Principal Mechanical Engineer

Leidos' Defense Systems is seeking a talented Principal Mechanical Engineer for its Hypersonics line of business. The selected candidate will support the Common Hypersonic Glide Body program (CHGB), which is the Army's #1 priority for strategic weapons capability for long-range precision fires.

Primary Responsibilities

• Lead engineering activities for the CHGB Mechanical Structures Integrated Product Team (IPT), including technical execution, engineering deliverables, and issue resolution.
• Develop and maintain engineering plans and schedules, manage technical risks, and coordinate deliverables to support program objectives.
• Ensure complete and accurate definition of mechanical assembly components, subsystems, and ground support equipment within the Technical Data Package (TDP).
• Lead technical peer reviews and drive resolution of complex engineering issues.
• Serve as a primary technical interface with the design agent and Industry IPT, coordinating technical activities and driving alignment on engineering decisions and issue resolution.
• Work with the design agent to incorporate design changes that enhance manufacturability, quality, and production efficiency.
• Collaborate with manufacturing engineering, operations, and liaison engineering to resolve production bottlenecks, improve processes, and support hardware delivery.
• Coordinate with supplier program managers to ensure timely hardware delivery, resolve technical issues, and support supplier producibility improvements.
• Provide technical oversight of nonconforming hardware dispositions within established MRB authority and support Root Cause and Corrective Action (RCCA) investigations.
• Lead the Failure Review Board (FRB) process to resolve technical issues.
• Identify, assess, and communicate program risks and improvement opportunities to the Risk and Opportunity (RIO) Board.
• Serve as a senior technical representative to the customer, providing program status updates and communicating engineering and manufacturing activities.
• Mentor less experienced engineers and provide technical guidance across the IPT.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering from an ABET-accredited institution with 12+ years of relevant experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams or Integrated Product Teams (IPTs) responsible for complex mechanical subsystem design, development, integration, or production.
• Experience planning and coordinating engineering activities, managing technical deliverables, and addressing program risks and schedules.
• Proficiency with CAD tools such as Creo, CATIA, AutoCAD, or SolidWorks.
• Experience working within Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) environments.
• Working knowledge of GD&T (ASME Y14.5) and tolerance stack-up analysis.
• Understanding of engineering drawings, specifications, and configuration management processes.
• Experience leading technical investigations and resolving complex engineering issues in development or production environments.
• Demonstrated ability to lead technical reviews and make sound engineering recommendations.
• Understanding of cost, schedule, and technical risk impacts associated with engineering decisions.
• Experience interacting directly with customers and external engineering organizations to coordinate activities and resolve technical issues.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to work independently and mentor other engineers. Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).

Preferred Qualifications

• Active security clearance.
• Experience supporting DoD programs related to missile systems, reentry vehicles, or hypersonic technologies.
• Prior technical leadership experience in the design, development, qualification, or integration of missile system mechanical subsystems.
• Experience coordinating technical activities with external design agents, suppliers, and industry partners.
• Experience supporting rapid development, prototyping, or fast-paced engineering programs.
• Familiarity with AS9100 aerospace quality management systems.
• Knowledge of MIL-STD-31000 Technical Data Package (TDP) development, engineering release processes, and configuration control.
• Experience creating and reviewing engineering drawings and complex CAD assemblies using PTC Creo and managing engineering data within Windchill.
• Experience supporting Material Review Board (MRB), Failure Review Board (FRB), and Root Cause and Corrective Action (RCCA) processes.