Mechanical & Electrical Engineering - Mechanical Engineer III

Job#: 3029787

Job Description:
Mechanical & Electrical Engineering - Mechanical Engineer III

Location: Redmond, Washington (Onsite)
Employment Type: Contract

Role Overview

We are seeking a detail-oriented and self-motivated Mechanical Testing Engineer to join a dynamic team. The successful candidate will be responsible for the execution, development, and optimization of mechanical testing and failure analysis methods for novel single-crystal optical materials. These materials are transformative for next-generation AR/VR applications, and this work is critical to ensuring their reliability and performance. This role is hands-on, involving laboratory work, data analysis, and collaboration with experts across various engineering disciplines.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and document experiments for the mechanical characterization and failure analysis of novel single-crystal optical materials.
• Handle, prepare, and process material samples, including slicing, dicing, lapping, and chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP), while adhering to laboratory safety protocols.
• Conduct a range of mechanical tests, including fracture toughness testing, flexural strength testing, and biaxial flexure testing.
• Perform comprehensive root cause failure analysis on tested components, utilizing fractography with Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).
• Develop and validate novel testing methodologies and fixtures tailored to the unique properties of advanced optical materials.
• Collect, analyze, and interpret test data; prepare detailed reports and present findings to cross-functional teams.
• Collaborate with materials scientists, optical engineers, and manufacturing partners to correlate mechanical properties with material processing and performance.

Required Qualifications

Education: A Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related field is required.

Experience: 4+ years of hands-on experience in the mechanical characterization of brittle materials such as ceramics, glasses, or single crystals.

Technical Skills:

• Demonstrated expertise in fracture mechanics principles and testing, including the experimental determination of stress intensity factors.
• Experience with advanced material processing techniques such as diamond wire sawing, lapping, bonding/de-bonding, and chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) or similar.
• Hands-on experience with material, crystallography, and surface science characterization techniques, especially using SEM for fractography.
• Good understanding of mechanical design principles for custom test fixture design.
• Proven ability to design and execute experiments (DOE), analyze results, and draw actionable conclusions.
• Excellent data handling, documentation, and organization skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• A Ph.D. in a relevant discipline with a background in process development or material reliability.
• Familiarity with optical metrology and refractive index measurements (e.g., prism coupler).
• Proficiency in statistical data analysis and its application to brittle materials, including an understanding of Weibull statistics.
• Experience with laboratory automation and data acquisition using software such as LabVIEW, Python, or MATLAB.
• A fundamental understanding of crystallography and the anisotropic mechanical behavior of single-crystal materials.

Compensation & Benefits

The pay range for this position is $60.00 to $65.00 per hour. A comprehensive benefits package is available to eligible employees.

This employer is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.

Apex uses a virtual recruiter as part of the application process. Click for more details.

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Apex Systems is a world-class IT services company that serves thousands of clients across the globe. When you join Apex, you become part of a team that values innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning. We offer quality career resources, training, certifications, development opportunities, and a comprehensive benefits package. Our commitment to excellence is reflected in many awards, including ClearlyRated's Best of Staffing in Talent Satisfaction in the United States and Great Place to Work in the United Kingdom and Mexico. Apex uses a virtual recruiter as part of the application process. Click for more details.

Apex Benefits Overview: Apex offers a range of supplemental benefits, including medical, dental, vision, life, disability, and other insurance plans that offer an optional layer of financial protection. We offer an ESPP (employee stock purchase program) and a 401K program which allows you to contribute typically within 30 days of starting, with a company match after 12 months of tenure. Apex also offers a HSA (Health Savings Account on the HDHP plan), a SupportLinc Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with up to 8 free counseling sessions, a corporate discount savings program and other discounts. In terms of professional development, Apex hosts an on-demand training program, provides access to certification prep and a library of technical and leadership courses/books/seminars once you have 6+ months of tenure, and certification discounts and other perks to associations that include CompTIA and IIBA. Apex has a dedicated customer service team for our Consultants that can address questions around benefits and other resources, as well as a certified Career Coach. You can access a full list of our benefits, programs, support teams and resources within our 'Welcome Packet' as well, which an Apex team member can provide.