Subsea Mechanical Engineer - Undersea Systems

SCIENTIFIC APPLICATIONS & RESEARCH ASSOCIATES, INC. (SARA); Colorado Springs (CO); On-site; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision, disability &

Discretionary bonuses

401(k) match/profit sharing

Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)

Job summary

Scientific Applications & Research Associates, Inc. (SARA) in Colorado Springs seeks a Mechanical Engineer - Undersea Systems to design and analyze deep-submergence systems for DoD and DoE programs.

You will develop pressure housings, assemblies, and subsea components, ensuring manufacturability and reliability under high-pressure seawater conditions. The role requires hands-on design, FEA verification, and cross-functional collaboration with manufacturing, test, and supplier teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering.
• 5–8 years of demonstrated experience designing mechanical components for subsea applications.
• Advanced skills in SolidWorks 3D modeling or similar 3D CAD software (Creo).
• Experience designing mechanical systems for underwater, subsea, marine, or other high-pressure environments.
• Strong understanding of pressure-vessel and external-pressure design principles.
• Experience with FEA, structural analysis, fatigue, and buckling analysis.
• Experience selecting materials for high-pressure seawater and corrosive environments.
• Experience taking designs from concept through prototype, testing, qualification, and production.
• Ability to independently take ownership of a design task from initial requirements through final implementation.

Responsibilities

• Design mechanical systems and components for deep-submergence applications to depths of 5000 ft.
• Perform mechanical design and analysis of pressure housings, connectors, enclosures, structural components, mechanisms, and subsea assemblies.
• Calculate and evaluate hydrostatic pressure, external-pressure loading, buckling, stress, fatigue, and structural margins.
• Select materials, seals, fasteners, coatings, and components suitable for high-pressure seawater environments.
• Develop designs that address water intrusion, corrosion, sealing, and pressure cycling.
• Perform engineering calculations and use FEA to validate designs.
• Design for manufacturability, assembly, inspection, testing, and field serviceability.
• Work with manufacturing, electrical, technicians, suppliers, and test personnel to develop and qualify hardware.
• Support prototype fabrication, pressure testing, environmental testing, and design modifications.
• Analyze test results and failure data and implement design improvements.

Skills

SolidWorks/Creo

FEA analysis

Subsea design

Problem solving

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Creo 3D CAD

SolidWorks

Job description

Scientific Applications & Research Associates, Inc. (SARA) in Colorado Springs seeks a Mechanical Engineer - Undersea Systems to design and analyze deep-submergence systems for DoD and DoE programs.

You will develop pressure housings, assemblies, and subsea components, ensuring manufacturability and reliability under high-pressure seawater conditions. The role requires hands-on design, FEA verification, and cross-functional collaboration with manufacturing, test, and supplier teams.