Job Description

Overview

We are seeking a highly skilled Mechanical Engineer to support the design, development, and integration of Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS). This role focuses on the mechanical design and physical integration of systems used to detect, track, and defeat unmanned aerial threats.

Responsibilities

  • Design and develop mechanical components and assemblies for C-UAS platforms, including sensor housings, effectors, mounting systems, and deployable structures.
  • Perform structural, thermal, and vibration analysis to ensure performance in demanding operational environments.
  • Support integration of radar, RF, EO/IR, and kinetic/non-kinetic countermeasure systems into mobile and fixed platforms.
  • Develop CAD models, detailed drawings, and technical documentation using tools such as SolidWorks, Creo, or similar.
  • Conduct tolerance stack-up analysis and ensure manufacturability.
  • Collaborate with electrical, RF, embedded systems, and systems engineering teams for cross-disciplinary integration.
  • Oversee prototype fabrication, assembly, and testing; troubleshoot mechanical issues and implement design improvements.
  • Manage environmental considerations such as ingress protection, EMI shielding, and thermal dissipation.
  • Support field testing and system deployment activities, including travel to test ranges or customer sites.
  • Interface with vendors and manufacturing partners to ensure quality and cost targets are met.

Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related discipline.
  • 5+ years of experience in mechanical design, preferably in defense, aerospace, or robotics systems.
  • Proficiency in 3D CAD software (SolidWorks, Creo, CATIA, etc.).
  • Strong understanding of materials, manufacturing processes, and mechanical system design.
  • Experience designing ruggedized hardware for outdoor or military environments.
  • Familiarity with MIL-STD requirements (e.g., MIL-STD-810, MIL-STD-461).
  • Ability to perform engineering analysis (FEA, thermal, vibration).
  • Strong problem-solving skills and ability to work in fast-paced, multidisciplinary teams.

How this job compares in Gilbert, AZ

Pay in context

This employer didn't publish a rate. For reference, welding jobs across Arizona currently run a median of $30/hr in our index, with the middle half of them falling between $24–$37/hr across 192 postings with published pay. That median is a reasonable floor to anchor on when a recruiter asks what you're looking for.

The local market in Gilbert, AZ

We're tracking 16 other active welding openings in Gilbert, AZ right now, from 10 different employers. 9 of them were added in the last week. Across Arizona as a whole we're tracking 500 other active welding openings from 274 employers. A metro this active generally means you have real leverage — employers here are competing for the same welders. Browse every welding job in Gilbert, or widen the search to Arizona.

Advanced Technology Systems Company currently has 2 other openings live in Arizona, which is usually a sign of either steady growth or steady turnover — worth asking which in the interview.

The most active employers in Arizona at the moment, by number of open welding reqs, are Sundt Construction (20), EZARC (19), and Welding Shop in Phoenix, AZ (15). Volume like that usually means either a genuine expansion or a staffing agency working several client sites — worth knowing which before you apply.

Within Arizona, the best-paying metros we track by median hourly rate are El Mirage at $38/hr, Mesa at $33/hr, and Phoenix at $30/hr. If you can relocate or commute, that spread is worth factoring in.

Similar openings near Gilbert, AZ

Pay figures are medians computed from live postings in the Welding Pros index, not from survey data, and they move as employers post. Mechanical Engineer / Counter-UAS figures were last recalculated when this page was built.