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Torch Technologies

End-to-end defense tech product development

Senior Mechanical Engineer - Principal Investigator

Full-Time
No salary listed
Senior, Expert
Bachelor's, Master's
Huntsville, AL, USA
In PersonOn-site Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM; travel up to 15% as required.
Mechanical EngineeringDesign Engineering
No H1B Sponsorship
US Citizenship, US Top Secret Clearance Required

About the job

Requirements
  • U.S. citizenship is required.
  • A Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline with 10 or more years of relevant experience, or a Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline with 8 or more years of relevant experience, is required.
  • An active security clearance is required.
  • Experience leading engineering teams and technical projects is required.
  • Experience with SolidWorks, SolidWorks PDM, and finite element analysis tools such as SolidWorks Simulation and NASTRAN is required.
  • Strong understanding of machine design, structural mechanics, materials engineering, manufacturing processes, and finite element methods is required.
  • Experience developing engineering documentation and technical data packages is required.
  • The candidate must be able to interface with customers and senior leadership.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills are required.
Responsibilities
  • Lead the design and development of mechanical systems, structural assemblies, and machine components from concept through production.
  • Provide technical oversight for structural, dynamic, vibration, shock, thermal, fatigue, and reliability analyses.
  • Review and approve engineering calculations, analysis reports, trade studies, and technical documentation.
  • Establish design requirements, verification methods, and acceptance criteria.
  • Lead system requirements reviews, preliminary design reviews, critical design reviews, and production readiness reviews, and support prototype development, testing, qualification, and production transition activities.
  • Support root-cause investigations and corrective actions.
  • Coordinate multidisciplinary engineering efforts across mechanical, electrical, software, manufacturing, and systems engineering teams.
  • Manage schedules, resources, budgets, and technical performance.
  • Establish engineering processes, standards, and best practices.
  • Review engineering deliverables, technical data packages, and structural assessments to ensure design integrity and compliance.
  • Support design improvements through technical reviews, failure analysis, and corrective action implementation.
  • Ensure compliance with documentation, configuration management, and change control requirements.
  • Develop technical content for proposals, presentations, white papers, and customer briefings.
  • Support capture efforts, proposal development, customer engagements, technical reviews, and strategic growth initiatives.
Desired Qualifications
  • A Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field is preferred.
  • Experience supporting defense, aerospace, robotics, or advanced manufacturing programs is preferred.
  • Experience with Creo, CATIA, or similar computer-aided design software is preferred.
  • Knowledge of military, aerospace, ASME, AWS, and AISC standards is preferred.
  • Experience with design for manufacturability, design for assembly, reliability engineering, and model-based systems engineering methodologies is preferred.
  • Experience with structural analysis and finite element analysis is preferred.
  • Experience with machine design and mechanical system integration is preferred.
  • Experience with geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, computer-aided design modeling, and tolerance analysis is preferred.
  • Experience with materials selection and manufacturing processes is preferred.
  • Experience with mechanical testing, qualification, and failure analysis is preferred.
  • Experience with engineering documentation, proposal development, and technical leadership is preferred.

About the company

Torch Technologies is a 100% employee-owned technology services and solutions provider focused on defense. It delivers end-to-end product design and development, taking concepts from inception through production and long-term sustainment. Its software development and engineering teams work in agile ways to deliver value, with capabilities spanning prototyping, technology integration, and long-term support. As a major defense contractor, Torch Technologies supports the armed forces and wins contracts that fund its research and development. Headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama, the company operates a large Design, Development and Integration campus and eight regional offices, underscoring its substantial physical footprint in delivering technical solutions to government customers.

Company Size

1,001-5,000

Company Stage

Seed

Total Funding

$15.1M

Headquarters

Huntsville, Alabama

Founded

2002

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Torch ranked 59th on Washington Technology Top 100 in 2026, boosting credibility.
  • Inc.'s 2026 Best Workplaces recognition supports recruiting in Huntsville and beyond.
  • OASIS, D3I, and TMAS vehicles give Torch multiple renewal paths through 2031.

What critics are saying

  • Defense contract dependence leaves Torch exposed to protest losses and recompete pressure.
  • Revelio data shows headcount fell 22.2% from 2023 to 2026, signaling strain.
  • Bill Roark's March 2025 retirement removes a founder-era anchor; succession risk rises.

What makes Torch Technologies unique

  • 100% employee-owned and Evergreen since 2011; Torch aligns incentives with retention.
  • Torch won $992 million TMAS Tenants work in August 2026, showing scale.
  • Torch holds over $5 billion in contract ceiling across defense programs.

