Mechanical Design Engineer

hatch I.T. is partnering with Kform to find a Design Engineer II — Mechanical / Firearms.Details below:

The Design Engineer II will lead mechanical design, prototyping, and validation of firearms-adjacent products, accessories, training devices (synthetic and real), and compliant firearm modifications to deliver innovative, mission-ready solutions.

The role centers on advanced mechanical engineering—no electrical engineering is required; electronics experience is a plus. You will work within Kform’s phase-gated product development and manufacturing environment (PRD → Concept → Engineering → EVT/DVT → Production), partnering tightly with production to ensure quality, cost, and speed.

Kform is a leader in transforming innovative technology for defense applications. Kform offers cradle-to-cradle commercialization services enhanced by a partner ecosystem of products and driven by a team of experts dedicated to pioneering solutions for national defense.

Kform designs and manufactures defense mission systems with innovative startups and leading corporations to deliver solutions for modern challenges.

• Own mechanical design from concept through detailed design and release using Solid Works; deliver robust models, drawings, and GD&T suitable for production.
• Engineer firearms-like and firearms-adjacent systems (mounts, enclosures, interfaces, recoil/impact management, ergonomics, accessory integration).
• Perform tolerance stacks, material and fastening selection, DFM/DFA, and durability analysis (hand-calcs and FEA-driven trade studies).
• Lead prototype builds (machined, sheet metal, polymer, additive), fixtures, and test rigs; drive rapid iteration using empirical test data.
• Conduct structured verification & validation: author test plans, execute EVT/DVT builds, analyze results, and manage ECR/ECOs to closure.
• Translate user stories into measurable requirements (PRD); produce integration artifacts (e.g., ICDs) and complete release packages.
• Collaborate with manufacturing, supply chain, and quality to industrialize designs; support pilot runs, PFMEAs, and process capability work.
• Interface with electronics/firmware teams when needed (no coding/ECAD required) to ensure mechanical accommodation and reliability.
• Mentor Design Engineer I and technicians; model best-in-class design hygiene, documentation, and shop safety.
• Execute in both sprint-based “Build” work and phase-based “Scale” programs, maintaining schedule and deliverable discipline.

• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• 3–7 years of mechanical product development with released, manufactured hardware.
• Expert Solid Works user (surfacing, complex assemblies, configurations, PDM); strong drawing control and GD&T.
• Proven DFM/DFA across metals (machining, sheet, casting), polymers, and additive; hands-on prototype experience.
• Demonstrated experience with firearms platforms at the engineering/armorer level (mechanisms, interfaces, safety, ergonomics).
• Competence in test planning, failure analysis, and closing corrective actions (ECR/ECO).

• Defense, rugged electronics packaging, or similarly regulated environments; familiarity with MIL-STD-810/461, DO-160, TEMPEST interfaces.
• Background integrating optics, rails, grips, stocks, magazines, triggers, safeties, and accessory interfaces; knowledge of recoil dynamics.
• FEA (static, modal, thermal) and tolerance analysis tools; basic metrology/CMM workflows.
• Exposure to coatings and finishes (anodize, conversion coat, Cerakote, powder/wet paint) and polymer/overmold design.
• Experience with phase-gated development (PRD, ICD, EVT/DVT) and manufacturing transfer.

• Mechanism design, kinematics, tolerance stacks, fastener engineering, and fatigue/fracture awareness.
• Shop-forward mindset: can build jigs/fixtures, assemble prototypes, and instrument tests safely and efficiently.
• Clear technical communication; crisp documentation; strong ownership in cross-functional settings.
• Systems thinking with disciplined risk management (DFMEA/PFMEA) and data-driven decision-making.
• Professional familiarity with electronics as…