Staff Mechanical Design Engineer Jobs
Staff Mechanical Design Engineer jobs are open across aerospace, defense, industrial equipment, medical devices, and consumer products, with specializations in CAD design, product development, and systems integration, from mid-level to principal and lead. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 27+ Staff Mechanical Design Engineer jobs
Description
At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work — and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history.Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems has an opening for a Staff Mechanical Design Engineer to join our team of qualified individuals. Position is located in Melbourne, FL.
Exciting position offers the opportunity to directly contribute to the research, design, analysis, manufacture, and testing associated with aircraft Support Equipment. Come in from the beginning where the design and framework are being developed from the ground up!
Key Responsibilities:
- Mechanical design of test, measurement, and handling equipment used on military aircraft.
- Gathering of data, requirements development, interfacing with suppliers, and performing basic stress and tolerance analysis
- Acting as manufacturing liaison during build process of your project to ensure overall quality, delivery, and cost objectives are achieved
- research and/or product development in more than one engineering discipline
- Development of test plans and performing environmental testing of Support Equipment
- Testing and integration of manufactured Support Equipment on aircraft
- Basic knowledge of design and analysis tools for mechanical design as well as basic drafting skills to include a working knowledge of solid modeling techniques (NX, Pro Engineer, or Catia).
- Candidate must also be willing to occasionally travel to various site locations to demonstrate the function of the designed Support Equipment.
- Thrive in a fast-paced work environment with high expectations, significantly diverse assignments, collaborative/team settings across all levels.
Basic Qualifications:
- Bachelor's Degree in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) with 12 years of military and/or professional experience; Master's Degree with 10 years of experience; PhD with 8 years experience.
- Experience in the design of mechanical and/or electro-mechanical subsystems
- Experience using CAD software in generating detailed engineering drawings used for manufacturing of mechanical and/or electrical assemblies
- Ability to obtain a USG Secret clearance or higher security clearance
- Experience developing manufacturing drawings to GD&T standards
Preferred Qualifications:
- Current, active in-scope USG Secret or higher security clearance
- Ability to obtain additional Special Access Program (SAP) access
- Experience using FEA software in performance of stress analysis of mechanical and/or electrical assemblies to include static and dynamic analysis to MIL-STD-810 requirements
- FAA A&P Certificate or equivalent aircraft maintenance background
Description
At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work — and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history.Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems has an opening for a Staff Mechanical Design Engineer to join our team of qualified individuals. Position is located in Melbourne, FL.
Exciting position offers the opportunity to directly contribute to the research, design, analysis, manufacture, and testing associated with aircraft Support Equipment. Come in from the beginning where the design and framework are being developed from the ground up!
Key Responsibilities:
- Mechanical design of test, measurement, and handling equipment used on military aircraft.
- Gathering of data, requirements development, interfacing with suppliers, and performing basic stress and tolerance analysis
- Acting as manufacturing liaison during build process of your project to ensure overall quality, delivery, and cost objectives are achieved
- research and/or product development in more than one engineering discipline
- Development of test plans and performing environmental testing of Support Equipment
- Testing and integration of manufactured Support Equipment on aircraft
- Basic knowledge of design and analysis tools for mechanical design as well as basic drafting skills to include a working knowledge of solid modeling techniques (NX, Pro Engineer, or Catia).
- Candidate must also be willing to occasionally travel to various site locations to demonstrate the function of the designed Support Equipment.
- Thrive in a fast-paced work environment with high expectations, significantly diverse assignments, collaborative/team settings across all levels.
Basic Qualifications:
- Bachelor's Degree in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) with 12 years of military and/or professional experience; Master's Degree with 10 years of experience; PhD with 8 years experience.
