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.
• 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 Solid Works 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.
• 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 of8 years of relevant experience
  in the design of heavy equipment or industrial machinery
• Experience with manufacturing practices and design‑for‑manufacturability principles
• Proficiency with professional CAD, simulation, and analysis tools, such as
  Solid Works, 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.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.