Mechanical Design Engineer

About the role

This role focuses on the design and development of opto-mechanical and precision mechanical assemblies that support advanced imaging instruments for commercial aerospace and spaceflight programs. The Mechanical Design Engineer uses Siemens NX to create detailed models and drawings, applies GD&T, and supports hardware through fabrication, integration, and testing.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop precision mechanical components and assemblies, with a focus on opto-mechanical systems and imaging instruments for aerospace and space applications.
• Create detailed 3D models using Siemens NX and generate complete mechanical drawings that meet project and industry standards.
• Apply geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) to ensure accurate, manufacturable, and inspectable designs.
• Support hardware through the full lifecycle, including concept development, detailed design, fabrication, integration, and testing.
• Collaborate with cross-functional engineering teams to develop optical instruments, imaging systems, and precision mechanical assemblies.
• Perform or support structural analysis using hand calculations and/or finite element analysis (FEA) to validate mechanical designs.
• Participate in integration and test activities for mechanical and opto-mechanical hardware, ensuring performance and reliability requirements are met.
• Contribute to new product development efforts for aerospace, defense, spaceflight, and commercial aerospace programs.
• Work closely with manufacturing and test teams to resolve design issues, improve build processes, and ensure successful hardware delivery.
• Document design decisions, analysis results, and test outcomes, maintaining clear and accurate engineering records.
• Support continuous improvement of design practices, tools, and standards within the engineering team.
• Engage in a culture of innovation, integrity, safety, accountability, and technical excellence while delivering customer-focused engineering solutions.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
• Hands-on experience using Siemens NX for mechanical design, 3D modeling, and drawing generation.
• Strong understanding of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) and its application to mechanical drawings.
• Proven experience designing precision mechanical components and assemblies from concept through fabrication and test.
• Working knowledge of structural analysis, including hand calculations and/or finite element analysis (FEA).
• Mechanical design engineering experience with precision components or assemblies.
• Ability to create clear, accurate mechanical drawings suitable for manufacturing and inspection.
• Strong mechanical engineering fundamentals, including materials, tolerances, and manufacturability considerations.
• Experience in aerospace, defense, commercial aerospace, or space industry environments.
• Experience in opto-mechanical systems, optical instruments, sensors, or imaging hardware.
• Familiarity with integration and test activities for mechanical and opto-mechanical hardware.
• Exposure to optical design tools such as Zemax or FRED.
• Understanding of optical engineering, optical design, or optoelectronics concepts.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, growing organization with increasing project demands.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills to work within a multidisciplinary engineering team.

Qualifications

• Experience in aerospace, defense, commercial aerospace, or space industry environments.
• Experience in opto-mechanical systems, optical instruments, sensors, or imaging hardware.
• Familiarity with integration and test activities for mechanical and opto-mechanical hardware.
• Exposure to optical design tools such as Zemax or FRED.
• Understanding of optical engineering, optical design, or optoelectronics concepts.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, growing organization with increasing project demands.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills to work within a multidisciplinary engineering team.

Skills

• Hands-on experience using Siemens NX for mechanical design, 3D modeling, and drawing generation.
• Strong understanding of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) and its application to mechanical drawings.
• Proven experience designing precision mechanical components and assemblies from concept through fabrication and test.
• Working knowledge of structural analysis, including hand calculations and/or finite element analysis (FEA).
• Mechanical design engineering experience with precision components or assemblies.
• Ability to create clear, accurate mechanical drawings suitable for manufacturing and inspection.
• Strong mechanical engineering fundamentals, including materials, tolerances, and manufacturability considerations.
• Experience in aerospace, defense, commercial aerospace, or space industry environments.
• Experience in opto-mechanical systems, optical instruments, sensors, or imaging hardware.
• Familiarity with integration and test activities for mechanical and opto-mechanical hardware.
• Exposure to optical design tools such as Zemax or FRED.
• Understanding of optical engineering, optical design, or optoelectronics concepts.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, growing organization with increasing project demands.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills to work within a multidisciplinary engineering team.

Benefits

• 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)

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $50.00 - $75.00/hr.

Requirements

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:

Work Environment

The role operates in a collaborative engineering environment that supports commercial aerospace and space-related programs, including work on optical instruments, imaging systems, and precision mechanical assemblies. Engineers receive significant ownership and responsibility over their technical work, participating in design, fabrication, integration, and testing activities. The setting is fast-paced due to a growing project portfolio and organizational expansion, offering exposure to cutting-edge aerospace and spaceflight technologies. The culture emphasizes transparency, teamwork, innovation, safety, accountability, and customer-focused engineering solutions, providing an engaging and technically challenging workplace.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Pasadena, CA.

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 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service. 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.