Full-Time

Senior Mechanical Engineer

Multiple Teams

Updated on 8/23/2026

Forterra

Forterra

501-1,000 employees

Autonomous driving system for retrofitted vehicles

Compensation Overview

$115k - $130k/yr

+ Equity

Clarksburg, MD, USA

In Person

Bachelor's

Category
Mechanical Engineering (1)
Required Skills
Autodesk Inventor
JIRA
FEM/FEA

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Requirements
  • A bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or a related field is required.
  • At least 4 years of experience in basic mechanical design is required.
  • Experience with mechanical design and computer-aided design programs such as Autodesk Inventor is required.
  • A basic understanding of Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing is required.
  • The ability to collaborate in team environments is required.
Responsibilities
  • Contribute to the integration of the AutoDrive system.
  • Develop solutions, refine concepts into manufacturable designs, and support integration from early-stage prototypes through final production and product sustainment.
  • Serve as a key member of the Hardware Integration Team.
  • Complete mechanical designs within system constraints.
  • Work hands-on with vehicle architecture, troubleshoot hardware systems, and identify areas for improvement.
  • Create drawing packages, work instructions, and test procedures.
  • Build, test, and validate designs against system requirements.
  • Analyze designs for Design for Manufacturability, Design for Assembly, and cost.
  • Participate in design reviews and technical discussions.
  • Work closely with electrical and software teams to satisfy system requirements.
Desired Qualifications
  • Experience with thermal design, analysis, and modeling of electromechanical systems.
  • Manufacturing experience with machining, sheet metal, or additive methods.
  • Hands-on electrical experience such as soldering or cable manufacturing.
  • Simulation experience in ANSYS or a similar program.
  • Experience with project management tools such as Microsoft Project or Jira.
  • Leadership experience in student projects such as SAE Baja, Formula, or FIRST Robotics.

Forterra provides autonomous vehicle technology for defense and industrial sectors. Its AutoDrive® installs as a retrofit kit that adds sensors, computing, and software to existing ground vehicles, enabling unmanned operation in challenging environments. It differentiates itself by upgrading current fleets rather than buying new vehicles and by serving both military and industrial markets. The goal is to deploy and scale AutoDrive® across applications to improve efficiency and safety, backed by its Series B funding.

Company Size

501-1,000

Company Stage

Debt Financing

Total Funding

$634M

Headquarters

Clarksburg, Maryland

Founded

2002

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • June 2026 delivered a $92 million Marine Corps production win with Oshkosh.
  • April 2026 MESA expands Forterra into last-tactical-mile logistics and CASEVAC.
  • Ukraine's 105 Lancer vehicles logged 1,100 missions, validating combat utility by July 2026.

What critics are saying

  • Ukraine still teleoperates Lancer vehicles, proving autonomy is not yet battlefield-ready.
  • Russian electronic warfare and mud losses expose fragility in contested environments.
  • Palantir, Anduril, and Overland AI pressure Forterra before procurement shifts to cheaper systems.

What makes Forterra unique

  • Forterra's AutoDrive is fielded across a dozen-plus vehicle platforms by 2026.
  • The June 2026 Oshkosh ROGUE-Fires Block 2 award locks in production through 2031.
  • Acquiring goTenna in October 2025 adds resilient mesh networking to battlefield autonomy.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

Unlimited Paid Time Off

Paid Vacation

Parental Leave

Professional Development Budget

401(k) Retirement Plan

401(k) Company Match

Paid Holidays

Hybrid Work Options

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

4%

1 year growth

1%

2 year growth

0%
TechCrunch
Jul 7th, 2026
US autonomous ground vehicles see combat in Ukraine after 9-month deployment

Forterra has deployed over 100 autonomous ATVs in Ukraine for the past nine months, marking what the company believes is the largest deployment of autonomous ground vehicles in combat by a US defence tech company. The gas-powered Lancer vehicles, based on Polaris ATVs, can carry 750 kilograms of cargo and have driven more than 2,500 miles across 1,100 missions, completing 52 casualty evacuations. Ukrainian forces primarily teleoperate the vehicles rather than using full autonomy, as the technology cannot yet identify and respond to enemy threats independently. Forterra, which has raised over $500 million from investors including XYZ Venture Capital and Moore Strategic Partners, is working to combine traditional autonomous vehicle algorithms with generative AI. Ukrainian soldiers have requested cheaper versions to account for battlefield attrition whilst maintaining deployment flexibility.

Yahoo Finance
Apr 28th, 2026
Forterra unveils MESA autonomous vehicle for last-mile battlefield operations

Forterra has unveiled MESA, a modular autonomous vehicle platform designed for last-tactical-mile operations. Built on a factory-modified Polaris Ranger XD 1500, the vehicle integrates Forterra's AutoDrive® and Vektor mission modules to deliver mobility, computing, communications and sensing capabilities. The MESA platform features a flat deck design with 2,000 pounds of payload capacity, enabling rapid reconfiguration for mission-specific requirements. The system provides autonomous navigation in GPS-denied environments whilst maintaining secure connectivity across distributed forces. Forterra's autonomy technology has been proven in real-world operations including the USMC ROGUE Fires programme and various SOCOM initiatives. The vehicle is manufactured directly with Polaris, with modifications executed alongside the original equipment manufacturer to ensure platform integration without aftermarket chassis changes.

Bloomberg Law
Nov 12th, 2025
Forterra Raises $238M, Hits $1B Valuation

Forterra, a startup specializing in autonomous military vehicle technology, has raised $238 million in a new funding round, boosting its valuation to over $1 billion. The funding, which includes $50 million in debt, was led by Moore Strategic Ventures. The investment will accelerate the production of Forterra's versatile military vehicles, capable of operating individually or in swarms for tasks like surveillance and transporting missiles and AI-supporting hardware.

Bloomberg
Nov 12th, 2025
Autonomous Military Vehicle Startup Notches Over $1 Billion Valuation in New Deal

Moore Strategic Ventures, Franklin Templeton and others have invested $238 million in Forterra.

Citybiz
Oct 9th, 2025
Forterra Acquires goTenna Networking Solutions

Forterra, a leader in autonomous mission systems, has announced its acquisition of goTenna, a pioneer in tactical mesh networking solutions.