Principal Mechanical Engineer

Universal Avionics; Duluth (MN); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

401(k) with safe harbor match within 2

Every other Friday off

Vacation, sick time, and paid holidays

Wellness and employee assistance

Job summary

Universal Avionics in Duluth, GA is seeking a Principal Mechanical Engineer to own complex electromechanical and opto‑mechanical designs for aerospace avionics. You will translate requirements into reliable hardware, perform thermal and structural analyses, create prototypes, and support environmental qualification and sustaining activities.

You will collaborate across engineering disciplines, work from concept to qualification, and ensure designs meet FAA/RTCA/MIL-STD standards while aligning

Qualifications

• Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering.
• 5+ years electromechanical design experience.
• Strong experience with thermal and structural finite element analysis.
• Proficiency with PTC Creo 3D CAD.
• Practical knowledge of PCB assemblies and the mechanical considerations involved in electronic product design.
• Experience designing for machining/mill operations and sheet‑metal fabrication.
• 5+ years working within integrated, multidisciplinary project teams.
• Ability to independently define problems, evaluate limited or incomplete information, and develop sound engineering solutions.
• Strong understanding of how analysis, prototyping, testing, and qualification work together to validate a design.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Familiarity with ISO 9001 or AS9100 quality environments.
• Ability to work effectively across disciplines while maintaining ownership of complex mechanical engineering assignments.

Responsibilities

• Turn aerospace and product requirements into practical, reliable mechanical and opto-mechanical designs.
• Own complex mechanical design activities using PTC Creo, from early concepts through detailed product definition.
• Apply thermal and structural analysis to evaluate design performance and reliability before hardware reaches qualification.
• Validate analytical results through mock-ups, prototypes, and hands‑on testing.
• Support environmental qualification activities and help resolve technical challenges identified during testing.
• Design with the realities of aerospace requirements in mind, including applicable FAA, RTCA, ARINC, and MIL-STD considerations.
• Work with PCB assemblies, machined components, and sheet‑metal designs to create integrated electromechanical solutions.
• Collaborate across engineering functions to ensure mechanical designs align with broader system and product requirements.
• Provide technical support for sustaining engineering and existing-product challenges.
• Help maintain effective engineering design and configuration practices using PTC Creo and Windchill.
• Apply independent technical judgment to complex assignments where the solution may not always be obvious.

Skills

Electromechanical design

Thermal/structural FEA

PTC Creo CAD

Machining & sheet-metal

Cross-functional collaboration

Independent problem solving

Education

Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Windchill

PTC Creo

Job description

Description

Duluth, GA (Onsite) | Aerospace & Avionics
9/80 Schedule Available – Every Other Friday Off

Design for Flight. Engineer for Reliability.

Mechanical engineering in avionics is about far more than packaging electronics. It means designing systems that must perform reliably through vibration, temperature extremes, structural loads, and the demanding realities of flight.

At Universal Avionics, we’re looking for a Principal Mechanical Engineer who can take on complex engineering challenges with a high degree of independence and technical ownership. You’ll combine advanced mechanical design, analysis, prototyping, and testing to help transform sophisticated electronic and opto-mechanical concepts into reliable aerospace products.

If you enjoy solving difficult design problems and seeing your engineering decisions move from CAD to prototype to qualified flight hardware, this is an opportunity to make a meaningful technical impact.

At Universal Avionics, we develop advanced avionics, enhanced vision systems, and intelligent cockpit technologies that help improve aviation safety and situational awareness around the world.

As a Principal Mechanical Engineer, you’ll take ownership of complex mechanical and opto-mechanical engineering assignments supporting our avionics products. Working from requirements and early concepts, you’ll develop designs, perform thermal and structural analysis, validate your engineering through prototypes and testing, and support products through environmental qualification and sustaining activities.

You’ll work within an integrated project environment, partnering across engineering disciplines to solve packaging, structural, thermal, manufacturability, and reliability challenges. This is a role for an experienced engineer who can operate with limited oversight, exercise strong technical judgement, and drive solutions from concept through validation.

