Senior Mechanical Engineer (Defense)

TL;DR

Senior Mechanical Engineer (Defense): Designing and prototyping autonomous maritime and airborne systems for the U.S. Navy with an accent on structural design, advanced manufacturing, and fluid dynamics. Focus on rapid design-build-test cycles, composite fabrication, and implementing MBSE frameworks.

Location: Hybrid in West Palm Beach, FL. Must provide proof of U.S. Citizenship or Permanent Residence (ITAR/EAR restrictions).

Compensation: Base pay, plus generous annual equity package and potential bonuses.

Company

hirify.global develops autonomous maritime and airborne systems in direct support of U.S. Navy and other defense programs.

What you will do

• Design mechanical systems and structures for military use, utilizing mechanics of materials and FEA to ensure safety factors.
• Manage rapid prototyping cycles using CNC mills, waterjets, 5-axis lasers, and composite fabrication (RTM, VaRTM).
• Perform fluid dynamics and thermodynamic analyses for propulsion and thermal management systems in maritime and airborne platforms.
• Plan and execute SIL/HIL test campaigns and deploy to field environments for military exercises and operational demonstrations.
• Apply MBSE frameworks to decompose operational requirements into system architectures and specifications.
• Coordinate across software, autonomy, and electrical teams to maintain design coherence and manage technical risks.

Requirements

• Educational threshold: Ph.D. with 5+ years, M.S. with 7-10 years, or B.S. with 10+ years of relevant experience in Mechanical Engineering.
• Mastery of stress analysis, fatigue, fracture, fluid dynamics, and heat transfer.
• Hands-on experience with CNC machining and fabricating composite structures.
• Proficiency in 3D CAD (SolidWorks, CATIA) and FEA tools (ANSYS, NASTRAN).
• Active U.S. Secret clearance or the ability to obtain one.
• Must be a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident for ITAR/EAR compliance.

Nice to have

• Experience with autonomous systems (USV, UUV, AUV, UAS).
• Proficiency with MBSE tools such as Cameo Systems Modeler.
• Active TS/SCI clearance.
• Experience with defense sensor payloads (sonar, radar, EO/IR).

Culture & Benefits

• Competitive base pay and potential bonuses.
• Generous annual equity package.
• Opportunity to work on cutting-edge autonomous defense technology.
• Collaboration within a multidisciplinary engineering team.