Senior Mechanical Engineer (Contingent)

ARA Brand; Virginia (MN); On-site; USD 120,000 - 148,000; Full time

Job summary

ARA Brand is seeking a Senior Mechanical Engineer to design equipment and tooling for chemical manufacturing systems. The right candidate must be proficient in SolidWorks and AutoCAD, with significant experience in mechanical design.

This role involves creating 3D models, performing structural analysis, and developing manufacturing-ready drawings. The position offers a competitive salary range of $120K to $148K and requires U.S. Citizenship.

Qualifications

• 8 years of relevant mechanical design experience.
• Must be a U.S. Citizen and eligible for a security clearance.
• Willingness to travel regularly.

Responsibilities

• Design mechanical equipment for chemical and energetic material manufacturing systems.
• Develop 3D models and 2D drawings in SolidWorks and AutoCAD.
• Perform structural and mechanical analysis (FEA) to validate designs.

Skills

SolidWorks

AutoCAD

GD&T (ASME Y14.5)

FEA/Simulation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

PDM system

Job description

ARA is seeking a Senior Mechanical Engineer to support the design of equipment, tooling, and equipment interfaces for energetics chemical manufacturing systems and unmanned systems (UxS) programs supporting U.S. Government customers. This role spans a broad range of mechanical design applications, from process equipment and facility integration to mobile/field hardware platforms. The ideal candidate is an expert in SolidWorks and AutoCAD, capable of taking concepts through detailed design and producing release‑quality drawings for manufacturing and assembly. This position is contingent on ENR-26 award and the salary range is between $120K-$148K.

Key Responsibilities

• Design mechanical equipment, components, and equipment-to-facility interfaces for chemical/energetic material manufacturing systems and unmanned systems hardware.
• Develop 3D models and assemblies in SolidWorks and produce 2D drawings/layouts in AutoCAD.
• Create manufacturing‑ and assembly‑ready drawing packages, including GD&T per ASME Y14.5.
• Perform structural and mechanical analysis (FEA) to validate designs for strength, fatigue, and operational loading.
• Manage CAD data and revisions through a PDM system (e.g., SolidWorks PDM/Vault).
• Coordinate with chemical and process engineers to align equipment design with process requirements and DoD facility standards.
• Support design reviews, technical interchange meetings, and site visits with government customers at Indian Head, MD.
• Generally consider hazard classification, explosive safety, and facility siting requirements when designing equipment for energetic material applications.
• Provide informal technical mentorship to junior engineers on design practices, drafting standards, and tools.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering.
• 8 years of relevant mechanical design experience.
• Demonstrated proficiency in SolidWorks (modeling, assemblies, drawings) and AutoCAD.
• Strong working knowledge of GD&T (ASME Y14.5).
• Experience with FEA/simulation tools for mechanical design validation.
• Experience using a PDM system for CAD data management.
• Ability to produce drawing packages suitable for manufacturing and assembly release.
• U.S. Citizenship required; must be eligible to obtain a security clearance.
• Willingness to travel regularly between Arlington, VA and Indian Head, MD.

Preferred Qualifications

• Masters in Mechanical Engineering with 6-8 years of relevant mechanical design experience.
• PhD in Mechanical Engineering with 3-5 years of relevant mechanical design experience.
• Experience designing equipment for chemical processing, energetics, or hazardous material manufacturing environments.
• Familiarity with DoD facility design standards (UFC) and explosive safety requirements.
• Experience supporting unmanned systems (UxS) hardware design.
• Prior experience interfacing directly with government program offices or customers.