Hypersonics Mechanical Engineer I

POSITION SUMMARY

HY-SET LLC is seeking an early-career Mechanical Engineer to support the design, analysis, operation, and sustainment of advanced hypersonic experimental platforms. The position combines hands-on experimental facility engineering with rigorous mechanical analysis and design, with particular emphasis on finite element method (FEM) analysis, fluid mechanics, valving and actuation systems, 3D CAD, mechanical hardware development, manufacturing support, and additive manufacturing.

The successful candidate will work closely with senior engineers, researchers, technicians, machinists, and vendors to develop and maintain mechanical systems used in demanding research and test environments. The role is well suited for an engineer who enjoys moving between analysis, CAD, hardware, and facility operations and who can translate engineering requirements into practical, manufacturable, and maintainable designs. The position may support U.S. Government programs and may involve export-controlled, proprietary, or classified work.

ABOUT THE COMPANY

HY-SET LLC is an aerospace engineering firm based in Arlington, TX. HY-SET specializes in providing unique hypersonic solutions to best fit customer needs. HY-SET commercially operates an arc-heated wind tunnel facility and develops unique hypersonic ground testing facility for the hypersonics community. Additionally, HY-SET has expertise in classical and advanced laser-based instrumentation of ground test facilities, advanced hypersonic cooling strategies, and hypersonic air-breathing and rocket propulsion.

PRIMARY TECHNICAL EMPHASIS

Finite element analysis (FEM/FEA); Fluid mechanics; Valves and actuation; Pressure and flow systems; Hypersonic experimental facility operation and maintenance; 3D CAD and mechanical design; Machine-shop and manufacturing coordination; Additive manufacturing; Mechanical testing; Design documentation and configuration control

LIST OF PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES AND/OR DESIRED SKILL SETS

• Perform finite element analysis of mechanical components, assemblies, supports, pressure-system hardware, fixtures, and experimental equipment, including linear static stress, deformation, contact, thermal stress, buckling, modal/vibration, and other analyses as appropriate to the design.
• Develop defensible FEM models by establishing realistic geometry idealizations, material properties, loads, constraints, contacts, mesh requirements, convergence checks, and acceptance criteria; document assumptions and correlate predictions with hand calculations or test data where practical.
• Develop 3D CAD models and production-quality mechanical drawings for components, assemblies, test fixtures, facility modifications, brackets, structural supports, manifolds, instrumentation mounts, enclosures, and related hardware.
• Apply geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T), fits, tolerances, material specifications, surface-finish requirements, and drawing notes appropriate to the function and manufacturing process.
• Apply fluid-mechanics principles to the design and evaluation of piping, manifolds, valves, regulators, orifices, nozzles, flow restrictions, pressure vessels, and other facility flow hardware, including pressure-drop, flow-rate, and system-level calculations as applicable.
• Work directly with internal and external machine shops, fabricators, welders, additive-manufacturing providers, and suppliers to review designs for manufacturability, resolve drawing or tolerance questions, evaluate substitutions, and disposition minor fabrication issues in coordination with responsible engineering personnel.
• Support additive manufacturing for prototypes, tooling, fixtures, flow hardware, instrumentation interfaces, and low-volume components; assess build orientation, support strategy, material selection, post-processing, dimensional capability, and suitability for the intended service environment.
• Participate in the installation, checkout, operation, inspection, preventive maintenance, troubleshooting, repair, and modification of experimental facilities and mechanical test equipment.
• Support facility readiness activities, including system walkdowns, leak checks, pressure testing, functional checks, valve lineup verification, maintenance planning, spare-parts identification, and documentation of as-built configuration.
• Develop test fixtures and instrumentation interfaces and support mechanical testing, proof testing, calibration activities, and data interpretation.
• Perform engineering trade studies and design calculations to evaluate structural margins, material selection, load paths, thermal effects, pressure-system behavior, life-cycle considerations, manufacturability, cost, schedule, and maintainability.
• Create and maintain engineering documentation including drawings, bills of material, analysis reports, test procedures, maintenance instructions, redlines, configuration records, and technical presentations.
• Participate in design reviews, test-readiness reviews, failure investigations, root-cause analyses, and corrective-action efforts under the guidance of senior technical staff.
• Collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary teams including mechanical, aerospace, electrical, controls, instrumentation, safety, manufacturing, and research personnel.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a closely related engineering discipline from an accredited institution.
• Relevant professional engineering experience, including internships or graduate research where the work demonstrates substantial hands-on design, analysis, or experimental-facility responsibility.
• Demonstrated experience with finite element analysis and the ability to build, evaluate, and document engineering models rather than relying solely on automated solver output.
• Strong foundation in solid mechanics, mechanics of materials, statics, dynamics, heat transfer, and fluid mechanics.
• Experience with 3D parametric CAD and mechanical drawing creation using a mainstream CAD platform such as SolidWorks, Creo, Autodesk Inventor, or equivalent.
• Ability to perform first-principles engineering calculations and use them to sanity-check or validate numerical analysis.
• Familiarity with valves, piping, fittings, pressure systems, actuators, regulators, seals, fasteners, bearings, structural hardware, or comparable mechanical components.
• Understanding of common manufacturing processes including CNC machining, manual machining, sheet-metal fabrication, welding, cutting, grinding, finishing, and mechanical assembly.
• Ability to read and interpret mechanical drawings, engineering specifications, vendor data sheets, and component performance curves.
• Experience working safely in laboratory, shop, test, or industrial environments and willingness to support hands-on facility operations and maintenance.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to document analyses, design decisions, and test results clearly.
• Ability to work independently on well-defined engineering tasks while seeking appropriate technical review for safety-critical, pressure-system, or high-consequence decisions.

SECURITY, CITIZENSHIP & EXPORT-CONTROL ELIGIBILITY

This position may support contracts or research programs subject to U.S. export-control regulations, International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Export Administration Regulations (EAR), or U.S. Government security requirements. U.S. citizenship is required and depending on assigned programs, the ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance may be required. Final eligibility requirements will be identified for the specific requisition and work assignment.

EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS

• Full-time, exempt engineering position.
• Primary work location: Arlington, TX. On-site presence required for proprietary work which includes experimental facility operation, hardware integration, shop interaction, and test support.
• Limited travel may be required to machine shops, supplier facilities, customer sites, government laboratories, test facilities, and technical reviews.
• The position may require work around pressurized systems, machinery, elevated temperatures, test equipment, shop environments, and other controlled hazards in accordance with approved procedures and site-specific safety requirements.
• Occasional schedule flexibility may be required to support test operations, facility maintenance, hardware installation, or time-critical troubleshooting.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

Competitive salary commensurate with candidate expertise.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

• Résumé or curriculum vitae.
• Brief cover letter describing relevant experience in mechanical design, FEM/FEA, fluid systems, experimental facilities, manufacturing, or related engineering work.
• Selected project portfolio, drawings, analysis examples, or technical work samples may be requested during the interview process, subject to applicable confidentiality and proprietary-information restrictions.
• Professional references may be requested later in the selection process.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

HY-SET LLC is an equal opportunity employer and evaluates qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Reasonable accommodations are available to qualified individuals with disabilities during the application and employment process.

Work Location: In person