Senior Mechanical Design Engineer

Senior Mechanical Design Engineer – Hydraulics

Position Overview

TCOM, L.P. is seeking a Senior Mechanical Design Engineer with a strong focus on hydraulic systems to join a small, highly skilled engineering team developing a mobile mooring system for a lighter-than-air (LTA) defense aerostat. The aerostat is a helium-filled, aerodynamic balloon deployed at altitudes up to 15,000 feet using a state-of-the-art tether system.

The mooring system incorporates a capstan winch to control aerostat ascent and descent and is housed within a robust steel structure. Load-bearing truss structures support the moored aerostat, while the system is designed to weather-vane with wind, transport on specialized trailers, and be air transportable. This role is within TCOM’s Mechanical Design Department and supports both development and production programs.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and develop industrial machinery for winch systems and mooring components, including component selection, structural analysis, weld detailing, heat treatment, and finish specifications.
• Lead the complete design lifecycle of closed-loop hydrostatic hydraulic systems, from concept development through commissioning.
• Size and specify hydraulic pumps, motors, valves, lines, and associated components, producing detailed documentation to verify system performance requirements.
• Develop, review, and maintain hydraulic schematics; apply working knowledge of electro-hydraulics and servo-hydraulics to achieve precision control.
• Apply strong fundamentals in hydraulic principles, fluid mechanics, and thermodynamics to system design and analysis.
• Support diesel-engine-driven pump system design (experience preferred).
• Assist in the development and refinement of system-level requirements.
• Utilize commercial and proprietary modeling, simulation, and analysis tools to evaluate and optimize designs.
• Create detailed engineering drawings, models, and technical documentation to support customer and production requirements, with SolidWorks experience strongly preferred.
• Ensure drawings and documentation comply with applicable military and industry standards, including MIL-STD-100, MIL-STD-3100, and ASME Y14.5.
• Support internal and customer design reviews, including technical presentations and data packages.
• Generate technical reports, white papers, and memoranda as required.
• Collaborate closely with manufacturing to ensure designs align with production capabilities and company standards; occasional travel may be required to TCOM’s manufacturing facility in North Carolina or to U.S.-based vendors and fabricators.
• Provide troubleshooting support for hydraulic systems during production and fielded operations, including occasional travel.
• Work as part of integrated product teams with cross-functional engineering and professional staff to execute program objectives.
• Prepare portions of written engineering documentation, including drawings, specifications, proposals, technical manuals, and standards.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Work Environment & Team Interaction

• Operates under the technical oversight of engineering supervisors and senior engineers on complex subsystems and projects.
• Interfaces regularly with peers, senior engineers, manufacturing, and other professional staff.
• Thrives in a small-team environment, demonstrating initiative, accountability, and a strong desire to contribute to hands-on design efforts.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME)
• Minimum of 8 years of relevant experience in the design of heavy equipment or industrial machinery
• U.S. citizenship required
• Experience with manufacturing practices and design-for-manufacturability principles
• Proficiency with professional CAD, simulation, and analysis tools, such as SolidWorks, CREO, ABAQUS, and/or ANSYS

Compensation

In compliance with state and local laws, the salary range for this role is $110,000-$160,000. The range provided is a general guideline and good faith estimate representative of all experience levels but is not a guarantee of compensation or salary. TCOM considers several factors when extending an offer including, but not limited to, the scope and responsibilities of the position, a candidate’s experience, education/training, key skills, internal equity, and current market conditions. Employees may be eligible for a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results.

TCOM offers a variety of benefits, including health and disability insurance, 401(k) match, flexible spending accounts/HSAs, EAP, tuition reimbursement, parental leave, paid time off (PTO), and company-paid holidays. The specific programs, options and eligibility may vary depending on date of hire, classification, and schedule type.