Cypress Lake Solutions Senior Mechanical Engineer (Part-Time / As-Needed) - Weapon Systems R&D Redstone Arsenal, AL · Part time Company website

Apply for Senior Mechanical Engineer (Part-Time / As-Needed) - Weapon Systems R&D

Cypress Lake Solutions is a mission-driven small business based in North Alabama near Redstone Arsenal, serving the heart of the U.S. defense and aerospace community. Our mission is to serve with integrity, lead with compassion, and deliver with excellence—putting people first in every solution we provide. We are more than a service provider; we are stewards of trust who value meaningful relationships with our clients, employees, and community. Rooted in faith and principles of servant leadership, we strive to operate with humility, transparency, and the belief that doing what is right always comes before doing what is easy. Our culture is shaped by four guiding priorities: Faith: We lead with integrity and a commitment to ethical decision-making. Family: We support employees’ responsibilities at home and encourage healthy work-life balance. Fulfillment: We help our team pursue meaningful work and grow professionally. Fellowship: We value camaraderie, teamwork, and celebrating achievements. Employees at Cypress Lake are treated as trusted professionals and empowered to excel in their mission.

Location

This position supports the U.S. Army DEVCOM Aviation & Missile Center (AvMC) Technology Development Directorate at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, neighboring Huntsville, AL.

Work environments may include office space, engineering laboratories, machine shops, fabrication facilities, and outdoor weapons test ranges supporting propulsion and weapon system testing.

Job Description

The Senior Mechanical Engineer provides technical leadership and engineering support across multiple R&D efforts involving propulsion systems and weapon technologies. The role emphasizes mentorship, engineering oversight, and hands-on support to test and design activities.

The engineer works closely with multidisciplinary teams including government engineers, technicians, machinists, and program stakeholders to ensure engineering quality, proper documentation, and successful execution of test programs.

Job duties may include some or all of the following:

 

Technical Mentorship & Engineering Oversight

• Provide mentorship and guidance to junior and mid-level engineers in mechanical design, analysis, and test engineering practices
• Review engineering work products to ensure technical accuracy, completeness, and adherence to best practices
• Support development of engineering processes, standards, and design methodologies
• Assist in training engineers in safe and effective work practices in energetic material environments

 

Configuration Management & Drawing Package Control

• Lead and support configuration management of engineering drawing packages and technical data
• Review and approve drawings for completeness, manufacturability, and compliance with requirements
• Ensure proper version control, change documentation, and traceability of engineering artifacts
• Assist in establishing and maintaining drawing standards and documentation processes

 

Mechanical Design & Analysis

• Develop and review mechanical designs for test fixtures, tooling, and hardware using CAD tools such as SolidWorks
• Support design of systems involving propulsion, energetic materials, and associated test hardware
• Perform or guide analysis of components and assemblies to meet required safety factors (e.g., 5:1 for test hardware)
• Support reverse engineering, concept evaluation, and rapid prototyping efforts

 

Test Planning & Execution Support

• Support planning, design, and execution of laboratory and outdoor test events
• Assist with development of test fixtures, instrumentation layouts, and data collection systems
• Participate in test operations including setup, execution, troubleshooting, and post-test teardown
• Support data evaluation, interpretation, and reporting of propulsion and weapon system tests

 

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Interface with manufacturing, quality assurance, and government stakeholders to support program execution
• Coordinate with machinists and technicians to translate designs into fabricated hardware
• Support integration of hardware into test environments and ensure readiness for test execution

 

 

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related discipline
• 20+ years of relevant engineering experience, preferably supporting DoD RDT&E programs
• Demonstrated experience mentoring engineers and providing technical leadership
• Experience with mechanical design and CAD software (SolidWorks preferred)
• Strong understanding of engineering documentation and configuration management practices
• Ability to work both independently and within multidisciplinary teams
• Must be a U.S. Citizen with the ability to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance
• Ability to work safely with and around energetic/explosive and hazardous materials with proper training
• Willingness to work in office/desk, laboratory, shop, and/or outdoor test range environments

Desired Skills and Experience

• Experience supporting missile systems, propulsion, or energetic materials programs
• Strong background in configuration management and engineering documentation control
• Experience with propulsion system design, combustion, or detonation physics
• Familiarity with test instrumentation (pressure, temperature, load, high-speed data acquisition)
• Experience with rapid prototyping and skunkworks-style development environments
• Hands-on experience with propellants, explosives, and pyrotechnics
• Experience supporting test ranges and test engineering laboratories
• Experience in additive and subtractive manufacturing
• Experience working directly with military or government customers

Work Schedule

• Part-time, as-needed basis
• Hours may vary from 0 to 40 hours per week depending on mission requirements
• Anticipated average workload of approximately 24 hours per week (3 days/week) over time

What We Offer

• 401(k) plan with generous company matching
• Flexible work schedule aligned with mission needs
• Opportunity to mentor and shape the next generation of engineers
• Meaningful work supporting national defense programs
• Collaborative, mission-focused small business environment

Equal Opportunity Employer

Cypress Lake Solutions, LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.