Senior Specialist, Mechanical Engineer

About the job

Job Title: Senior Specialist, Mechanical Engineer

Job Code: 46014

Job Location: Clifton, NJ

Job Schedule: 9/80: Employees work 9 out of every 14 days – totaling 80 hours worked – and have every other Friday off

Job Description:

We are seeking a motivated, driven, and analytically minded Senior Specialist, Mechanical Engineer to join a dynamic program team focused on the mechanical architecture, design, development, and qualification of high-reliability spaceflight electronics. This role centers on complex subsystems including spaceborne avionics, satellite RF modules, power distribution units, and radiation-shielded microelectronics. The ideal candidate will take ownership of flight-qualified electronic enclosures, ensuring total mission success and survivability against extreme launch vehicle vibration/pyroshock, electromagnetic interference (EMI), and hardware thermal constraints.

Key responsibilities include technical execution across the full product lifecycle, encompassing requirements definition, electrical-mechanical space trade studies, radiation-mitigation packaging, material selection (vacuum compatibility/outgassing), design documentation, and rigorous space environments testing. The successful candidate will bring strong hands-on experience in 3D CAD modeling, high-density space-grade PCBA packaging, and the capability to perform highly focused Electronic Packaging (EP) thermal and structural simulations to validate ruggedized hardware. A willingness to work in a laboratory or factory floor environment, interface with manufacturing engineers, and engage directly with spaceflight hardware is essential.

Essential Functions:

• Task Ownership: Ability and desire to take full ownership of space-grade electronic packaging tasking while working with general supervision across a variety of high-consequence, mission-critical program activities.

• Stakeholder Communication: Provide clear communication and technical updates, both formally and informally, to internal program leadership, engineering teams, and external aerospace customers or agency representatives (e.g., NASA, Space Force).

• Technical Data Packages: Generation of complete Technical Data Package (TDP) components, including detailed part drawings, space-grade PCBA mechanical outlines, tolerance stack-ups, and flight assembly drawings.

• Prototyping & Cleanroom Integration: Support prototyping, cleanroom integration, and testing of flight-qualified electronic enclosures, internal wire/harness networks, and advanced thermal management components.

• Space Environments Testing: Support and execute rigorous environment test plans for space subsystems (e.g., Thermal Vacuum (TVAC), random vibration, pyroshock, and EMI/EMC shielding compliance to space-industry standards).

• Hardware Evaluation: Perform laboratory testing, diagnostic data collection, and flight-readiness evaluation of component parts, flight connectors, and integrated systems.

• Design Milestones: Participate in and prepare technical materials for peer reviews, Preliminary Design Reviews (PDR), and Critical Design Reviews (CDR).

• Cross-Disciplinary Alignment: Coordinate tightly with Electrical, Radiation, and Manufacturing Engineers on component placement, keep-out zones, radiation shielding thickness, component thermal dissipation paths, and signal integrity constraints.

• Team Collaboration: Provide technical guidance to Designers, Cleanroom Technicians, and Operators as part of a flight hardware design and assembly team.

• Active US Secret Security clearance.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree and minimum 6 years of prior relevant experience. Graduate Degree and a minimum of 4 years of prior related experience. In lieu of a degree, minimum of 10 years of prior related experience.

Preferred Additional Skills:

• EP Thermal Analysis: Experience performing steady-state and transient electronic component and board-level thermal modeling (conduction paths through multi-layer boards, thermal via dissipation, and component junction temperature predictions).

• Structural & Dynamics Analysis: Capability to perform linear structural, high-g random vibration, and acoustic/pyroshock analysis using finite element models to ensure physical reliability during harsh rocket launch conditions.

• Simulation Infrastructure: Hands-on experience or working familiarity with CAD-integrated or specialized electronic packaging solvers, specifically Creo Simulate, Solaria / SolariaPCB, or Ansys Mechanical.

• Aerospace Electronics Manufacturing: Practical experience or strong technical knowledge of high-reliability manufacturing assembly lines. This includes Surface Mount Technology (SMT) reflow ovens, automated optical inspection, hand-soldering criteria, and strict adherence to space-grade soldering standards.

• J-STD & IPC Standards: Strong understanding or application knowledge of IPC-A-610 Class 3 and IPC/EIA J-STD-001 (including the J-STD-001 Space Addendum) requirements for soldered electrical and electronic assemblies.

• MIL-STD-810 Understanding: Familiarity and working understanding of MIL-STD-810 environmental engineering considerations and laboratory tests (specifically tailored for temperature, shock, vibration, acceleration, and low pressure/vacuum simulation).

• Process Metallurgy & Chemistry: Understanding the manufacturing nuances of electronic materials, such as solder joint fatigue validation (due to thermal cycling/vibration stress), underfill/staking applications, and conformal coating/potting processing to mitigate tin whiskers and withstand vacuum outgassing.

• Space Subsystem Architecture: Experience in the design, development, and packaging of space-qualified modules, power supplies, RF assemblies, and high-density PCBAs using space-grade components (EEE parts).

• SWaP-C Optimization: Proven track record of designing space enclosures heavily restricted by Size, Weight, Power, and Cost (SWaP-C) constraints.

• Space Materials Knowledge: Deep understanding of space-compatible material choices, focusing on low-outgassing requirements (per NASA SP-R-0022A / ASTM E595), thermal interface materials (TIMs), and galvanic corrosion prevention.

• CAD & Tolerancing: High proficiency in CAD tools such as Creo Parametric and an expert working understanding of ASME Y14.5 Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) standards.

• Specialized Space Integration: Experience with flight connector selection, ruggedized space-grade cable harness design, EMI/EMC shielding techniques, and venting designs for decompression.

• Manufacturing Frameworks: Applied Design for Manufacturability, Assembly, and Test (DFM/DFMA/DFMT) experience regarding high-reliability, zero-defect spaceflight electronics.

• Material Fabrication: Knowledge of machined chassis design, sheet metal enclosures, and additive manufacturing technologies validated for space environments.

In compliance with pay transparency requirements, the salary range for this role in Clifton is $102,000.00 - $189,000.00. This is not a guarantee of compensation or salary, as final offer amount may vary based on factors including but not limited to experience and geographic location. L3Harris also offers a variety of benefits, including health and disability insurance, 401(k) match, flexible spending accounts, EAP, education assistance, parental leave, paid time off, and company-paid holidays. The specific programs and options available to an employee may vary depending on date of hire, schedule type, and the applicability of collective bargaining agreements.

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