About Careertakes

👉 Important disclosure: Careertakes is a third-party recruiting platform supporting this hiring process. If selected, you will be employed directly by our client, Engineering.

Applicants for this role may also receive access to additional matched opportunities through the Careertakes platform.

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Overview

Confidential Client is hiring an Associate Hardware Mechanical Engineer to support hardware design, integration, and test for electronic and sensing systems at its Rolling Meadows, IL engineering site. This is an early-career engineering role that may require working on classified programs — U.S. citizenship and the ability to obtain a U.S. Government security clearance are required.

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What You’ll Do

You will contribute to the research, design, development, and test of electronic and electromechanical equipment, including but not limited to circuitry components, sensors and antennas, transmitters/receivers, and analog/digital subsystems. Responsibilities include:

• Support mechanical design and packaging for hardware and microelectronics
• Create and review 3D CAD models and mechanical drawings
• Perform thermal and structural analysis and support environmental testing
• Integrate mechanical and electronic subsystems for prototype builds
• Support design reviews, engineering documentation, and problem resolution (FRACAS/DVT)
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (electrical, optics, manufacturing, test)
• Participate in lab troubleshooting, validation and test activities
• Support program capture and delivery activities as required

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Basic Qualifications

Associate level (required for the Associate Hardware Mechanical Engineer title):

• Completing or has completed a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a closely related STEM field
• U.S. citizenship required to obtain U.S. Government security clearance
• Ability to obtain an interim U.S. Government Secret clearance to start
• Ability to obtain access to Special Access Programs within a reasonable period

Hardware Mechanical Engineer level (required for the Hardware Mechanical Engineer title):

• Completing or has completed a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a closely related STEM field
• U.S. citizenship required to obtain U.S. Government security clearance
• Ability to obtain an interim U.S. Government Secret clearance to start
• Ability to obtain access to Special Access Programs within a reasonable period

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Preferred Qualifications

• Overall cumulative GPA of 3.0/4.0 or higher (desirable for campus/hybrid hiring)
• Current/active U.S. Government Secret clearance a plus
• Coursework or experience with one or more of: Siemens NX, SolidWorks, Creo, 3D CAD modeling, additive manufacturing, thermal and structural analysis, microelectronics design, opto-mechanical design, environmental testing
• Experience with analysis and simulation tools such as ANSYS, ZEMAX, Cadence, or similar
• Familiarity with PLM/PDM processes, electronics packaging, circuit card assembly, or optics packaging
• Demonstrated ability to lead small engineering teams during product development
• Strong written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills and experience presenting at design reviews

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Location, Clearance & Travel

• Location: Rolling Meadows, IL (on-site)
• Clearance: Interim U.S. Government Secret clearance required to start; U.S. citizenship required
• Travel: Approximately 10% (as required by program needs)
• Relocation assistance: May be available

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Compensation & Benefits

• Pay range for Associate Hardware Mechanical Engineer: $66,200 - $96,400 per year
• Pay range for Hardware Mechanical Engineer: $79,600 - $119,400 per year
• Total compensation may include overtime, shift differential, discretionary/annual bonuses, and long-term incentives for select roles
• Benefits typically include health insurance, life and disability insurance, retirement/savings plans, paid time off, and company paid holidays

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Why Join

• Work on mission-critical, cutting-edge systems in an engineering environment
• Structured early-career development and training opportunities
• Collaborative teams that value diverse perspectives and innovative problem-solving
• Exposure to multi-domain sensing, navigation, targeting, and survivability systems

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Equal Opportunity & Hiring Transparency

Careertakes and our client are Equal Opportunity Employers committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. We prohibit discrimination or harassment of any kind. To support a fair and efficient hiring process, AI tools may be used to assist with application review or resume screening. These tools do not replace human decision-making. Final hiring decisions are made by people.

If you have questions about how your data is used, please contact us directly.