What You’ll Do

• Turn aerospace and product requirements into practical, reliable mechanical and opto-mechanical designs
• Own complex mechanical design activities using PTC Creo, from early concepts through detailed product definition
• Apply thermal and structural analysis to evaluate design performance and reliability before hardware reaches qualification
• Validate analytical results through mock-ups, prototypes, and hands‑on testing
• Support environmental qualification activities and help resolve technical challenges identified during testing
• Design with the realities of aerospace requirements in mind, including applicable FAA, RTCA, ARINC, and MIL-STD considerations
• Work with PCB assemblies, machined components, and sheet‑metal designs to create integrated electromechanical solutions
• Collaborate across engineering functions to ensure mechanical designs align with broader system and product requirements
• Provide technical support for sustaining engineering and existing-product challenges
• Help maintain effective engineering design and configuration practices using PTC Creo and Windchill
• Apply independent technical judgment to complex assignments where the solution may not always be obvious

What We’re Looking For

• Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering
• 5+ years of electromechanical design experience
• Strong experience with thermal and structural finite element analysis
• Proficiency with PTC Creo 3D CAD
• Practical knowledge of PCB assemblies and the mechanical considerations involved in electronic product design
• Experience designing for machining/mill operations and sheet‑metal fabrication
• 5+ years working within integrated, multidisciplinary project teams
• Ability to independently define problems, evaluate limited or incomplete information, and develop sound engineering solutions
• Strong understanding of how analysis, prototyping, testing, and qualification work together to validate a design
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Familiarity with ISO 9001 or AS9100 quality environments
• Ability to work effectively across disciplines while maintaining ownership of complex mechanical engineering assignments

Why Employees Love Working Here

• Design mechanical and opto‑mechanical solutions that become part of real avionics products
• Own challenging engineering work from concept through analysis, prototype, testing, and qualification
• Solve complex thermal, structural, packaging, and reliability challenges
• Work closely with multidisciplinary engineering teams on sophisticated aerospace systems
• See the connection between your CAD designs, physical hardware, testing, and final product
• Apply your technical expertise with a high level of independence and ownership
• Work in an environment where reliability and engineering rigor have a direct connection to flight
• Contribute to an established aerospace organization while continuing to solve new technical challenges

What Success Looks Like

• Mechanical designs meet product, customer, and applicable aerospace requirements
• Thermal and structural risks are identified and addressed early through effective engineering analysis
• Analytical predictions are successfully validated through prototype and qualification testing
• Designs balance performance, reliability, manufacturability, and integration requirements
• Mechanical activities stay aligned with the needs of the broader integrated project team
• Qualification and sustaining issues are approached with strong technical judgment and effective problem-solving
• CAD data and product definition remain accurate and well controlled
• You become a trusted senior technical contributor who can independently take complex mechanical challenges from problem definition through solution

Our Mindset & Core Values

• InnovationWe advance avionics technology through creative engineering, thoughtful design, and continuous improvement.
• ExcellenceWe hold ourselves to high standards in engineering quality, reliability, and execution.
• We Grow TogetherWe believe our best work happens when we collaborate, share knowledge, learn from one another, and help our teams succeed together.
• Make It HappenWe take ownership, turn ideas into action, solve challenges with purpose, and follow through to deliver meaningful results.

Benefits begin on your first day as a full‑time employee.

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• 401(k) with safe harbor match within 60 days
• Every other Friday off
• Vacation, sick time, and paid holidays
• Wellness and employee assistance programs
• And more

This role is based onsite in Duluth, Georgia, where close collaboration with engineering teams and hands‑on involvement with prototypes, product hardware, testing, and qualification are important parts of successfully developing high‑reliability aerospace products.

The role combines engineering office work with hands‑on interaction with designs and hardware and may occasionally require lifting or moving items up to 25 pounds.

Ready to Engineer What Flies Next?

If you’re an experienced mechanical engineer who enjoys taking ownership of complex designs, validating your ideas through analysis and testing, and solving the engineering challenges behind high‑reliability aerospace products, we’d love to hear from you.

Join Universal Avionics and help engineer the mechanical foundation behind the next generation of avionics technology.

Universal Avionics’ products and technology are subject to U.S. export laws and regulations, including ITAR and EAR requirements. Employment eligibility may depend on work authorization and citizenship status in accordance with these regulations.

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.