Senior Mechanical Engineer

ARA is seeking a Senior Mechanical Engineer to support the design of equipment, tooling, and equipment interfaces for energetics chemical manufacturing systems and unmanned systems (UxS) programs supporting U.S. Government customers. This role spans a broad range of mechanical design applications, from process equipment and facility integration to mobile/field hardware platforms. The ideal candidate is an expert in SolidWorks and AutoCAD, capable of taking concepts through detailed design and producing release-quality drawings for manufacturing and assembly. The salary range is between $120K-$148K. This is a hybrid position with occasional travel to Arlington, VA and Indian Head, MD (15% travel).

Key Responsibilities

• Design mechanical equipment, components, and equipment-to-facility interfaces for chemical/energetic material manufacturing systems and unmanned systems hardware.


• Develop 3D models and assemblies in SolidWorks and produce 2D drawings/layouts in AutoCAD.


• Create manufacturing- and assembly-ready drawing packages, including GD&T per ASME Y14.5.


• Perform structural and mechanical analysis (FEA) to validate designs for strength, fatigue, and operational loading.


• Manage CAD data and revisions through a PDM system (e.g., SolidWorks PDM/Vault).


• Coordinate with chemical and process engineers to align equipment design with process requirements and DoD facility standards.


• Support design reviews, technical interchange meetings, and site visits with government customers at Indian Head, MD.


• Generally consider hazard classification, explosive safety, and facility siting requirements when designing equipment for energetic material applications.


• Provide informal technical mentorship to junior engineers on design practices, drafting standards, and tools.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering.


• 8 years of relevant mechanical design experience.


• Demonstrated proficiency in SolidWorks (modeling, assemblies, drawings) and AutoCAD.


• Strong working knowledge of GD&T (ASME Y14.5).


• Experience with FEA/simulation tools for mechanical design validation.


• Experience using a PDM system for CAD data management.


• Ability to produce drawing packages suitable for manufacturing and assembly release.


• U.S. Citizenship required; must be eligible to obtain a security clearance.


• Willingness to travel regularly between Arlington, VA and Indian Head, MD.

Preferred Qualifications

• Masters in Mechanical Engineering with 6-8 years of relevant mechanical design experience.


• PhD in Mechanical Engineering with 3-5 years of relevant mechanical design experience.


• Experience designing equipment for chemical processing, energetics, or hazardous material manufacturing environments.


• Familiarity with DoD facility design standards (UFC) and explosive safety requirements.


• Experience supporting unmanned systems (UxS) hardware design.


• Prior experience interfacing directly with government program offices or customers.

Company & Division Information

Applied Research Associates, Inc. is an employee-owned international research and engineering company recognized for providing technically superior solutions to complex and challenging problems in the physical sciences. The company, founded in Albuquerque, NM, in 1979, currently employs over 2,240 professionals and continues to grow. ARA offices throughout the United States and Canada provide a broad range of technical expertise in defense technologies, civil technologies, computer software and simulation, systems analysis, environmental technologies, and testing and measurement. The corporation also provides sophisticated technical products for environmental site characterization, pavement analysis, and robotics.

At ARA, employees are our greatest assets. The corporation realizes that employee ownership spawns greater creativity and initiative along with higher performance and customer satisfaction levels. ARA gives employees the tools, training, and opportunities to take more active roles as owners. The culture is challenging and innovation and experimentation are the norm. Employees are eligible for contributions which not only add to the company’s success, but also their own through the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). The motto, “Engineering and Science for Fun and Profit” sums up the ARA experience. We invite you to visit our website to learn more about who we are, what we do, the excellent careers and benefits we offer and explore some of our featured offices.