechanical CAD).
• Ability to produce production‑quality drawings with full GD&T awareness, notes, finishes, and revision control.
• Hands‑on experience with rapid prototyping, shop tools, inspection equipment, test equipment, and physical hardware.
• Working knowledge of adjacent domains: electronics packaging, cable routing, thermal management, embedded integration, manufacturing, quality, test, and systems integration.
• Clear documentation habits and strong problem‑solving; able to contribute independently and on multidisciplinary teams.

Preferred qualifications

• High‑accountability startup or founding‑team experience.
• Background in defense, aerospace, robotics, industrial automation, advanced manufacturing, rugged electronics, or other regulated environments.
• Designing rugged systems, tactical hardware, field equipment, enclosures, transport cases, electronics packaging, or production fixtures.
• Familiarity with AS9100, QMS, configuration control, production documentation, and design release.
• Experience with environmental, shock, vibration, thermal, ingress protection, and EMI considerations.
• Designing for manufacturability, assembly, inspection, reliability, and cost.
• Direct work with CNC machining, sheet metal, additive, composites, castings, coatings, gaskets, fasteners, and production suppliers.
• Taking hardware from prototype to production readiness; managing small projects from concept through release.
• Demonstrated interest in manufacturing, American industry, defense technology, and tough technical problems.
• Clear communication with engineers, operators, customers, suppliers, and leadership.

Skills that matter here

• Mechanical design and 3D modeling (SolidWorks).
• Mechanical architecture for complex hardware.
• DFM/DFA/inspection/production readiness.
• Tolerance analysis, GD&T awareness, disciplined drawings.
• Materials, finishes, fasteners, joining, and process selection.
• Electronics packaging, cable routing, thermal management, and integration.
• Prototype fabrication, assembly, instrumentation, inspection, and test.
• Fixture, tooling, and test equipment design.
• Technical documentation and configuration control.
• Analytical thinking, practical judgment, attention to detail.
• Urgency with engineering rigor; ownership and follow‑through.

Working environment

• Fast‑moving product development and manufacturing setting.
• Frequent hands‑on work with prototypes, tools, machinery, test and inspection equipment, electronics, and production hardware.
• Time on your feet: assembling, testing, troubleshooting, inspecting, and working near active operations.
• PPE as required by task, equipment, and area.
• Occasional travel to customers, suppliers, testing, and program events.

How we work

We value continuous improvement, aggressive value creation, and extreme ownership. Kform is building the capability to bring advanced defense products to production faster. We obsess over details, respect the customer, understand hardware, and execute. If you want broad exposure from idea to production and to build products that matter, this is the place.

Tools and tech

• CAD Software
• Mechanical Design & Engineering
• 3D Modeling (SolidWorks)
• CAD Platforms (SolidWorks, Onshape)