Senior Mechanical Systems Engineer (Defense Platforms)

Brightwing; Troy (MI); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Brightwing is seeking an experienced Senior Mechanical Engineer to lead the design, development, integration, and validation of complex mechanical systems and vehicle platforms.

This role provides technical leadership across multidisciplinary programs, mentoring engineers and guiding decisions from concept development through prototype build, testing, and production implementation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related field.
• 10+ years of professional mechanical engineering experience.
• Experience leading complex mechanical design and integration projects.
• Experience working at the vehicle, system, or subsystem level in product development.
• Strong technical problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation communication abilities.
• Experience working directly with customers and multidisciplinary teams.
• Proficiency with Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and development of mechanical systems, assemblies, and components for advanced vehicle and product applications.
• Drive system-level engineering activities including requirements development, concept evaluation, and validation.
• Oversee integration, assembly, and testing for vehicle, subsystem, and component programs.
• Perform analyses, trade studies, and design reviews to support technical decisions.
• Ensure designs meet performance, reliability, manufacturability, safety, and regulatory requirements.
• Define and execute validation plans to verify system performance and functionality.
• Present concepts, results, and recommendations to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Mentor engineers and provide project-level technical leadership across teams.

Skills

Mechanism architecture

Vehicle integration

DFM & DFA

Root cause analysis

Technical risk assessment

Prototype development

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related discipline

Tools

CAD software

PDM systems

Engineering analysis tools

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Senior Mechanical Engineer to lead the design, development, integration, and validation of complex mechanical systems and vehicle platforms. This role is responsible for providing technical leadership across multidisciplinary engineering programs, supporting projects from concept development through prototype build, testing, and production implementation.

The successful candidate will bring strong mechanical engineering expertise, systems-level thinking, and a proven ability to guide technical decisions in a collaborative environment. This individual will work closely with customers, suppliers, manufacturing teams, and engineering disciplines to deliver innovative solutions while meeting performance, quality, cost, and schedule objectives.

This position is a senior technical role with responsibility for mentoring engineers and providing project-level technical leadership, but it does not include direct personnel management responsibilities.

Key Responsibilities

Mechanical Design & Product Development

• Lead the design and development of mechanical systems, assemblies, and components for advanced vehicle and product applications.
• Drive system-level engineering activities including requirements development, concept evaluation, detailed design, and validation.
• Oversee integration, assembly, and testing efforts for vehicle, subsystem, and component-level programs.
• Perform engineering analyses, trade studies, and design reviews to support informed technical decisions.
• Ensure designs meet performance, reliability, manufacturability, safety, and regulatory requirements.

Systems Integration & Validation

• Support prototype builds and system integration activities throughout the product development lifecycle.
• Define and execute validation plans to verify system performance and functionality.
• Analyze test results and implement corrective actions when required.
• Troubleshoot mechanical and system-level issues during development and testing.
• Evaluate the impact of design changes on overall system performance and program objectives.

Customer & Program Support

• Serve as a key technical liaison for customers, suppliers, and internal stakeholders.
• Present engineering concepts, design solutions, test results, and technical recommendations to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Participate in customer reviews, project meetings, and milestone assessments.
• Assess technical feedback and determine impacts to product design, cost, timing, and risk.
• Collaborate with program management to support project planning and successful execution.

Technical Leadership

• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to project engineers and cross-functional teams.
• Lead engineering reviews, design evaluations, and technical problem-solving activities.
• Promote engineering best practices and adherence to established development processes.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives focused on product quality, efficiency, and customer satisfaction.
• Contribute to the growth and development of engineering capabilities across the organization.
• Utilize CAD software, Product Data Management (PDM) systems, and engineering analysis tools throughout the development process.
• Develop and maintain technical documentation including engineering reports, specifications, design packages, and test plans.
• Support configuration management and engineering change control processes.
• Ensure compliance with company engineering standards and industry best practices.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related engineering field.
• 10+ years of professional mechanical engineering experience.
• Demonstrated success leading complex mechanical design and integration projects.
• Experience working at the vehicle, system, or subsystem level in a product development environment.
• Strong technical problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation communication abilities.
• Experience working directly with customers and multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Management, Business Administration, or a related discipline.
• Experience within automotive, defense, aerospace, off-highway, mobility, or other advanced engineering industries.
• Background supporting large-scale engineering programs or product development initiatives.
• Familiarity with Product Data Management (PDM) systems and engineering release processes.
• Experience using CAD modeling, simulation, and analysis software.
• Knowledge of vehicle systems integration and prototype development.
• Active U.S. Security Clearance is a plus.

Desired Skills & Expertise

• Mechanical system architecture and design
• Vehicle and subsystem integration
• Structural and mechanical analysis
• Prototype development and validation
• Design for Manufacturing (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA)
• Root cause analysis and corrective action development
• Technical risk assessment and mitigation