Junior Mechanical Test Engineer

Primary Responsibilities: Support the planning, preparation, execution, and evaluation of structural tests for mechanical components, assemblies, support structures, data collection, technical reporting, and integrated hardware. Develop and review structural test plans, test procedures, work instructions, and data collection requirements. Identify unexpected structural behavior, excessive deformation, abnormal loading, fixture movement, fastener or joint issues, and other test anomalies. Support system-level integration and test activities to verify that mechanical hardware, subsystems, and associated interfaces function as intended within the overall system. Translate system requirements, interface control documents, engineering specifications, and verification plans into executable mechanical and system-level test procedures. Support integration of mechanical assemblies with electrical, electronic, actuation, control, and other subsystem elements as applicable to the test article. Support system-level environmental, dynamic, vibration, shock, or other qualification and verification activities when required by the program. Participate in test readiness reviews, integration reviews, test conduct meetings, and post-test assessments. Prepare test reports documenting objectives, test articles, configurations, instrumentation, procedures, results, anomalies, conclusions, and recommendations. Maintain accurate records of hardware configuration, test conditions, equipment setup, calibration status, procedural deviations, and test results. Communicate technical findings and potential risks to engineering leads, program stakeholders, and cross-functional teams. Ability to evaluate mechanical configurations, fixtures, interfaces, and load application arrangements for suitability in a test environment. Develop or deploy mechanical instrumentation, measurement equipment, data acquisition systems, and test data interpretation. Conduct troubleshooting of mechanical hardware and test anomalies using a systematic, data-driven engineering approach.

Qualifications: Experience conducting or supporting structural load, proof load, stiffness, deflection, or other structural integrity tests. Experience with strain measurement, load measurement, displacement monitoring, accelerometers, and instrumentation installation. Experience developing or modifying structural test fixtures, mechanical interfaces, support structures, and load application hardware. Experience with system-level integration and test of complex mechanical assemblies or electromechanical systems. Familiarity with system verification and validation, requirements traceability, interface verification, and formal test procedures. Familiarity with CAD tools, configuration management, discrepancy reporting, root-cause analysis, and corrective-action processes. Experience in aerospace, defense, or other environments with formal engineering, configuration control, and quality requirements. If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo — because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 — and moving faster than anyone else dares.