Mechanical Engineer in Rockford, Illinois at Kaney Aerospace LLC

Job Summary:

Kaney is seeking a Senior Mechanical Engineer focused on design and analysis of electromechanical actuation systems and components. You will drive the mechanical design, analysis, and testing of products to ensure they meet performance, safety, manufacturability, reliability, and certification requirements.

Major Responsibilities:

• Perform trade studies between alternative actuator design concepts to determine optimal approach
• Ensure designs meet weight, envelope, performance, manufacturability, and cost targets
• Perform stress, fatigue, and modal analyses with hand calculations and FEA tools to verify designs under various loading conditions
• Determine appropriate bearing arrangements and sizes for new product designs
• Develop detailed 3D CAD models and engineering drawings for rotary and linear actuators
• Conduct tolerance stack-up analyses on new and existing products
• Collaborate with systems and electrical engineering to integrate motors, sensors, drives, and control units into designs
• Plan and execute tests of components and subsystems, document procedures, and analyze data
• Support root-cause investigations for field or test failures on new and legacy products
• Serve as Integrated Product Team (IPT) lead for sub-system deliverables, coordinating with mechanical, electrical, and systems engineers
• Facilitate technical design reviews with both the internal team and stakeholders
• Mentor junior engineers and interns on best practices
• Help program management to track milestones and risks in projects you support
• Support review and development of department policies and procedures

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant industry experience
• Demonstrated leadership experience in technical projects (e.g., project lead, mentoring junior engineers)
• Proficient in 3D CAD modeling (SolidWorks preferred) and engineering drawing generation
• Proficient in Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) per ASME Y14.5
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Experience using engineering change orders/notices/requests to document, track, and convey product changes

Minimum Competencies:

• Capable of selecting and applying standard principles, theories, and concepts in mechanical engineering to the design of components and assemblies
• Knowledge of manufacturing processes and demonstrated ability to accommodate those processes in product design
• Ability to interact effectively with representatives of customers, suppliers and intra-company groups to design products that meet defined requirements and specifications
• Understanding of materials selection and standard industry specifications
• Remains current in the fields of mechanical design, analysis, modeling, and manufacturing techniques
• Ability to identify and understand technical risk(s) and convey to others how risks may impact product performance and project schedule
• Elevated level of attention to detail and an aptitude for adhering to process standards
• Strong analytical skills for interpreting test data and driving design improvements

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with aerospace electromechanical actuator design and analysis
• Experience with Ball Screw design practices and principals.
• Experience with gear and gearbox design
• Experience in a manufacturing environment
• Experience designing products to meet RTCA DO-160 and/or MIL-STD-810 environmental test standards
• Experience with embedded electronics packaging
• Familiarity with reliability analysis methods
• Familiarity with AS9100 and/or ISO 9001 practices

Operational Details / Work Environment

• Work activities may be performed at company facilities or at the facilities of the company’s customers and suppliers.
• Work will be performed both in an office environment and in a laboratory environment.
• Travel to customer and/or supplier sites may be required.
• PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) may be required in some workspaces