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Prototype Engineering Jobs in Alabama (NOW HIRING)

Parsons Corporation

AI Engineer

Huntsville, AL · On-site

$134K - $241K/yr

... prototypes, engineering recommendations, and briefings for government stakeholders. * Support test and evaluation activities for AI tools, including performance assessment, qualitative review, and ...

BAE Systems

Dsgn Spec II

Huntsville, AL · On-site

$72K - $122K/yr

Partner with technicians in the generation and assembly of prototype/engineering hardware and test equipment * Create, maintain and update engineering records and files as appropriate * Execute ...

Parsons

AI Engineer with Security Clearance

Huntsville, AL · On-site

$134K - $241K/yr

... prototypes, engineering recommendations, and briefings for government stakeholders. * Support test and evaluation activities for AI tools, including performance assessment, qualitative review, and ...

Parsons

AI Engineer with Security Clearance

Huntsville, AL · On-site

$134K - $241K/yr

... prototypes, engineering recommendations, and briefings for government stakeholders. * Support test and evaluation activities for AI tools, including performance assessment, qualitative review, and ...

LSINC

Engineering Co-Op

Huntsville, AL · On-site

$15.50 - $20.25/hr

Assisting with mechanical, electrical, manufacturing, and product development projects Creating and updating CAD models, drawings, and engineering documentation Supporting prototype development ...

LSINC

Engineering Co-Op

Huntsville, AL

$15.50 - $20.25/hr

Assisting with mechanical, electrical, manufacturing, and product development projects Creating and updating CAD models, drawings, and engineering documentation Supporting prototype development ...

LSINC

Engineering Co-Op

Huntsville, AL · On-site

$15.50 - $20.25/hr

... Supporting prototype development, testing, and validation activities • Assisting with design improvements and engineering change implementation • Participating in product assembly ...

Griffon Aerospace

Electronics Technician

Madison, AL

Support engineering development activities by assembling and testing prototype hardware * Collaborate with electrical engineers to identify and resolve issues during testing and production * Utilize ...

Griffon Aerospace

Electronics Technician

Madison, AL · On-site

Support engineering development activities by assembling and testing prototype hardware * Collaborate with electrical engineers to identify and resolve issues during testing and production * Utilize ...

Griffon Aerospace

Electronics Technician

Madison, AL · On-site

Support engineering development activities by assembling and testing prototype hardware * Collaborate with electrical engineers to identify and resolve issues during testing and production * Utilize ...

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All JobsPrototype Engineering JobsPrototype Engineering Jobs in Alabama

Prototype Engineering information

See Alabama salary details

$26

$33

$35

How much do prototype engineering jobs pay per hour?

As of Jul 4, 2026, the average hourly pay for prototype engineering in Alabama is $33.06, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $31.15 and $34.86 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are some common challenges faced by prototype engineers during the product development process?

Prototype engineers often encounter challenges such as tight development timelines, limited resources, and evolving design requirements. They must frequently adapt to changes based on feedback from testing and cross-functional teams, which requires flexibility and strong problem-solving skills. Additionally, balancing functionality, manufacturability, and cost during rapid prototyping can be demanding, but it provides valuable experience in innovative thinking and collaboration.

What engineers make $300,000 a year?

Senior engineers in specialized fields such as software engineering, petroleum engineering, and aerospace engineering can earn $300,000 or more annually, especially with extensive experience, advanced skills, and leadership roles. High compensation often involves working in high-demand industries, holding managerial positions, or possessing rare technical expertise and certifications.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Prototype Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Prototype Engineer, you need a solid background in mechanical or electrical engineering, strong problem-solving abilities, and hands-on experience with prototyping methods. Familiarity with CAD software, rapid prototyping tools like 3D printers, and knowledge of manufacturing processes are typically required. Creativity, adaptability, and effective communication help Prototype Engineers collaborate with cross-functional teams and iterate designs efficiently. These skills are crucial for transforming innovative ideas into functional prototypes that support product development and innovation.

What engineers make $200,000 a year?

Senior engineers in specialized fields such as software engineering, petroleum engineering, and aerospace engineering often earn $200,000 or more annually, especially with extensive experience, advanced skills, and in high-demand industries. Leadership roles like engineering managers and principal engineers also frequently reach or exceed this salary level, often requiring advanced certifications and management experience.

What engineers make $500,000?

Senior engineers in specialized fields such as software engineering, petroleum engineering, and aerospace engineering can earn $500,000 or more annually, especially with experience, advanced skills, and leadership roles. High compensation often involves bonuses, stock options, or profit sharing, and typically requires advanced degrees and extensive industry experience.

What is the difference between Prototype Engineering vs Mechanical Design?

AspectPrototype EngineeringMechanical Design
Primary FocusDeveloping, building, and testing prototypes to validate conceptsCreating detailed mechanical parts and assemblies for products
Required SkillsHands-on fabrication, rapid prototyping, testing methodsCAD modeling, technical drawings, design analysis
Work EnvironmentLaboratories, workshops, manufacturing settingsDesign offices, CAD labs, engineering departments
Common CertificationsNone specific, often practical experienceProfessional engineering licenses, CAD certifications

Prototype Engineering and Mechanical Design are closely related roles in product development. Prototype engineers focus on building and testing physical models to validate concepts, while mechanical designers create detailed plans and models for manufacturing. Both roles often collaborate but serve different stages of the product development process.

