Senior Specialist, Mechanical Engineer

Job description

L3Harris is dedicated to recruiting and developing high-performing talent who are passionate about what they do. Our employees are unified in a shared dedication to our customers’ mission and quest for professional growth. L3Harris provides an inclusive, engaging environment designed to empower employees and promote work-life success. Fundamental to our culture is an unwavering focus on values, dedication to our communities, and commitment to excellence in everything we do.

L3Harris is the Trusted Disruptor in defense tech. With customers’ mission-critical needs always in mind, our employees deliver end-to-end technology solutions connecting the space, air, land, sea and cyber domains in the interest of national security.

Job Title

Senior Specialist, Mechanical Engineer Job Code: 46122 Job Location: Palm Bay, FL Job Schedule: 9/80: Employees work 9 out of every 14 days – totaling 80 hours worked – and have every other Friday off Job Description: We are seeking a motivated, driven, and analytically minded Senior Specialist, Mechanical Engineer to join a dynamic program team focused on the mechanical architecture, design, development, and qualification of high-reliability spaceflight electronics.

This role centers on complex subsystems including spaceborne avionics, satellite RF modules, power distribution units, and radiation-shielded microelectronics. The ideal candidate will take ownership of flight-qualified electronic enclosures, ensuring total mission success and survivability against extreme launch vehicle vibration/pyroshock, electromagnetic interference (EMI), and hardware thermal constraints. Key responsibilities include technical execution across the full product lifecycle, encompassing requirements definition, electrical-mechanical space trade studies, radiation-mitigation packaging, material selection (vacuum compatibility/outgassing), design documentation, and rigorous space environments testing.

The successful candidate will bring strong hands-on experience in 3D CAD modeling, high-density space-grade PCBA packaging, and the capability to perform highly focused Electronic Packaging (EP) thermal and structural simulations to validate ruggedized hardware. A willingness to work in a laboratory or factory floor environment, interface with manufacturing engineers, and engage directly with spaceflight hardware is essential.

Essential Functions

Task Ownership: Ability and desire to take full ownership of space-grade electronic packaging tasking while working with general supervision across a variety of high-consequence, mission-critical program activities.

Stakeholder Communication

Provide clear communication and technical updates, both formally and informally, to internal program leadership, engineering teams, and external aerospace customers or agency representatives (e.g., NASA, Space Force).

Technical Data Packages

Generation of complete Technical Data Package (TDP) components, including detailed part drawings, space-grade PCBA mechanical outlines, tolerance stack-ups, and flight assembly drawings.

Prototyping & Cleanroom Integration

Support prototyping, cleanroom integration, and testing of flight-qualified electronic enclosures, internal wire/harness networks, and advanced thermal management components.

Space Environments Testing

Support and execute rigorous environment test plans for space subsystems (e.g., Thermal Vacuum (TVAC), random vibration, pyroshock, and EMI/EMC shielding compliance to space-industry standards).

Hardware Evaluation

Perform laboratory testing, diagnostic data collection, and flight-readiness evaluation of component parts, flight connectors, and integrated systems.

Design Milestones

Participate in and prepare technical materials for peer reviews, Preliminary Design Reviews (PDR), and Critical Design Reviews (CDR).

Cross-Disciplinary Alignment

Coordinate tightly with Electrical, Radiation, and Manufacturing Engineers on component placement, keep-out zones, radiation shielding thickness, component thermal dissipation paths, and signal integrity constraints.

Team Collaboration

Provide technical guidance to Designers, Cleanroom Technicians, and Operators as part of a flight hardware design and assembly team. Ability to obtain a US Secret Security clearance.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s Degree and minimum 6 years of prior relevant experience. Graduate Degree and a minimum of 4 years of prior related experience. In lieu of a degree, minimum of 10 years of prior related experience.

Preferred Additional Skills

EP Thermal Analysis: Experience performing steady-state and transient electronic component and board-level thermal modeling (conduction paths through multi-layer boards, thermal via dissipation, and component junction temperature predictions).

Structural & Dynamics Analysis

Capability to perform linear structural, high-g random vibration, and acoustic/pyroshock analysis using finite element models to ensure physical reliability during harsh rocket launch conditions.

Simulation Infrastructure

Hands-on experience or working familiarity with CAD-integrated or specialized electronic packaging solvers, specifically Creo Simulate, Solaria / SolariaPCB, or Ansys Mechanical.

Aerospace Electronics Manufacturing

Practical experience or strong technical knowledge of high-reliability manufacturing assembly lines. This includes Surface Mount Technology (SMT) reflow ovens, automated optical inspection, hand-soldering criteria, and strict adherence to space-grade soldering standards.

J-STD & IPC Standards

Strong understanding or application knowledge of IPC-A-610 Class 3 and IPC/EIA J-STD-001 (including the J-STD-001 Space Addendum) requirements for soldered electrical and electronic assemblies.

MIL-STD-810 Understanding

Familiarity and working understanding of MIL-STD-810 environmental engineering considerations and laboratory tests (specifically tailored for temperature, shock, vibration, acceleration, and low pressure/vacuum simulation).

Process Metallurgy & Chemistry

Understanding the manufacturing nuances of electronic materials, such as solder joint fatigue validation (due to thermal cycling/vibration stress), underfill/staking applications, and conformal coating/potting processing to mitigate tin whiskers and withstand vacuum outgassing.

Space Subsystem Architecture

Experience in the design, development, and packaging of space-qualified modules, power supplies, RF assemblies, and high-density PCBAs using space-grade components (EEE parts).

SWaP-C Optimization

Proven track record of designing space enclosures heavily restricted by Size, Weight, Power, and Cost (SWaP-C) constraints.

Space Materials Knowledge

Deep understanding of space-compatible material choices, focusing on low-outgassing requirements (per NASA SP-R-0022A / ASTM E595), thermal interface materials (TIMs), and galvanic corrosion prevention.

CAD & Tolerancing

High proficiency in CAD tools such as Creo Parametric and an expert working understanding of ASME Y14.5 Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) standards.

Specialized Space Integration

Experience with flight connector selection, ruggedized space-grade cable harness design, EMI/EMC shielding techniques, and venting designs for decompression.

Manufacturing Frameworks

Applied Design for Manufacturability, Assembly, and Test (DFM/DFMA/DFMT) experience regarding high-reliability, zero-defect spaceflight electronics.

Material Fabrication

Knowledge of machined chassis design, sheet metal enclosures, and additive manufacturing technologies validated for space environments. #LI-DK2 L3Harris Technologies is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. L3Harris is committed to treating all employees and applicants for employment with respect and dignity and maintaining a workplace that is free from unlawful discrimination. All applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or other related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, characteristic or membership in any other group protected by federal, state or local laws.

L3Harris maintains a drug-free workplace and performs pre-employment substance abuse testing and background checks, where permitted by law. Please be aware many of our positions require the ability to obtain a security clearance. Security clearances may only be granted to U.S. citizens. In addition, applicants who accept a conditional offer of employment may be subject to government security investigation(s) and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.

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