Senior Design Engineer

Actalent; Mukilteo (WA); On-site; USD 135,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) with company match

HSA with company contribution

FSA

Company-paid life and AD&D insurance

Short and long-term disability

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Actalent is seeking a Sr. Design Engineer to lead the mechanical design and development of aerospace structures, mechanisms, and systems from concept through delivery. The role requires translating requirements into mechanical solutions, performing analyses, developing CAD models, and guiding junior engineers on multiple programs.

The position is based in Mukilteo, WA, with a 9/80 schedule and onsite work. A BS in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering and 6+ years in aerospace/defense design are

Qualifications

• Requires true aerospace/defense design experience.
• Strong mechanical design fundamentals.
• Proficient in SolidWorks; CAD/CAE knowledge.
• Experienced with qualification-tested hardware.
• Ability to manage multiple design priorities while hands-on.
• Strong technical problem-solving and creativity.
• Excellent communication and customer relationship skills.
• Quality and safety-focused mindset.
• U.S. person status under export-control requirements.

Responsibilities

• Lead hands-on mechanical design of aerospace structures, mechanisms, and systems.
• Translate requirements into mechanical design solutions.
• Perform and review engineering calculations and analyses.
• Develop CAD models and drawing packages.
• Support prototypes and hardware testing.
• Provide technical direction to junior engineers.
• Lead design efforts independently while collaborating across teams.
• Support multiple programs simultaneously.
• Contribute to proposals and customer-facing technical presentations.

Skills

Aerospace/defense experience

Mechanical design

GD&T/calculations

Independent multi-tasking

Problem solving

Communication skills

Quality & safety mindset

U.S. export-control status

Education

BS in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

CAD/CAE

Job description

Job Description

The Sr. Design Engineer will be responsible for leading the mechanical design and development of aerospace structures, mechanisms, and systems from initial concept through detailed design, validation, testing, qualification, and delivery. This role requires translating customer/system requirements into mechanical design solutions, performing and reviewing engineering calculations and analyses, developing CAD models and drawing packages, supporting prototypes and hardware testing, and providing technical direction to junior engineers.

Job Title: Sr. Design Engineer

The Sr. Design Engineer will be responsible for leading the mechanical design and development of aerospace structures, mechanisms, and systems from initial concept through detailed design, validation, testing, qualification, and delivery. This role requires translating customer/system requirements into mechanical design solutions, performing and reviewing engineering calculations and analyses, developing CAD models and drawing packages, supporting prototypes and hardware testing, and providing technical direction to junior engineers.

Responsibilities

• Lead hands-on mechanical design and development of aerospace structures, mechanisms, and systems.
• Translate customer/system requirements into mechanical design solutions.
• Perform and review engineering calculations and analyses.
• Develop CAD models and drawing packages.
• Support prototypes and hardware testing.
• Provide technical direction to junior engineers.
• Independently lead design efforts while remaining hands-on with CAD, drawings, engineering calculations, analysis, and hardware development.
• Support multiple simultaneous programs.
• Contribute to proposal efforts, rapid concept development, and customer-facing technical presentations.

Essential Skills

• True aerospace/defense development experience.
• Mechanical design fundamentals.
• SolidWorks and CAD/CAE knowledge.
• GD&T and engineering calculations.
• Experience with qualification-tested hardware.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple concurrent priorities/design efforts.
• Technical problem-solving and creativity.
• Strong communication and customer relationship skills.
• Quality- and safety-focused mindset.
• U.S. person status required under U.S. export-control requirements.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• BS in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or equivalent field.
• Typically 6+ years of aerospace/defense system design experience.
• Materials/strength/stress fundamentals.
• Drawing and technical diagram interpretation.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Military/commercial design specification knowledge.

Work Environment

This position is based in‑office, with access to manufacturing, test, and development floors. The schedule follows a 9/80 format, offering every other Friday off, starting at 8:00 AM. The environment encourages hands‑on design and development rather than functioning solely as a reviewer or technical manager. Engineers are expected to work across CAD/design, drawings, engineering testing, and qualification. They enjoy ownership of both the design and the engineering justification behind it.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Mukilteo, WA.

Pay And Benefits

The pay range for this position is $135000.00 - $180000.00/yr.

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance 401(k) with company match Paid time off Health Savings Account (HSA) with company contribution Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) Companypaid life and AD&D insurance Short and longterm disability coverage Tuition reimbursement

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Nov 20, 2026.

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Mukilteo,WA.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.