Freelance Prototype Build Engineer Jobs in Texas

Principal Mechanical Engineer Lead the mechanical engineering efforts to design, analyze, and production-ize autonomous vessel hardware.

Location: Austin

About The Role

Saronic Technologies is a leader in revolutionizing autonomy at sea, dedicated to developing state-of-the-art solutions that enhance maritime operations through autonomous and intelligent platforms.

Saronic is seeking a Principal Mechanical Engineer to provide senior technical leadership across the mechanical engineering organization. This role reports to the Director of Mechanical Engineering and will work across four core areas: Perception Hardware, Marine Engineering, Mechanical Integration, and Structures.

This engineer will be accountable for helping teams solve high-priority mechanical engineering problems, make sound technical decisions, and deliver reliable hardware for autonomous surface vessels operating in harsh maritime environments. The ideal candidate has broad mechanical depth, strong first-principles judgment, and the ability to move quickly between design, analysis, integration, test, and production support.

Responsibilities:

• Lead resolution of complex mechanical engineering issues across perception hardware, marine systems, vehicle integration, and structures.
• Provide technical direction during design reviews, program reviews, trade studies, root‑cause investigations, and build/test activities.
• Drive sound engineering decisions across mechanical architecture, subsystem packaging, structural design, marine auxiliary systems, and sensor integration.
• Review and improve designs, analyses, drawings, test plans, and validation strategies to ensure technical rigor and execution quality.
• Partner with mechanical, electrical, perception, manufacturing, and program teams to deliver hardware that is manufacturable, serviceable, reliable, and production ready.
• Mentor engineers and raise the standard for mechanical design practices, analysis methods, documentation, and cross‑functional execution.

Qualifications:

Required:

• Bachelor's degree or greater in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Marine Engineering, Structural Engineering, or a related field.
• 10+ years of mechanical engineering experience in complex hardware development.
• Strong fundamentals in mechanical design, structural analysis, materials, tolerance analysis, manufacturability, and system integration.
• Experience supporting hardware through concept, design, analysis, prototype build, test, and production.
• Proficiency with 3D CAD tools such as Siemens NX, SolidWorks, Creo, or similar.
• Experience with hand calculations, FEA, design reviews, engineering drawings, and root‑cause analysis.
• Ability to communicate clearly, make decisions with incomplete information, and lead technical execution across multiple teams.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance.

Preferred:

• Experience with autonomous systems, maritime systems, robotics, aerospace, defense, or other harsh-environment hardware platforms.
• Experience in one or more of the following areas: perception hardware, optomechanical systems, marine auxiliary systems, mechanical integration, electronics packaging, or structures.
• Familiarity with shock, vibration, corrosion, environmental sealing, thermal management, fatigue, and serviceability considerations.
• Experience with ASME Y14.5, GD&T, Femap, ANSYS, CFD, thermal tools, or production release processes.
• Prior experience on DoD programs or unmanned maritime systems.
• Professional Engineer license or similar professional certification.

This role requires access to export‑controlled information or items that require 'U.S. Person' status. As defined by U.S. law, individuals who are any one of the following are considered to be a 'U.S. Person': (1) U.S. citizens, (2) legal permanent residents (a.k.a. green card holders), and (3) certain protected classes of asylees and refugees, as defined in 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).

Saronic does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, age, national origin, marital status, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other reason prohibited by law in provision of employment opportunities and benefits.