About the Role

We're looking for a Hardware Engineer for Special Projects to serve as Core Tech's go-to technical problem solver. You will be deployed across the portfolio wherever the highest-priority gap is: diagnosing a hardware integration issue on one program, standing up a demo for a customer visit the next week, writing test automation to close a verification gap, building an internal dashboard to track production yield, or untangling a process bottleneck that's slowing down an entire team. The common thread is that every problem is different, the timeline is always tight, and the solution requires someone who can move fluidly between mechanical hardware, electronics, software, and systems-level thinking. If you've spent your career building breadth across engineering disciplines and you'd rather solve the hardest problem in the room than own a single subsystem, this is the role.

What You'll Do

• Own and execute short-duration, high-impact technical projects across Core Tech, scoped anywhere from a few days to a few months, spanning hardware, software, test, manufacturing, and process domains.
• Diagnose and resolve cross-functional technical issues (integration failures, test escapes, supplier quality problems, production-line bottlenecks) by getting hands-on with the hardware, the data, or the code as needed.
• Plan and execute customer and internal demonstrations end-to-end: define the demo architecture, coordinate resources, prepare technical materials, verify system readiness, and run the demo.
• Develop test software, automation scripts, and data-analysis tools (Python, MATLAB, or similar) to close verification gaps, improve test coverage, or reduce manual effort.
• Build dashboards, reports, and data pipelines that give engineering and leadership visibility into yield, test results, or other operational or test metrics.
  Identfy and bridge gaps that can emerge from speedy development cycles- documentation, technical debt, etc
• Perform system-level analysis and trade studies when programs need fast, informed technical input on architecture decisions, component selection, or integration strategy.
• Work directly with design engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, test, quality, and operations teams, often simultaneously, to drive resolution on problems that don't fit neatly into one team's charter.

Required Qualifications

• BS in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering
• 5+ years of engineering experience spanning at least two of the following: systems engineering, electromechanical hardware, embedded electronics, test/integration, software or scripting, manufacturing engineering.
• Demonstrated ability to move between disparate technical domains and deliver results without extended ramp-up time.
• Hands-on experience with hardware — you've designed fixtures, debugged assemblies, run tests, or worked on a production floor, not just written requirements documents.
• Working proficiency in at least one programming/scripting language (Python, MATLAB, C++, or similar) with demonstrated application to test automation, data analysis, or tooling.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills — able to brief executives, write clear technical reports, and document procedures that other engineers can follow.
• Comfort operating with ambiguous scope and shifting priorities; you define the problem as much as you solve it.
• Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• MS in Systems Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
• Experience with 3D CAD tools and engineering drawings/GD&T.
• Familiarity with thermal or structural analysis tools
• Experience developing MBSE artifacts or system architecture models.
• Background in defense or aerospace systems, particularly communication systems, avionics, or autonomous platforms.
• Experience building demos or technical packages for customer engagements.
• Familiarity with manufacturing processes for electromechanical assemblies, PCBAs, or drive systems.
• Exposure to mission-level modeling and simulation