Patton is seeking a senior, hands‑on Mechanical Engineer to design and support mission‑critical, secure electronic systems for defense, aerospace, and secure communications applications. This role requires deep technical involvement in enclosures, thermal design, shielding, structural integrity, and manufacturability, while working closely with Electrical, PCB, and Systems Engineering teams.
The ideal candidate thrives in a high‑discipline engineering environment, understands the mechanical implications of EMI/EMSEC‑driven designs, and is comfortable owning designs from concept through production and sustainment.
Core Responsibilities
Mechanical System Design & Architecture
- Serve as mechanical design authority for electronic systems operating in secure, mission‑critical environments
- Own mechanical architecture from requirements through production, including:
- Enclosures, frames, and chassis
- Shielding, gasketing, and EMI/EMC mitigation features
- Thermal management (conduction, convection, forced‑air, passive solutions)
- Structural integrity, vibration, and shock considerations
- Translate electrical and system requirements into robust, producible mechanical designs.
- Design mechanical solutions that support TEMPEST or TEMPEST‑like mitigation strategies, including:
- Shielded enclosures and covers
- EMI gasketing, seams, bonding, and grounding paths
- Cable ingress/egress control, connector placement, and isolation zones
- Collaborate closely with Electrical Engineering to ensure enclosure and PCB/layout strategies are aligned for emissions control and signal integrity.
- Support system‑level RED/BLACK separation concepts through mechanical partitioning and layout.
- Create detailed 3D CAD models, assemblies, and production drawings.
- Define tolerances, finishes, materials, and fastener strategies suitable for secure and long‑lifecycle products.
- Participate in prototype builds, fit checks, and bring‑up activities.
- Support qualification, compliance, and environmental testing (EMI/EMC, thermal, vibration, shock as applicable).
- Work closely with:
- Electrical and PCB Design Engineers on component placement, stack‑ups, grounding, and shielding effectiveness
- Manufacturing on DFM/DFA, tooling, and assembly processes
- Supply chain on part selection, alternates, and obsolescence mitigation
- Provide mechanical input during system design reviews, risk assessments, and design trades.
- Interface with customers, program managers, and test labs when mechanical design decisions impact performance or compliance.
- Support transition of designs into production, including documentation, assembly instructions, and test fixtures as needed.
- Provide sustaining engineering support for field issues, updates, and product revisions.
- Design with long‑term availability, serviceability, and configuration control in mind.
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent.
- 7–10+ years of professional mechanical engineering experience, including ownership of electronic enclosures or assemblies.
- Strong hands‑on experience with:
- Enclosure and chassis design for electronics
- Thermal management of electronic systems
- EMI‑aware mechanical design
- Proven ability to work effectively in regulated, security‑sensitive engineering environments.
- Experience supporting products from concept through production and sustainment.
- Experience with defense, aerospace, secure communications, or critical infrastructure products.
- Familiarity with EMI/EMC compliance testing and mitigation strategies from a mechanical perspective.
- Experience with ruggedized designs subject to shock, vibration, and environmental extremes.
- Prior experience serving as a technical lead or senior mechanical authority on multi‑disciplinary programs.
- Detail‑oriented, disciplined engineer with a strong ownership mindset
- Comfortable working across electrical, mechanical, and manufacturing boundaries
- Practical problem solver who balances rigor, schedule, and cost
- Clear communicator who can explain and defend mechanical design decisions
About the company
Company website•Telecommunications
Patton is a US manufacturer of UC, cloud, and IoT enabling solutions for carrier, enterprise and industrial networks.
Patton is all about connections—from inception the company has connected generations in a family-owned-and-operated business. Since incorporating in 1984, Patton has built everything from micro-sized widgets for connecting "this-with-that," to carrier-grade Telecom gear that connects end-customers to service-provider networks.
Now headquartered in Gaithersburg, MD, USA, Patton markets a catalog of over 1,000 products, with a focus on VoIP and Ethernet extension technologies. Today, Patton equipment is up-and-running in carrier, enterprise and industrial networks all over the world—interconnecting legacy TDM and serial systems with contemporary and next-generation IP-based voice, data, and multi-media networking technologies.
It is our joy and mission to connect real-world customer challenges with high-quality, right-priced solutions, complemented by unrivaled customer service and technical support. Patton's global family of sales, support, and engineering professionals are fully-engaged in connecting our product managers with true local-market requirements. Patton works hard to connect with your world, operating regional offices in strategic locations across the globe, with training and technical-support centers in Switzerland, Hungary, Lebanon, India, Vietnam, and the USA. To better reach our global customers and serve their true needs, Patton works in connection with a growing network of technology, business, and sales-channel partners. Patton… Let's Connect!