TS
Senior Design Engineer- Tactical Armored Vehicles
Accepting applicationsTalent Search Group, Inc · Charlotte Metro
Full-Time Mid_senior ArmMentoraiarmate
Posted
1d ago
Category
Test
Experience
Mid_senior
Country
N/A
Position Summary
The Senior Design Engineer leads the mechanical design, integration, and release of armored vehicle structures, chassis systems, crew-survivability features, and mission equipment from early concept through prototype, validation, production launch, and post-release engineering support. This role is intended for a senior-level engineer with deep experience in armored chassis, survivability-driven packaging, and system-level mechanical integration in a defense manufacturing environment.
Core responsibilities
Mission-critical responsibilities:
- Lead full product lifecycle execution for tactical armored vehicle hardware, from concept studies and trade analyses through detailed design, prototype build, verification, production release, and continuous improvement in manufacturing.
- Own 3D CAD models, assemblies, layouts, and 2D manufacturing drawings for hull structures, chassis components, crew-protection features, brackets, mounts, enclosures, and integrated subsystems using SolidWorks.
- Perform tolerance stack-up analysis and apply GD&T in accordance with ASME Y14.5 or company standards to ensure interchangeability, manufacturability, and reliable vehicle-level fit-up across welded, machined, and fabricated assemblies.
- Develop and maintain engineering bills of material and part structures in PDM system, ensuring accurate configuration control from prototype through production.
- Drive and document engineering changes through ECR/ECO/ECN workflows, including root-cause assessment, impact analysis, drawing/model updates, disposition of affected parts, and implementation tracking with manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and program teams.
- Lead mechanical integration of armor packages, spall liners, blast-mitigation features, suspension interfaces, powertrain packaging, cooling hardware, crew equipment, and mission systems while managing weight, serviceability, and performance tradeoffs.
- Support prototype builds, design verification, failure analysis, troubleshooting, and validation testing for structural, environmental, mobility, and survivability requirements.
- Present design maturity, technical risks, and release status in peer reviews, design reviews, and cross-functional program meetings.
Additional leadership responsibilities:
- Mentor mid-level and junior engineers in design practices, release discipline, problem solving, and effective collaboration with manufacturing and test teams.
- Establish technical approaches for cost, manufacturability, and lifecycle support, including obsolescence review, supplier coordination, and replacement-part strategy.
- Coordinate schedules, engineering deliverables, and risk-burndown activities to support program milestones, customer reviews, and production readiness.
Required qualification:
Education and experience
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field; Master’s degree preferred.
- 10+ years of mechanical design experience, with significant experience in defense, armored vehicle, combat vehicle, military mobility, or closely related heavy vehicle programs.
- Demonstrated experience taking hardware from concept through prototype, qualification, and production in a regulated or mission-critical environment.
Defense-industry technical skills
- Expert-level proficiency in SolidWorks for complex assemblies, drawing creation, and engineering release.
- Strong working knowledge of GD&T, tolerance analysis, stack-up methods, and design-for-manufacture/design-for-assembly principles.
- Experience with armored chassis or hull structures, welded/fabricated vehicle assemblies, and system-level packaging of mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, and cooling interfaces.
- Experience integrating ballistic protection solutions such as armor modules, attachment schemes, and spall-liner provisions into vehicle architectures from the design phase.
- Solid understanding of materials and processes relevant to defense vehicle design, such as armor steels, aluminum structures, composites, weldments, machined parts, elastomers, and sheet metal.
- Experience managing BOMs and configuration data in PDM environments and executing formal ECR/ECO change control.
- Hands-on experience with prototype builds, troubleshooting, test support, root-cause analysis, and release corrections in production environments.
Preferred qualifications:
- Prior experience with tactical wheeled or tracked vehicles, MRAPs, armored support vehicles, or protected mobility systems.
- Familiarity with military vehicle procurement, DoD development processes, and customer technical reviews.
- Knowledge of subsystem integration considerations involving crew ergonomics, maintainability, survivability, thermal management, and harsh-environment durability.
- Experience with tolerance-analysis tools integrated with CAD platforms.
Soft skills
- Strong cross-functional collaboration skills with manufacturing, quality, supply chain, program management, test, field service, and suppliers in an integrated product team environment.
- Excellent project scheduling and execution discipline, with the ability to manage multiple workstreams, communicate blockers early, and maintain progress against program milestones.
- Technical leadership presence, including the ability to guide design reviews, mentor engineers, explain complex design issues clearly, and influence decisions across disciplines.
