Job Title: Mechanical EngineerJob Description
This role offers the opportunity to contribute to a high-visibility defense program by providing mechanical design, analysis, and documentation support in a secure, collaborative engineering environment. The Mechanical Engineer will develop and review 3D models and 2D drawings, evaluate components and vendor documentation for compliance, and apply relevant military and industry standards to ensure robust, reliable hardware. The position requires an active final Secret clearance, the ability to work full time in an on-site closed-area setting, and occasional travel to support program needs.
Responsibilities
Design mechanical components and assemblies using a 3D CAD package such as SolidWorks, Creo, or NX, producing robust, manufacturable designs that meet program requirements.
Create, update, and review 2D mechanical drawings in accordance with applicable engineering drawing and geometric dimensioning and tolerancing standards.
Evaluate commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) and military parts to verify compliance with program specifications and performance requirements.
Review and assess vendor documentation, including specifications and datasheets, to ensure that supplied parts and assemblies meet technical and quality requirements.
Utilize engineering Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems such as Teamcenter to manage configurations, revisions, and documentation throughout the product life cycle.
Use Material Requirements Planning (MRP) systems such as SAP to support material planning, part tracking, and integration with engineering activities.
Apply relevant industry and military standards in the design and evaluation of hardware, including environmental, human factors, and electromagnetic compatibility standards.
Contribute to structural design activities and support impact assessments to ensure mechanical integrity and performance under expected loads and environments.
Support Agile or Kanban workflows by participating in planning, stand-ups, and reviews using tools such as Jira, ensuring timely and transparent progress on engineering tasks.
Collaborate closely with cross-functional engineering teams in an on-site, closed-area environment to resolve technical issues and refine designs.
Support the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) Weapon System program by applying familiarity with GMD domain concepts and GMD Launch Support Systems hardware.
Incorporate Missile Defense Agency (MDA) core standards into engineering work products, including quality and engineering process requirements.
Travel at least 10% of the time, as needed, to support meetings, design reviews, testing, or coordination at other facilities.
Essential Skills
Active final U.S. Department of Defense Secret security clearance.
U.S. citizenship.
Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering and at least 2 years of related experience, or a Master's degree in a STEM discipline and at least 1 year of related experience, or a PhD with related academic or project experience.
Ability to work full time in an in-office, closed-area work environment.
Ability to travel at least 10% of the time.
Recent mechanical design experience (approximately 2 years) using a 3D CAD package such as SolidWorks, Creo, or NX.
Experience drafting and reviewing 2D mechanical drawings in accordance with recognized engineering and geometric dimensioning and tolerancing standards.
Prior experience with engineering Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems such as Teamcenter.
Experience with Material Requirements Planning (MRP) systems such as SAP.
Experience evaluating vendor documents, including specifications and datasheets, to ensure that components meet technical and program requirements.
Familiarity with key military and industry standards relevant to environmental qualification, human factors, mechanical design, and electromagnetic compatibility.
Understanding and application of industry engineering technical standards, with demonstrated experience in structural design and impact assessments.
Additional Skills & Qualifications
Degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering is particularly relevant for this role.
Experience working within Agile or Kanban development frameworks, including use of tools such as Jira for task and workflow management.
Familiarity with Missile Defense Agency (MDA) core standards, including MDA-QS-001-MAP, MDA-QS-003-PMAP, and MDA Instruction 5000.20-INS (ETR Process).
Familiarity with the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) domain and GMD Launch Support Systems hardware.
Experience supporting missile defense or other complex defense systems programs.
Strong attention to detail in design, documentation, and compliance verification.
Effective communication skills, with the ability to clearly document and present technical information to multidisciplinary teams.
Demonstrated enthusiasm for working in a fast-paced environment and adapting to evolving program needs.
Work Environment
This position is based on site at a customer facility in a brand-new building located just outside a major installation gate. The work is performed in an on-site, collaborative engineering office setting, including closed-area spaces that support secure program activities. Team members work closely with other engineers and stakeholders in a highly interactive environment that emphasizes real-time problem solving and design collaboration. The role supports a critical missile defense program, offering exposure to advanced defense technologies, structured engineering processes, and modern digital tools such as 3D CAD, PLM, MRP, and Agile workflow platforms. The schedule is primarily standard business hours on site, with occasional travel of at least 10% to support program reviews, coordination, or testing at other locations.
Job Type & Location
This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Huntsville, AL.
Pay and Benefits
The pay range for this position is $55.00 - $62.00/hr.
Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: - Medical, dental & vision - Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital - 401(k) Retirement Plan - Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available - Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) - Short and long-term disability - Health Spending Account (HSA) - Transportation benefits - Employee Assistance Program - Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)
Workplace Type
This is a fully onsite position in Huntsville,AL.
Application Deadline
This position is anticipated to close on May 31, 2026.
About Actalent
Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 30,000 consultants and more than 4,500 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500.
The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.
If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.
San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.