- Experience in the design of mechanical and/or electro-mechanical subsystems
- Experience using CAD software in generating detailed engineering drawings used for manufacturing of mechanical and/or electrical assemblies
- Ability to obtain a USG Secret clearance or higher security clearance
- Experience developing manufacturing drawings to GD&T standards
Preferred Qualifications:
- Current, active in-scope USG Secret or higher security clearance
- Ability to obtain additional Special Access Program (SAP) access
- Experience using FEA software in performance of stress analysis of mechanical and/or electrical assemblies to include static and dynamic analysis to MIL-STD-810 requirements
- FAA A&P Certificate or equivalent aircraft maintenance background
Staff Mechanical Design Engineer Jobs by Experience Level
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Find JobsStaff Mechanical Design Engineer Job Market
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Manufacturing
- Electronics & Hardware
- Automotive
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in staff mechanical design engineer jobs.
- Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or a closely related engineering discipline
- Proficiency in 3D CAD software such as SolidWorks, CREO, NX, or CATIA
- Experience applying GD&T principles in component and assembly design
- 5 or more years of hands-on mechanical design and product development experience
- Familiarity with FEA tools and design validation methods including simulation and physical testing
- Professional Engineer license or active progress toward PE certification preferred
Tips for Your Staff Mechanical Design Engineer Job Search
Tailor your CAD software stack upfront
Hiring managers scan resumes for specific tools before reading anything else. List every CAD and PLM platform you've used, including SolidWorks, CREO, NX, or CATIA, and note the version and project context so recruiters can match you to openings instantly.
Quantify design outcomes on each project
Vague descriptions of past designs lose hiring managers fast. Replace phrases like 'contributed to product development' with specific results: weight reductions, tolerance improvements, or cycle-time cuts. Numbers give reviewers a concrete reason to move your application forward.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists staff mechanical design engineer openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Filter openings by industry domain carefully
Staff-level roles in aerospace carry different GD&T and documentation expectations than those in consumer electronics. Target postings that match your specific domain experience first, since interviewers almost always probe domain-specific design decisions in technical screens.
Prepare a design walkthrough for interviews
Most technical interviews for this role include a whiteboard or portfolio review where you explain design tradeoffs on a past project. Practice narrating your decision-making process, covering load analysis, material selection, and manufacturing constraints, out loud before you get to that stage.
Negotiate scope alongside compensation
At the staff level, design ownership and cross-functional leadership responsibility vary widely between companies. Before accepting an offer, clarify which subsystems you'll own, whether you'll mentor junior engineers, and how much influence you have over component sourcing decisions.
Staff Mechanical Design Engineer Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most staff mechanical design engineers?
Tesla, Northrop Grumman, and Lockheed Martin are hiring the most staff mechanical design engineers right now, with openings concentrated in California, Florida, and Texas, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Demand tends to be strongest in aerospace, defense, and medical device manufacturing sectors.
How many staff mechanical design engineer jobs are remote?
About 43% of staff mechanical design engineer openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting the hands-on nature of most design roles. Remote arrangements are most common in software-integrated product development and roles focused on CAD modeling or technical documentation rather than lab or manufacturing-floor work.
How do you become a staff mechanical design engineer?
Start with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, then build several years of experience in component or system design, progressively taking ownership of more complex assemblies. Develop proficiency in at least one major CAD platform and earn exposure to GD&T, materials selection, and design for manufacturability. A PE license strengthens your candidacy for senior roles in regulated industries like aerospace or medical devices.
Can you get hired as a staff mechanical design engineer with limited experience?
Moving directly into a staff-level role with limited experience is difficult, since most postings require several years of demonstrated design ownership. The clearest path is to target associate or mid-level mechanical design roles first, build a portfolio of projects where you led design decisions, and transition to staff-level openings once you can show measurable outcomes across the full design cycle.
What does the staff mechanical design engineer interview process look like?
The process typically starts with a recruiter screen followed by a technical phone interview focused on design fundamentals, GD&T, and CAD experience. A take-home design exercise or on-site technical assessment often comes next, where you work through a real design problem or walk through a past project. Final rounds usually include a panel with cross-functional stakeholders covering design decisions, tradeoffs, and collaboration style.
Where can I find and apply to staff mechanical design engineer jobs?
You can find and apply to staff mechanical design engineer jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from employers across the United States. Search the listings to find roles that match your experience and domain background, then apply directly to each one that fits.
See All 27 Staff Mechanical Design Engineer Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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