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Senior Design Engineer Jobs in Springfield, VA (NOW HIRING)

Quartermaster AI Inc

Senior Design Engineer

Arlington, VA · On-site

$180K - $230K/yr

We are looking for a Senior Design Engineer who thrives at the intersection of operational complexity, user interface design, and front-end engineering. Reporting to the CTO and working cross ...

New

Helsing

Senior Design Engineer

Washington, DC · On-site

The role As a Design Engineer, you will work on innovative UAV platforms, modifying and adapting existing mechanical and electrical designs to meet US customer requirements and specifications. You ...

Helsing

Senior Design Engineer

Washington, DC

The role As a Design Engineer, you will work on innovative UAV platforms, modifying and adapting existing mechanical and electrical designs to meet US customer requirements and specifications. You ...

KBR

Senior Mechanical Design Engineer

Washington, DC · On-site

$150K - $190K/yr

Senior Mechanical Design Engineer Belong. Connect. Grow. with KBR! KBR's National Security Solutions team provides high-end engineering and advanced technology solutions to our customers in the ...

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Senior Design Engineer information

See Springfield, VA salary details

$65.8K

$126.9K

$200K

How much do senior design engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 7, 2026, the average yearly pay for senior design engineer in Springfield, VA is $126,874.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $99,200.00 and $144,700.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

How does a Senior Design Engineer typically collaborate with cross-functional teams during a product development cycle?

Senior Design Engineers frequently work alongside professionals from manufacturing, quality assurance, project management, and marketing to ensure the successful development and launch of products. They lead design reviews, gather input from other departments, and address technical challenges collaboratively. This role requires strong communication skills and the ability to balance design intent with practical constraints such as cost, manufacturability, and regulatory requirements. Regular meetings and iterative feedback loops are a standard part of the process, making teamwork and adaptability essential for success.

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

To thrive as a Senior Design Engineer, you need a strong background in engineering principles, advanced problem-solving abilities, and a relevant bachelor's or master's degree in engineering. Proficiency with CAD software, simulation tools, and familiarity with industry standards or certifications such as PE (Professional Engineer) are typically required. Leadership, effective communication, and project management skills set top performers apart in this role. These competencies ensure the delivery of innovative, reliable designs while leading teams and projects to successful outcomes.

What is the difference between Senior Design Engineer vs Mechanical Design Engineer?

AspectSenior Design EngineerMechanical Design Engineer
Required CredentialsBachelor's degree in engineering, experience in design, possibly professional engineering licenseBachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or related field, design experience
Work EnvironmentDesign teams, project management, cross-disciplinary collaborationDesign and development of mechanical components, CAD work, prototype testing
Employer & Industry UsageEngineering firms, manufacturing, aerospace, automotiveManufacturing, product design, machinery development

The main difference is that a Senior Design Engineer typically has more experience, leadership responsibilities, and may oversee projects, while a Mechanical Design Engineer focuses on creating and testing mechanical components. Both roles require similar technical skills and work in related environments, but the senior position involves more oversight and strategic input.

What does a Senior Design Engineer do?

A Senior Design Engineer is responsible for leading the design and development of products, systems, or components, often within engineering or manufacturing industries. They create detailed technical drawings and specifications, oversee project timelines, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure designs meet safety, quality, and efficiency standards. Additionally, they mentor junior engineers, troubleshoot design challenges, and may interact with clients or stakeholders to clarify requirements and present solutions. Their role combines technical expertise, project management, and leadership skills.
What are popular job titles related to Senior Design Engineer jobs in Springfield, VA? For Senior Design Engineer jobs in Springfield, VA, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Senior Design Engineer jobs in Springfield, VA look for? The top searched job categories for Senior Design Engineer jobs in Springfield, VA are:
What cities near Springfield, VA are hiring for Senior Design Engineer jobs? Cities near Springfield, VA with the most Senior Design Engineer job openings:
Senior Design Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Senior Design Engineer job openings in Springfield, VA as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 86% Full Time, 11% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 85% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 11% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $126,874 per year, or $61 per hour.

Senior Design Engineer

Quartermaster AI Inc

Arlington, VA • On-site

$180K - $230K/yr

Full-time

Posted 4 days ago

New

Job description

About Us
Quartermaster is building the world's most comprehensive maritime intelligence platform. Our SmartMast™ system transforms commercial and civilian vessels into a persistent, distributed sensing network-combining HD video, AI, radar, RF sensing, and AIS to deliver real-time maritime domain awareness at global scale. With 600+ sensors deployed across 25+ countries and more than 400,000 vessels identified outside of AIS, we are setting a new standard for what ocean surveillance and safety can look like. We are a mission-driven, high-velocity team building dual-use technology for defense agencies, coast guards, and commercial maritime operators.
Job Description
We are looking for a Senior Design Engineer who thrives at the intersection of operational complexity, user interface design, and front-end engineering. Reporting to the CTO and working cross-functionally with the Head of Product, you'll live at the intersection of design and engineering-translating high-fidelity design intent into production-quality interfaces that empower analysts and operators in complex maritime environments. You'll build the components, tooling, and prototypes that make mission-critical experiences feel seamless and perform under pressure. Good design here is not cosmetic-it is operationally significant, and requires production-grade technical execution.
Key Responsibilities
  • Build and ship production-ready UI components from design specs, prioritizing performance, reusability, and scalability across our web portal.
  • Develop and maintain our design system as living code-keeping design tokens, component libraries (React/TypeScript), and documentation in sync across our maritime intelligence applications.
  • Prototype novel interactions and data visualizations-including live sensor feeds, event timelines, and tracking dashboards-to pressure-test new product proposals in real, interactive environments.
  • Bridge design and engineering by implementing high-fidelity features like map interfaces and radar overlays that preserve design intent in high-density data environments.
  • Build tooling and automation that accelerate the design-to-development workflow between product and core engineering.
  • Iterate on implementations based on direct operator feedback, field testing, and rigorous performance insights from defense and government customers.
  • Conduct and synthesize user research to inform technical design decisions, turning complex maritime workflows into highly performant and clear user journeys.
  • Establish and enforce accessibility standards (WCAG), performance optimization guidelines, and responsive design practices across the front-end repository.
Qualifications (Preferred)
  • 5+ years of experience in product design, UI/UX engineering, or front-end design engineering, paired with a designer's eye and a portfolio demonstrating mastery of data-rich web application interfaces.
  • Strong front-end engineering competencies: Deep fluency in HTML, CSS/Tailwind, and modern JavaScript/TypeScript, with hands-on experience building components in React.
  • Deep proficiency in Figma, including advanced component libraries, auto-layout, token management, and the tooling that keeps code components consistent with their design source of truth.
  • A strong visual design foundation-typography, color, layout, and hierarchy-especially when designing for dense, operationally critical environments where information clarity and software performance are non-negotiable.
  • Fluency in UX principles: interaction design, information architecture, and the technical ability to translate complex data workflows into simple, intuitive interfaces.
  • Experience designing and building geospatial or map-based interfaces; comfort handling layered, overlapping data visualizations and Canvas/WebGL rendering paradigms.
  • Comfort working in iterative processes, incorporating user research, field feedback, and performance data to refine and evolve your work.

Bonus Points:
  • Experience designing for defense, maritime, aviation, or other mission-critical operational domains requiring precision, clarity, and real-world impact.
  • Background in designing for data visualization, sensor dashboards, or real-time monitoring systems.
  • Experience with motion design, micro-interactions, or advanced layout automation for operational interfaces.
Work Environment
  • Distributed team environment working asynchronously.
  • Start-up atmosphere with autonomy given to engineers
  • In office and flexible hours

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