Fathom Robotics

Autonomous maritime systems operations and training

Mechanical Engineer - Autonomous Systems

Design EngineeringConfirmed live in the last 24 hours

Part-timeFort Worth, TX, USANo salary listed

About the Job

Requirements

A degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field, or equivalent hands-on experience.
At least 5 years of mechanical design experience, including a record of taking prototypes from concept to working hardware.
Strong computer-aided design skills in Onshape or SolidWorks, including fabrication drawings and geometric dimensioning and tolerancing.
Experience with structural and vibration analysis, including hand calculations and finite element analysis using SolidWorks Simulation, ANSYS, or similar tools.
Experience with instrumentation, sensors, controls including programmable logic controllers, and test-data analysis.
Design-for-manufacture experience and experience working with machine shops and fabrication vendors.
Comfort working in a shop, outdoors, and on boats.
United States Person status is required in the defense-program context.
Must be able to pass a background check and be eligible to obtain a Secret clearance.

Responsibilities

Design payload hardware for uncrewed surface and underwater vehicles, including enclosures, pressure housings, mounts, brackets, fairings, and structural interfaces.
Run structural and vibration analysis to validate designs before fabrication.
Fabricate or direct fabrication of prototype parts, in the shop or through outside machine shops and vendors.
Produce fabrication drawings with geometric dimensioning and tolerancing and keep design revisions under control.
Design for the marine environment, including sealing, corrosion, material selection, shock, vibration, and depth rating.
Work with platform original equipment manufacturers, payload vendors, and government customers to define mechanical and electrical interfaces, size, weight, and power limits, and cable and harness routing.
Plan and run bench, leak, pressure, and vibration tests before hardware goes to the field.
Instrument test articles, build test fixtures, and analyze test data.
Support payload integration and on-water testing, including launch and recovery.
Document designs, test results, and field findings.

Desired Qualifications

Hands-on vehicle-build experience with SAE Baja, Formula SAE, or comparable programs.
Hands-on manufacturing experience, including welding and computer numerical control or manual machining.
Payload or subsystem design experience for uncrewed surface vehicles, uncrewed underwater vehicles, or uncrewed aerial systems.
Experience with subsea pressure housings, penetrators, and underwater connectors.
Environmental test experience to MIL-STD-810 or similar standards.
Prior military service or defense contractor engineering experience.

Mechanical Engineer, Autonomous Systems

Fathom Robotics · Fort Worth, United States · — · Posted 2026-09-25

Workplace: on_site

Description

ABOUT FATHOM ROBOTICS

Fathom Robotics provides operations, maintenance, training, and applied engineering services for uncrewed maritime systems supporting U.S. Government and commercial defense programs. We have multiple active projects across a variety of government and commercial clients and are actively fielding systems in operational environments.

ROLE OVERVIEW

Fathom Robotics is hiring a Mechanical Engineer to design and build payloads for uncrewed surface and underwater vehicles. You will take payload hardware from a customer requirement through CAD, prototype, fit-check, and test, then support it on the water. We are looking for an experienced engineer who has put real prototypes in the field and can move a design from sketch to working hardware without a large support structure.

The hardware you build goes onto vehicles supporting active government and commercial defense programs.

LOCATION: Fort Worth, TX, with periodic travel to test sites

WORK TYPE: Full-Time or Part-Time

CLEARANCE: US Person Required | SECRET Eligible

PROGRAM CONDITIONS

Most of the work happens at our Fort Worth shop. Periodic travel to test ranges and customer sites supports integration and on-water testing, which involves boat operations and outdoor conditions. Full-time and part-time candidates will both be considered, with schedule set by experience and program need. Expect added hours and short-notice availability around integration deadlines and test events.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Design payload hardware for USVs and AUVs, including enclosures, pressure housings, mounts, brackets, fairings, and structural interfaces
Run structural and vibration analysis to validate designs before fabrication
Fabricate or direct fabrication of prototype parts, in our shop or through outside machine shops and vendors
Produce fabrication drawings with GD&T and keep design revisions under control
Design for the marine environment: sealing, corrosion, material selection, shock, vibration, and depth rating
Work with platform OEMs, payload vendors, and government customers to define mechanical and electrical interfaces, SWaP limits, and cable/harness routing
Plan and run bench, leak, pressure, and vibration tests before hardware goes to the field
Instrument test articles, build test fixtures, and analyze test data
Support payload integration and on-water testing, including launch and recovery
Document designs, test results, and field findings

Requirements

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field, or equivalent hands-on experience
5+ years of mechanical design experience, with a record of prototypes taken from concept to working hardware
Strong CAD skills in Onshape or SolidWorks, including fabrication drawings and GD&T
Structural and vibration analysis, including hand calculations and FEA (SolidWorks Simulation, ANSYS, or similar)
Experience with instrumentation, sensors, and controls, including PLCs, and analysis of test data
Design for manufacture and experience working with machine shops and fabrication vendors
Comfortable working in a shop, outdoors, and on boats
US Person status required (defense program context)
Must be able to pass a background check and be eligible to obtain a SECRET clearance

PREFERRED BACKGROUNDS

SAE Baja, Formula SAE, or comparable hands-on vehicle build experience
Hands-on manufacturing, including welding and CNC or manual machining
Payload or subsystem design for USVs, UUVs, or UAS
Subsea pressure housings, penetrators, and underwater connectors
Environmental test experience to MIL-STD-810 or similar
Prior military service or defense contractor engineering experience

Benefits

For part-time hires, not eligible for health benefits.

We offer a flexible ICHRA (Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement), so you choose the health plan that fits you instead of a one-size-fits-all option. Eligible employees receive up to $750 per month toward an individual plan, selected through a simple online marketplace, and any unused funds can go toward other eligible medical expenses. We also offer a 401(k) plan to help you save for the future.

Compensation: Competitive hourly rate or salary, commensurate with experience.

Fathom Robotics is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.

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About the Company

Fathom Robotics

Autonomous maritime systems operations and training

Fathom Robotics offers vendor-agnostic services for unmanned and autonomous maritime systems to both government and commercial defense programs. Its offerings include FathomOps for turnkey operations, maintenance, and piloting of uncrewed surface vessel fleets; FathomRed to simulate adversaries for training and testing; and FathomX to teach military personnel how to build, integrate, and operate unmanned systems using a train-the-trainer approach. It differentiates itself by supporting a wide range of platforms and OEMs and by combining mission-ready operations with realistic threat replication and hands-on training. Its goal is to sustain mission readiness and provide specialized training and threat-simulation across diverse autonomous maritime fleets.

Company size: 1-10
Company stage: Not listed
Total funding: Not listed
Headquarters: Not listed
Founded: Not listed

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