R&D Hardware Mechanical Engineering Scientist Full-time

R&D Hardware Mechanical Engineering Scientist

Contribute to research and development tasks and experimental sea-tests within the Environmental Sciences Laboratory's (ESL) at Applied Research Laboratories (ARL).

Responsibilities

• Design support of new and existing underwater acoustic systems and sensors. This includes scheduling, execution, calibration, characterization, testing, and data analysis.
• Manage, mentor, and develop junior staff.
• Deploy/recover subsea systems in field from offshore vessel / work boats and trouble shoot and repair equipment, as necessary.
• Assist with hardware procurement.
• Assist with fabrication facilities management, warehouse and shop organization, and coordinate maintenance and inventory of shop tools.
• Other related functions, as required.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Ocean Engineering.
• Three years of related work experience.
• Advanced proficiency with Computer Aided Design (CAD) software (e.g, Creo, Solidworks) and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) software packages (e.g., ANSYS, COMSOL) for the design and structural/modal analysis of components.
• Demonstrated experience creating detailed engineering drawings in accordance with industry standards (e.g., ASME Y14.5).
• Proven experience with programming for engineering computation, data analysis, or modeling using software such as MATLAB.
• Practical field-testing experience with mechanical hardware, including troubleshooting and validation in operational environments.

Applicant must be highly organized, have excellent attention to detail, and possess sound scientific judgment. The position will require effective management of their own time with the ability to plan, coordinate, and execute multiple tasks simultaneously. Ability to work independently with sensitive and confidential information, maintain a professional demeanor, and effectively communicate with all groups of clients. Regular and punctual attendance in the workplace is required.

US Citizen. Applicant selected will be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information at the level appropriate to the project requirements of the position.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in Mechanical or Ocean Engineering
• Six years of experience focused on the design and construction of prototype hardware in commercial or research settings, with significant emphasis on sensor integration, structural integrity, materials selection, and system performance.
• Direct experience working on a vessel for the successful deployment and recovery of oceanographic equipment.
• Working knowledge of underwater acoustics, including propagation physics, noise sources, modeling and simulation, the SONAR equation, underwater transducers, and acoustic measurement techniques.
• Demonstrated technical knowledge of common manufacturing and fabrication processes and how they influence design decisions.
• Demonstrated excellent interpersonal communication skills.
• Cumulative GPA of 3.0 with 3.2 in core engineering courses.

Salary Range

$104,000-$174,000+/negotiable depending on qualifications

Working Conditions

• Standard office conditions
• Periodic offshore work on ships
• Repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation
• Use of manual dexterity
• Some weekend, evening and holiday work
• Intrastate/interstate/international travel
• Use of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)
• Will work outdoors, indoors and over water

Required Materials

• Resume/CV
• 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor
• Letter of interest
• Unofficial college transcripts