Senior Mechanical Engineer

Clera Labs, Inc.; Detroit (MI); On-site; USD 165,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Clera Labs, Inc. in Detroit seeks a senior mechanical engineer to own major subsystems of ruggedized directed-energy systems from architecture to production handoff. You will work on a lean team to deliver field-ready hardware designed for harsh environments.

Responsibilities include FEA-driven design, thermal management, and test rig development, with travel for field tests. 5+ years in related roles and US citizenship are required.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in mechanical engineering with ruggedized, field-deployable or high-performance systems.
• Hands-on FEA with ANSYS, Nastran or Abaqus and test correlation.
• Design to MIL-STD-810/shock and vibration standards, with precision optomechanical packaging.
• Thermal management for high-power systems; experience building and running validation rigs.
• Design for manufacturability and manufacturing handoff.
• BS or MS in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering.
• Experience with laser/directed-energy or vehicle-mounted systems is a plus.
• U.S. citizenship is required.

Responsibilities

• Design and validate laser enclosures, beam director and gimbal structures, and precision mounts.
• Perform static, modal, random vibration, and shock response spectrum FEA and correlate with bench/field tests.
• Develop thermal management solutions for high-power laser and electronics packaging across thermal cycles.
• Build, instrument, and run test rigs to characterize systems before field deployment.
• Design for MIL-STD-810 shock and vibration and other austere conditions.
• Take designs from concept through prototyping, validation, field testing, and manufacturing handoff.
• Lead design reviews, collaborate across engineering disciplines, and mentor junior engineers.
• Travel to field tests and range events to validate and improve system performance.

Skills

FEA (ANSYS/Nastran/Abaqus)

Ruggedized field systems

Manufacturing handoff

Thermal management

MIL-STD-810

Prototype to production

Mentor junior engineers

Field testing

Education

BS/MS in Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering

Tools

Test instrumentation

Job description

About the Role

Own major mechanical subsystems for ruggedized directed-energy systems, from architecture through production handoff. You will work on a lean engineering team to build and validate field-deployable hardware designed to perform in demanding environments.

What You'll Do

• Design and validate laser enclosures, beam director and gimbal structures, and precision mounts.

• Perform static, modal, random vibration, and shock response spectrum FEA, then correlate results with bench and field testing.

• Develop thermal management solutions for high-power laser and electronics packaging across thermal cycles.

• Build, instrument, and run test rigs to characterize systems before field deployment.

• Design for MIL-STD-810 shock and vibration requirements and other austere operating conditions.

• Take designs from concept through prototyping, validation, field testing, and manufacturing handoff.

• Lead design reviews, collaborate across engineering disciplines, and mentor junior engineers.

• Travel to field tests and range events to validate and improve system performance.

What We're Looking For

• At least 5 years of mechanical engineering experience with ruggedized, field-deployable, or high-performance systems, including taking a subsystem from prototype to production.

• Strong hands-on FEA skills with ANSYS, Nastran, Abaqus, or equivalent, including test correlation.

• Experience designing to MIL-STD-810 or equivalent shock and vibration standards, and with precision optomechanical packaging.

• Thermal management experience for high-power systems, plus experience building and running validation rigs and instrumentation.

• Experience with design for manufacturability and manufacturing handoff.

• BS or MS in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field.

• Laser, directed-energy, ruggedized optical bench, or vehicle-mounted systems experience is a plus.

• U.S. citizenship is required.

Compensation & Benefits

Base salary is $165,000 to $210,000 annually. Visa sponsorship is not available.

Location

On-site in Detroit, Michigan, with travel required for field testing and range validation.