Mechanical Design Engineer

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Leidos Defense Systems Sector provides a diverse portfolio of systems, solutions, and services covering land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace for customers worldwide. Solutions for Defense include enterprise and mission IT, large-scale intelligence systems, command and control, geospatial and data analytics, cybersecurity, logistics, training, and intelligence analysis and operations support. Our team is solving the world’s toughest security challenges for customers with “can’t fail” missions. To explore and learn more, click here!

Your greatest work is ahead!

The Small Airborne Effectors Division, within the Leidos Kinetic Effects Business Area, currently has an opportunity for a Mechanical Design Engineer to work at our Huntsville, AL campus providing support to a variety of design and integration programs related to missile systems and unmanned aircraft.  This is a dynamic opportunity in which talented engineers can thrive working on a diverse array of multidisciplinary projects in the airborne systems arena.  We are seeking a highly motivated, trained, and talented mechanical engineer to foster advanced technology programs from the research and development phase to full productization.

Primary Responsibilities

• Design and integrate mechanical aspects of airborne systems (missiles and unmanned aircraft).
• Work independently as part of a broader multi-disciplined engineering team.
• Work collaboratively with project team(s) to formulate innovative solutions to complex problems and products across a broad range of applications.
• Coordinate with purchasing department and outside machine shops to procure hardware.
• Work in a lab environment testing and assembling hardware.
• Work closely with manufacturing teams to facilitate the transition from prototype hardware to a deliverable product.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with 4-8 years of prior relevant experience or Master’s degree with 2-6 years of prior relevant experience.
• Experience with CAD (particularly SOLIDWORKS), fabrication drawings, and intermediate to advanced modeling techniques.
• In-depth experience in mechanical design principles, theories, and application.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Skillful at collaborating constructively within a multi-disciplinary team.
• Willingness to try and learn new skills, and/or to refine existing skills.
• Knowledge of and ability to use common hand tools.
• Availability to travel to support testing and other events (initially around 10%, on average).
• Ability to perform physical work such a lifting up to 30-lbs.
• Active SECRET security clearance or higher.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience with design, development, and testing of flight hardware (missiles, UAVs, etc.)

AppKinetic

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo — because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 — and moving faster than anyone else dares.

Original Posting:

November 5, 2026

Pay Range:

Pay Range $87,100.00 - $157,450.00

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.