Mechanical Engineer

Leidos is seeking a talented Mid-Level Mechanical Engineer to join our Security Enterprise Solutions (SES) business unit in Vista, CA. Our team designs and manufactures highly complex security equipment deployed at border crossings, airports, seaports, and other transportation hubs. Our product portfolio includes radiation detectors and spectrometers, X-ray and gamma-ray scanners for cars, trucks, and trains, and CT explosives detection systems for airline passenger baggage.

In this role, you will update existing designs and introduce innovative products to our extensive line of security detection solutions. The products developed through this effort are truly novel and will make global travel and trade safer, healthier, and more efficient.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Design and develop mechanical structures for large and small electromechanical systems and sub-systems
• Identify components, communicate with vendors, and provide analytical recommendations for component selection
• Plan and design mechanical structures, environmental enclosures, tools, machines, and other mechanically functioning equipment
• Oversee the installation, operation, maintenance, and repair of equipment, including non-intrusive X-ray inspection systems
• Communicate effectively with internal team members across multiple engineering disciplines
• Contribute expertise to the product development team for key component design requirements
• Lead preliminary and critical design reviews for subsystems throughout the product development process
• Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team of scientists and engineers to develop proof-of-concept, prototype, and production-ready systems
• Create and maintain specifications, ensuring all documents are well-developed, accurate, and consistent
• Adhere to established Leidos internal processes and practices

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree with 5+ years of relevant experience, or a Master's degree with 4+ years of relevant experience; additional work experience may be considered in lieu of a degree
• Hands-on experience defining and implementing formal design documentation, including assembly and detail drawings, Bills of Materials (BOMs), and 3D CAD modeling
• Strong presentation skills
• Excellent documentation and process discipline with close attention to detail
• Proficiency in SolidWorks for part, assembly, and mechanical drawing designs
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook)
• Exceptional analytical, technical, and problem-solving skills
• Solid understanding of Engineering Mechanics (Statics and Dynamics) and Heat Transfer
• Ability to organize and prioritize tasks based on guidance from the engineering manager
• Ability to pass a TSA and CBP suitability background check
• Willingness to travel internationally, as required (typically up to 10%)

Desired Qualifications:

• Familiarity with the Engineering Change Order process (ECR, ECO, ECN)
• Experience performing Finite Element Analysis (FEA)
• Knowledge of materials and material properties associated with outdoor platforms and electronic enclosures
• Strong understanding of metal fabrication processes, including machining, sheet metal fabrication, and welding
• Experience with corrosion protection techniques and material finishing processes
• Ability to effectively apply Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) per ANSI Y14.5
• Experience with X-ray device shielding and collimation is a plus

Check out the links below to learn more about Security Enterprise Solutions (SES)
https://careers.leidos.com/pages/security-enterprise-solutions     
https://www.leidos.com/markets/aviation/security-detection  

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.

Original Posting:

April 13, 2026

Pay Range:

Pay Range $87,100.00 - $157,450.00

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.