Mechanical Engineer

Job Title: Mechanical Engineer Electric Propulsion and Battery Systems

Job Description

This Mechanical Engineer role focuses on the design, documentation, and release of electric propulsion and battery systems for next-generation electrified aircraft and related applications. You will translate requirements and use cases into detailed CAD models and complete design packages, with a strong emphasis on product release, engineering documentation, and manufacturing support rather than purely net-new concept design. This position offers the opportunity to help bring cutting-edge electrification technology from development into real-world production across aerospace, defense, mobility, energy storage, and data center applications.

Responsibilities

• Apply aerospace-standard design practices to electric aircraft motors, battery systems, and sub-components, including machined components, bearing selection and sizing, material selection, coatings, fasteners, lubricants, and design-for-manufacturing (DFM).
• Create, iterate, and maintain detailed CAD models and engineering drawings for rotatives, structures, and mechanical assemblies, ensuring accuracy and manufacturability.
• Conduct trade studies on design and manufacturing options, evaluating alternatives and identifying methods for risk reduction and technology development.
• Produce complete design packages, including detailed drawings, analysis reports, bills of materials (BOMs), and assembly instructions suitable for production manufacturing.
• Review designs, manufacturing plans, and test procedures to ensure compliance with design specifications, performance requirements, and applicable aerospace standards.
• Support the development, release, and maintenance of engineering documentation within PLM and PDM systems, including production drawing generation and configuration control.
• Coordinate closely with cross-functional teams such as Quality, Sourcing, Manufacturing, and Testing throughout hardware delivery and operations to ensure successful product realization.
• Lead or contribute to the resolution of technical problems, driving root-cause analysis and achieving buy-in from cross-functional stakeholders.
• Develop a strong understanding of technical and certification requirements for Electric Propulsion Units (EPUs) for aviation and apply this knowledge to design and documentation activities.
• Support manufacturing engineering activities, including DFM reviews, production manufacturing support, and feedback incorporation from the shop floor.
• Participate in test planning by helping define test requirements, supporting test procedure reviews, and analyzing test results to validate designs.
• Contribute to the transition of products from prototype to production, ensuring that design intent, documentation, and manufacturing processes are aligned for scalable production.
• Collaborate directly with experienced engineers in a highly interactive environment to refine designs, improve processes, and accelerate product release.
• Engage with advanced materials and processes such as CNC machining, milled aluminum components, titanium parts, composite structures, and carbon fiber layups where applicable.

Essential Skills

• Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering preferred; a Bachelors degree in Aerospace Engineering will be considered.
• Approximately 15 years of mechanical or aerospace engineering experience preferred; early-career engineers are welcome if they demonstrate strong technical capability.
• Proficiency in SolidWorks for 3D CAD modeling, drafting, and mechanical design.
• Experience creating and interpreting engineering drawings, including production drawing generation and detailed mechanical documentation.
• Hands-on experience with mechanical design for manufacturing, including design-for-manufacturing (DFM) principles and manufacturing support.
• Familiarity with general Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems and Product Data Management (PDM) tools for managing engineering documentation.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools for reports, documentation, and communication.
• Ability to apply aerospace-standard design practices, including appropriate selection of bearings, materials, coatings, fasteners, and lubricants.
• Knowledge of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) for precise mechanical definition and inspection.
• Experience supporting or producing engineering documentation for aerospace or similarly rigorous hardware applications.
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to interpret test results, write technical reports, and support test requirement definition.
• Effective communication and collaboration skills for working with cross-functional teams and supporting product release activities.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience with Ansys or similar FEA tools for structural analysis and mechanical simulation.
• Experience in manufacturing engineering, including exposure to production manufacturing environments and processes.
• Demonstrated product release experience, including taking designs from development through documentation and into production.
• Experience with carbon fiber composites, composite structures, and carbon fiber layups, which is highly valued and may create strong future opportunities.
• Familiarity with aerospace hardware, aviation propulsion systems, and electric machine design.
• Experience with battery systems, electric propulsion systems, and electric motors.
• Exposure to sheet metal manufacturing, CNC machining, milled aluminum parts, and titanium components.
• Experience with mechanical assemblies and production manufacturing workflows.
• Knowledge of electric machines, electric propulsion units, and related structural and thermal considerations.
• Interest in working on applications beyond aerospace, including defense, mobility, energy storage, and data center technologies.
• Motivation to work in a fast-growing, high-visibility engineering environment with significant ownership and direct impact on program execution.
• Desire to see designs rapidly transition from prototype to deliverable hardware rather than remaining in long-term theoretical development.

Work Environment

The role is based in an on-site office setting in the Pacific Northwest, with a typical hybrid schedule of approximately three days on-site and two days remote per week. Initial preference is for more frequent on-site collaboration to support onboarding, training, close engineering interaction, familiarity with the Quality Management System (QMS), and effective use of PLM systems. You will work with aerospace-grade batteries, power electronics, power distribution systems, electric engines, and supporting software, built on advanced high-voltage architectures. The environment emphasizes collaboration with highly experienced engineers, rapid iteration, and moving products from prototype into production across aerospace, defense, mobility, energy storage, and data center applications. The organization is in a major commercialization and production phase, with significant investment and executive backing, offering a dynamic, growth-oriented workplace where your contributions quickly translate into real-world hardware.

This is a Contract position based out of Everett, WA.

The pay range for this position is $44.00 - $65.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: Medical, dental & vision Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital 401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) Short and long-term disability Health Spending Account (HSA) Transportation benefits Employee Assistance Program Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

This is a fully onsite position in Everett,WA.

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 19, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications withoutregard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability,sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protectedby law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification oradjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability,please email for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance:Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in thecity and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicantswith arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector:It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as acondition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this lawshall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI):We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process,including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applicationsand qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, youacknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.