Senior Principal Mechanical Engineer

Date Posted: 2026-07-16
Location: Tucson, AZ (807A – 1151 E Hermans Rd)
Position Type: Onsite
Security Clearance: Active and transferable U.S. government issued DoD Secret clearance required prior to start date; U.S. citizenship is required.

About the Role

The Advanced Airframes Department within Raytheon Hardware Engineering provides Mechanical Engineering support to develop solutions for products across the Raytheon portfolio. Our core responsibilities include requirements/conceptual development, design, integration, and test support. We partner with several Mechanical Product Team departments to provide full system solutions.

The Advanced Airframes Department is seeking a highly qualified and experienced Senior Principal Mechanical Engineer to support an integration and demonstration initiative. The ideal candidate will possess expertise in mechanical design, team leadership, Earned Value Management, hardware design, integration, testing, and qualification. You will lead the mechanical engineering aspects of the program, providing technical guidance and oversight to ensure project commitments are successfully achieved. Additionally, the selected candidate will manage supplier relationships and may lead efforts related to proposal development.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership to teams of engineers in the architecture, design, development, integration, and testing of mechanical hardware for a high-priority advanced development program.
• Operate independently with minimal supervision, demonstrating strong project leadership capabilities, including delegating tasks effectively and reviewing the work of team members to ensure quality and alignment with program goals.
• Oversee the Earned Value Management System (EVMS) and serve as the Cost Account Manager (CAM) for multiple accounts across various contracts.
• Proactively manage mechanical risks and identify opportunities to optimize performance across multiple contracts.
• Lead and support failure investigations and resolution of hardware anomalies as required, ensuring timely and effective problem-solving.
• Regularly communicate program status, progress, and resource needs to program leadership, functional leadership, and government customers to ensure alignment and transparency.
• Primarily operate within an office environment, with occasional travel to labs, supplier locations, or field sites as necessary.
• Collaborate effectively with higher-level functional and program management to align objectives and achieve program milestones.
• Foster strong working relationships and collaboration with customers and suppliers to ensure successful program execution.

Requirements

• Typically requires a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) and a minimum of 10 years of prior relevant experience or an Advanced Degree in a related field and minimum 7 years of experience.
• 10 years of experience in one or more of the following areas: Mechanical product and subassembly design, integration, and production support.
• A minimum of 1 year of experience in Earned Value Management (EVMS) and Cost Account Management (CAM) of full EVM (IMS baselining, Baseline Change Requests, Variance Narratives, etc.).

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in Mechanical Engineering or Aerospace Engineering.
• Over 10 years of professional experience in the design, development, and testing of hardware for defense-related components or systems.
• A minimum of 2 years of experience serving as a Control Account Manager (CAM).
• Expertise in Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T), including advanced knowledge of mechanical hardware drawing practices and interpretation.
• Demonstrated experience in proposal development, including authoring Basis of Estimates (BOEs) and contributing material estimating inputs.
• Proven experience in supplier management and collaboration.
• A highly motivated self-starter with the ability to excel in multidisciplinary roles.
• Strong networking and influencing skills to engage effectively with cross-functional teams, program leadership, engineering disciplines, production support organizations, and manufacturing teams.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to foster positive relationships with peers, suppliers, management, and customers in production environments.
• Relevant experience working with missiles or similar systems, particularly within Alternative Missions and Space environments.
• Demonstrated success in leading teams, managing resources (including cost, personnel, and schedules), delegating tasks, and ensuring accountability.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, with a track record of collaborating effectively to document design decisions, conduct trade studies, and present findings to program leadership and customers through reports and presentations.
• Proven ability to lead cross-disciplinary teams by fostering trust, respect, and innovation to achieve results aligned with a shared vision.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Life insurance, short-term disability, and long-term disability.
• 401(k) match.
• Flexible spending accounts.
• Flexible work schedules.
• Employee assistance program.
• Employee Scholar Program.
• Parental leave.
• Paid time off and holidays.
• Eligibility for annual short-term and/or long-term incentive compensation programs (dependent on role level and collective-bargaining agreement status).

Pay

The salary range for this role is $132,400 – $251,600 USD.