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Lead Mechanical Designer – Industrial IoT & Surveillance (Contract)

MAXSUR, Des Moines, IA, United States


MAXSUR, a St Louis, MO-based SDVOSB business, is seeking an elite, project-based Contract Mechanical Designer to lead the physical architecture and mechatronic integration of our next‑generation technology pipeline. We develop advanced surveillance systems, ruggedized industrial IoT hardware, and high-performance UAS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) payloads for government, utility, and critical infrastructure clients.

The Mission You will be the lead architect for the physical "packaging" of our systems. Your mission is to integrate sophisticated electronics, long‑range communications, and precision optics into enclosures that must survive extreme terrestrial and aerial environments.

Primary Focus Areas

Surveillance & IoT:

Designing ruggedized, covert enclosures for terrestrial nodes. This includes precision alignment for long‑range optical systems, thermal management for high-performance edge‑processors, and ensuring RF transparency for 5G, LoRaWAN, and GPS antennas.

UAS Payload Integration:

Developing high‑efficiency, lightweight housings for drone‑deployed sensors. You will solve for SWaP (Size, Weight, and Power) constraints, vibration isolation, aerodynamic drag, and precise Center-of-Gravity (CoG) balancing.

Industrial Ruggedization:

Engineering systems to survive IP67/IP68 environments, extreme temperature swings, and specialized utility‑infrastructure mounting requirements.

Key Responsibilities

Mechatronic Integration:

Own the internal layout of components (PCBs, optics, batteries, and radios), balancing trade‑offs between thermal dissipation, shielding, and compact form factors.

Design for Manufacturing (DFM):

Prepare designs for diverse production paths, including injection molding, CNC machining, and high‑dielectric resin casting.

Thermal & Environmental Engineering:

Design fanless, sealed systems capable of dissipating heat in high‑ambient-temperature environments while maintaining ingress protection.

UAS Aerodynamics & Weight:

Optimize payload designs for minimal flight‑time impact, utilizing lightweight composites and polymers where necessary.

Qualifications

CAD Mastery:

Expert proficiency in SolidWorks, Fusion 360, or equivalent.

Harsh Environment Expertise:

A proven portfolio of packaging electronics for high‑vibration, high‑heat, or high‑voltage environments (aerospace or defense experience is a significant plus).

Optical & RF Integration:

Demonstrated experience packaging sensitive optical sensors and integrating internal antennas without signal degradation.

Prototyping to Production:

Experience taking a product through the full NPI (New Product Introduction) lifecycle, including generating manufacturing BOMs and assembly instructions.

Compliance Requirement IMPORTANT: Due to the nature of our work with government agencies and critical infrastructure, this position is strictly restricted to

U.S. Citizens only . Work will involve projects covered under

ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) . Candidates must be able to verify citizenship and pass a security vetting process.

Engagement Model This is an

on-demand contract position . We engage our design partners for specific project milestones and high‑intensity sprints. This is ideal for a high-level freelancer or a boutique design firm looking for consistent, high‑tech project work in the surveillance and UAS sectors.

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