- High ownership, sound engineering judgment, and a practical approach to balancing analysis with build-and-test execution in mission-critical programs.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills for specifications, technical reports, change documentation, and customer-facing discussions.
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The Senior Design Engineer leads the mechanical design, integration, and release of armored vehicle structures, chassis systems, crew-survivability features, and mission equipment from early concept through prototype, validation, production launch, and post-release engineering support. This role is intended for a senior-level engineer with deep experience in armored chassis, survivability-driven packaging, and system-level mechanical integration in a defense manufacturing environment.
Core responsibilities
Mission-critical responsibilities:
- Lead full product lifecycle execution for tactical armored vehicle hardware, from concept studies and trade analyses through detailed design, prototype build, verification, production release, and continuous improvement in manufacturing.
- Own 3D CAD models, assemblies, layouts, and 2D manufacturing drawings for hull structures, chassis components, crew-protection features, brackets, mounts, enclosures, and integrated subsystems using SolidWorks.
- Perform tolerance stack-up analysis and apply GD&T in accordance with ASME Y14.5 or company standards to ensure interchangeability, manufacturability, and reliable vehicle-level fit-up across welded, machined, and fabricated assemblies.
- Develop and maintain engineering bills of material and part structures in PDM system, ensuring accurate configuration control from prototype through production.
- Drive and document engineering changes through ECR/ECO/ECN workflows, including root-cause assessment, impact analysis, drawing/model updates, disposition of affected parts, and implementation tracking with manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and program teams.
- Lead mechanical integration of armor packages, spall liners, blast-mitigation features, suspension interfaces, powertrain packaging, cooling hardware, crew equipment, and mission systems while managing weight, serviceability, and performance tradeoffs.
- Support prototype builds, design verification, failure analysis, troubleshooting, and validation testing for structural, environmental, mobility, and survivability requirements.
- Present design maturity, technical risks, and release status in peer reviews, design reviews, and cross-functional program meetings.
Additional leadership responsibilities:
- Mentor mid-level and junior engineers in design practices, release discipline, problem solving, and effective collaboration with manufacturing and test teams.
- Establish technical approaches for cost, manufacturability, and lifecycle support, including obsolescence review, supplier coordination, and replacement-part strategy.
- Coordinate schedules, engineering deliverables, and risk-burndown activities to support program milestones, customer reviews, and production readiness.
Required qualification:
Education and experience
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field; Master’s degree preferred.
- 10+ years of mechanical design experience, with significant experience in defense, armored vehicle, combat vehicle, military mobility, or closely related heavy vehicle programs.
- Demonstrated experience taking hardware from concept through prototype, qualification, and production in a regulated or mission-critical environment.
Defense-industry technical skills
- Expert-level proficiency in SolidWorks for complex assemblies, drawing creation, and engineering release.
- Strong working knowledge of GD&T, tolerance analysis, stack-up methods, and design-for-manufacture/design-for-assembly principles.
- Experience with armored chassis or hull structures, welded/fabricated vehicle assemblies, and system-level packaging of mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, and cooling interfaces.
- Experience integrating ballistic protection solutions such as armor modules, attachment schemes, and spall-liner provisions into vehicle architectures from the design phase.
- Solid understanding of materials and processes relevant to defense vehicle design, such as armor steels, aluminum structures, composites, weldments, machined parts, elastomers, and sheet metal.
- Experience managing BOMs and configuration data in PDM environments and executing formal ECR/ECO change control.
- Hands-on experience with prototype builds, troubleshooting, test support, root-cause analysis, and release corrections in production environments.
Preferred qualifications:
- Prior experience with tactical wheeled or tracked vehicles, MRAPs, armored support vehicles, or protected mobility systems.
- Familiarity with military vehicle procurement, DoD development processes, and customer technical reviews.
- Knowledge of subsystem integration considerations involving crew ergonomics, maintainability, survivability, thermal management, and harsh-environment durability.
- Experience with tolerance-analysis tools integrated with CAD platforms.
Soft skills
- Strong cross-functional collaboration skills with manufacturing, quality, supply chain, program management, test, field service, and suppliers in an integrated product team environment.
- Excellent project scheduling and execution discipline, with the ability to manage multiple workstreams, communicate blockers early, and maintain progress against program milestones.
- Technical leadership presence, including the ability to guide design reviews, mentor engineers, explain complex design issues clearly, and influence decisions across disciplines.
- High ownership, sound engineering judgment, and a practical approach to balancing analysis with build-and-test execution in mission-critical programs.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills for specifications, technical reports, change documentation, and customer-facing discussions.
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