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Benefits

Company Equity

401(k) Company Match

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Disability Insurance

Health Savings Account/Flexible Spending Account

Paid Vacation

Paid Holidays

Professional Development Budget

Life Insurance

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

0%

1 year growth

0%

2 year growth

1%
GovCon Wire
Jun 12th, 2026
Air Force releases draft RFP for TETRAS III R&D support IDIQ.

Air Force releases draft RFP for TETRAS III R&D support IDIQ. * The Air Force has released a draft RFP for TETRAS III, the planned recompete of its test and evaluation contract vehicle * The IDIQ will cover instrumentation, infrastructure and technical expertise for testing fifth- and sixth-generation weapons and cyber systems * An earlier RFI suggested the recompete could be worth up to $20 billion over a decade The Department of the Air Force has issued a draft request for proposals for Test and Evaluation Technologies for Ranges, Armaments and Spectrum III, opening industry review of the planned multiple-award recompete of its TETRAS contract vehicle. Posted Thursday on SAM.gov as a special notice serving as the official presolicitation, the draft RFP gives prospective offerors an early look at the indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity acquisition before a formal solicitation, anticipated on Oct. 27. The Air Force Test Center at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is running the procurement. The competition will be conducted on a full and open basis, with security requirements ranging from confidential to top secret. As the Air Force modernizes how it tests next-generation weapons and cyber systems, service leaders are also charting the broader path for emerging technology across the air and space domains. They will share those strategies at the Potomac Officers Club's 2026 Air and Space Summit on July 30, where Gen. John Lamontagne, vice chief of staff of the Department of the Air Force, joins top Space Force officials and industry executives for a full day of keynotes, panels and networking. Register now to secure your spot. What will TETRAS III cover? According to the draft statement of work, TETRAS III will supply airborne and range instrumentation, infrastructure, facilities, and technical expertise supporting the 96th Range Group and other Department of War organizations as they develop and modify test and evaluation systems for fifth- and sixth-generation weapons and cyber systems. The scope spans testing of weapon systems; command, control, communications, computers, cyber defense, combat systems, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance - or C6ISR - platforms; and electronic combat systems. Contractors will design, fabricate, integrate and install specialized hardware, software and prototypes for air, ground, sea and space applications, with required expertise covering hypersonics, directed energy, autonomy, artificial intelligence, electromagnetic spectrum testing, countermeasures, cybersecurity assessments and aircraft survivability equipment. The statement of work emphasizes open-architecture designs that are modular, scalable and reusable, with compliance with the Test and Training Enabling Architecture where practical. The vehicle excludes advisory and assistance services. Work is expected to be performed worldwide. How can industry weigh in on the potential TETRAS III contract? Companies have until June 26 to submit questions, comments and feedback. The government plans to post its responses by July 13. How big could the TETRAS recompete be? TETRAS III follows the $1 billion TETRAS II vehicle, which the Air Force awarded to 46 companies in June 2023 after receiving 49 bids. Awardees on that previous contract, including Booz Allen Hamilton, Leidos subsidiary Dynetics, Jacobs, Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Saab, Serco, Torch Technologies, and Radiance Technologies, compete for delivery orders to build and upgrade test systems and facilities, with work running through Dec. 31, 2028. The service signaled the scale of its ambitions for TETRAS III in an April 2025 request for information, which described a recompete structured with a five-year base period and five-year option period valued at up to $20 billion if all options are exercised.

Davis Defense Group, Inc.
Mar 25th, 2025
Davis Defense Group, Inc. to Deliver PMA-271 Airborne Strategic Command, Control, and Communications Program/Project Management Technical Support Services

As part of this effort, DDG has partnered with Torch Technologies, Inc. and Vector CSP, LLC leveraging their specialized expertise to enhance the program's execution and ensure seamless delivery of mission-critical support services.

EVENT Publishing
Dec 4th, 2023
Huntsville company named in top 100 employee owned businesses for 2023

Torch Technologies announced that the company has been added to the National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO) 2023 Employee Ownership 100 list.

HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology
May 9th, 2023
Bill Roark named to HudsonAlpha Board of Directors – HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology

The HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology named Bill Roark to its Board of Directors at a regularly scheduled meeting of the Institute’s leadership.

EVENT Publishing
Feb 9th, 2023
Huntsville's Torch Announces Two Executive Promotions

Torch Technologies announced the promotions of Sam Burkett to Senior Vice President and Brady Porter to Vice President effective February 1, 2023.