What is prototype engineering?

Prototype engineering is the process of designing, building, and testing early models of products or components to evaluate their functionality, performance, and feasibility. Prototype engineers work closely with designers and product developers to turn ideas into tangible models, which can be used for testing and refinement before mass production. This helps identify design flaws, improve product quality, and reduce development costs. Prototype engineering plays a crucial role in industries such as automotive, electronics, and consumer products, where rapid innovation and iteration are essential.

What does a prototype engineer do?

A prototype engineer designs, develops, and tests early models of products to evaluate their functionality, feasibility, and design. They work with CAD software, build physical prototypes, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to refine product concepts before mass production.
What are popular job titles related to Prototype Engineering jobs in Alabama? For Prototype Engineering jobs in Alabama, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Prototype Engineering jobs in Alabama look for? The top searched job categories for Prototype Engineering jobs in Alabama are:
Prototype Engineering jobs near you
Infographic showing various Prototype Engineering job openings in Alabama as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 33% Full Time, 34% Contract, and 33% Nights. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $68,765 per year, or $33.1 per hour.
AI Engineer (Supporting MDA)

AI Engineer (Supporting MDA)

Mission Driven Research

Huntsville, AL • On-site

Full-time

Posted 5 days ago

Job description

MDR is looking for an amazingly talented AI Engineer to join our team! In this role you will get to provide technical support for the design, evaluation, and advancement of AI-enabled applications, tools, and workflows. This role is intended for a hands-on technical professional who understands how modern AI systems are built and can help develop practical solutions using large language models, agentic workflows, orchestration frameworks, and supporting software infrastructure. The right candidate is a builder at heart-someone who explores new frameworks, prototypes ideas, and continuously teaches themselves emerging techniques. Curiosity and passion matter greatly in this role. We want someone who follows the fast-moving AI ecosystem because they genuinely enjoy it, not just because the job requires it.
What You'll Be Doing:
  • Provide SETA support to government teams developing or assessing AI-enabled applications and tools.
  • Advise on technical approaches for AI application design, prototyping, integration, and evaluation.
  • Assess solutions involving LLMs, retrieval-augmented generation, tool use, agentic workflows, orchestration layers, prompt pipelines, and evaluation harnesses.
  • Support the review of architectures, development approaches, model usage patterns, and technical risk areas.
  • Advise on AI engineering considerations such as latency, reliability, observability, testability, guardrails, data flow, and system integration.
  • Evaluate and compare modern AI frameworks, agentic libraries, and experimentation harnesses for suitability in mission use cases.
  • Assist with the development of technical guidance, prototypes, engineering recommendations, and briefings for government stakeholders.
  • Support test and evaluation activities for AI tools, including performance assessment, qualitative review, and workflow validation.
  • Collaborate with platform engineers, product leads, mission users, and government leadership to ensure AI efforts remain technically grounded and operationally relevant.
  • Stay current on rapid changes in the AI ecosystem and provide informed recommendations on emerging tools and practices.

What Required Skills You'll Bring:
  • Masters degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science, Mathematics, or related field and 12+ years of relevant experience
  • Active Secret clearance required
  • Experience designing, building, integrating, or evaluating AI/ML-enabled applications or software tools.
  • Familiarity with modern AI application patterns, including LLM-based applications, RAG, prompt engineering, agentic systems, and AI-assisted workflows.
  • Experience with software development fundamentals, APIs, data handling, and system integration.
  • Ability to assess technical tradeoffs and communicate them clearly to both engineers and government stakeholders.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills.

What Desired Skills You'll Bring:
  • Ability to obtain a TS SCI clearance required
  • Experience with Python, JavaScript/TypeScript, or similar languages commonly used in AI application development.
  • Familiarity with vector databases, embeddings, model APIs, evaluation frameworks, and agent testing harnesses.
  • Exposure to model hosting, inference pipelines, or cloud-based AI development environments.
  • Understanding of secure AI development practices, data protection, and operational constraints in government settings.
  • Experience supporting defense, cyber, intelligence, or mission application development.
  • Familiarity with human-in-the-loop workflows, AI assurance, and evaluation methodologies.
  • Working knowledge of one or more agentic or orchestration frameworks such as LangChain, LangGraph, Semantic Kernel, AutoGen, CrewAI, Haystack, LlamaIndex, or similar ecosystems.

Position Requirements
  • Clearance Required
    • Secret
  • Position Level
    • Principal
  • FT/PT
    • Full Time
  • Years Related Work Experience
    • 12
  • Education Level Required
    • Master's

Mission Driven Research is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/veterans. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. If you are interested in applying for employment with Mission Driven Research and need special assistance or an accommodation to use our website, please contact us by email (hr@missiondrivenresearch.com) or by phone by calling (256) 299-9288. When contacting us, please provide your contact information and state the nature of your accessibility issue.

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