Staff Engineer, Actuated Systems - Ranger (R6347)

As a Staff (L4) Actuated Systems Engineer, you will take hands-on technical ownership of the mechanical design, layout, and integration of actuation systems for flight control surfaces, bay doors, and other airframe mechanisms on a Group 5 UAV fighter aircraft. You will apply first-principles engineering to develop buildable actuator installations, mature mechanism layouts, and drive detailed hardware design through release, test, and vehicle integration. This position requires a balance of technical rigor, rapid decision-making, and hands-on engineering to efficiently transition concepts into operational capability. The ideal candidate is comfortable solving complex problems, taking ownership, working within an accelerated aircraft development environment, and is motivated by getting meaningful capability into the hands of operators quickly.

Experience: 5 to 12 years of mechanical systems design experience in aerospace or a comparable regulated industry, with hands-on experience designing actuated mechanisms or aircraft installations.

Education: B.S. or M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical discipline.

Core Fundamentals: Deep mastery of mechanical design, kinematics, load paths, materials selection, GD&T, and tolerance stack-up methodologies.

Analysis and Modeling: Demonstrated capability performing closed-form hand calculations and basic FEA for mechanisms, brackets, mounts, and structural installation components.

CAD and PLM: Extensive experience in 3D CAD modeling, mechanical layouts, and drawing release, with Siemens NX, CATIA, Creo, or equivalent PLM workflows.

Actuated Systems Integration: Demonstrated ability to develop actuator and mechanism installations that satisfy packaging, load, clearance, maintainability, and vehicle-interface requirements.

Hardware and Supplier Execution: Proven track record sourcing COTS/custom aerospace components, driving suppliers to schedule, and assembling benchtop or vehicle-level test setups.

Autonomy: Demonstrated ability to self-direct, prioritize technical tasks without oversight, and deliver functional hardware under tight timelines.

Clearance eligible

Aircraft flight control actuation, weapons bay door, landing gear, or other deployable-mechanism design experience.

Experience with electro-mechanical or electro-hydrostatic actuation systems.

Familiarity with MIL-HDBK-516, MIL-STD-810, and airworthiness verification planning for mechanical systems.

Hands-on machine shop, fabrication, mechanical assembly, or prototype-build experience in a rapid R&D environment.