Staff Mechanical Engineer

Applied Research Associates, Inc; Arlington (VA); Hybrid; USD 105,000 - 123,000; Full time

Job summary

Applied Research Associates, Inc. is seeking a Staff Mechanical Engineer to support the design of equipment, tooling, and interfaces for energetic material manufacturing systems and unmanned systems for U.S. Government customers.

The candidate will be an expert in SolidWorks and AutoCAD, delivering release-quality drawings for manufacturing and assembly. The role requires applying GD&T per ASME Y14.5, performing FEA validation, and managing CAD data in a PDM system, with travel between

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering.
• 5+ years of relevant mechanical design experience.
• Proficiency in SolidWorks and AutoCAD.
• Strong GD&T knowledge (ASME Y14.5).
• Experience with FEA/simulation tools.
• Experience using a PDM system for CAD data management.
• U.S. Citizenship and ability to obtain security clearance.
• Willingness to travel between Arlington, VA and Indian Head, MD.

Responsibilities

• Design mechanical equipment, components, and interfaces for manufacturing systems and unmanned hardware.
• Develop 3D models/assemblies in SolidWorks; produce 2D drawings in AutoCAD.
• Create manufacturing-ready drawing packages with GD&T per ASME Y14.5.
• Perform structural/mechanical analysis to validate strength and loading.
• Manage CAD data and revisions in a PDM system.
• Coordinate with chemical/process engineers and DoD facility standards.
• Support design reviews and site visits with government customers at Indian Head, MD.
• Consider hazard classification and explosive safety in energetic material design.
• Provide informal mentorship on design practices and drafting standards.

Skills

SolidWorks

AutoCAD

GD&T

Mentorship

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering

PhD in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

PDM/Vault

FEA tools

Job description

ARA is seeking a Staff 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.The salary range is between $105K - $123K. This is a hybrid position with occasional travel to Arlington, VA and Indian Head, MD (15% travel).

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.
• 5+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 3-5 years of relevant mechanical design experience.
• PhD in Mechanical Engineering with 0-2 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.

Company & Division Information

Applied Research Associates, Inc. is an employee-owned international research and engineering company recognized for providing technically superior solutions to complex and challenging problems in the physical sciences. The company, founded in Albuquerque, NM, in 1979, currently employs over 2,240 professionals and continues to grow. ARA offices throughout the United States and Canada provide a broad range of technical expertise in defense technologies, civil technologies, computer software and simulation, systems analysis, environmental technologies, and testing and measurement. The corporation also provides sophisticated technical products for environmental site characterization, pavement analysis, and robotics.

At ARA, employees are our greatest assets. The corporation realizes that employee ownership spawns greater creativity and initiative along with higher performance and customer satisfaction levels. ARA gives employees the tools, training, and opportunities to take more active roles as owners. The culture is challenging and innovation and experimentation are the norm. Employees are eligible for contributions which not only add to the company’s success, but also their own through the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). The motto, “Engineering and Science for Fun and Profit” sums up the ARA experience. We invite you to visit ourwebsite to learn more aboutwho we are,whatt we do, the excellentcareersandbenefits we offer and explore someofourfeatured offices.

ExperienceRequired

• 5 - 7 years: Relevant mechanical design experience with a Bachelors.

Preferred

• Less than 2 year(s): Relevant mechanical design experience with PhD.
• 3 - 5 years: Relevant mechanical design experience with a Masters.

EducationRequired

• Bachelor of Science or better in Mechanical Engineering or related field

Preferred

• Doctor of Philosophy or better in Mechanical Engineering or related field
• Master of Science or better in Mechanical Engineering or related field

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
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.

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