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Lead Mechanical Engineer 1 - Mission Critical

Sargent & Lundy

Warrenville, IL · HybridFull-time$118–180K/yrSeen todaySeen in employer's feed today

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At a glance

Compensation
$118–180K/yr
Location
Warrenville, ILHybrid
Schedule
Full-time
Work Authorization
US work authorization required

Olive lists jobs from US employers, including remote roles you can work from the United States.

Requirements

Credentials this posting asks for.

Security clearanceBachelor's degree

Job overview

Sargent & Lundy is hiring a lead-level mechanical engineer for mission-critical engineering work. The role leads mechanical design efforts on multidisciplinary projects involving special-purpose equipment, pressure vessels, and interfacing systems. It includes preparing and reviewing calculations, designs, specifications, and reports; coordinating with vendors and customers; managing project work plans; and mentoring junior engineers. The position offers a hybrid work arrangement.

Skills & qualifications

RequiredNice to have

Skills

Mechanical EngineeringThermodynamicsHeat TransferFluid MechanicsMachine DesignThermal SystemsEngineering DesignEngineering AnalysisPiping SystemsPressure VesselsHVACRadioactive Material HandlingMechanical Codes and StandardsFinite Element AnalysisANSYSAutoPIPEDatacor/AFT Flow SimulationHourly Analysis ProgramTrace 700Written CommunicationVerbal CommunicationProfessional Engineer LicenseField EngineeringConstructionCAD SoftwareSolidworksInventorMicrostationAutoCADProgrammingScriptingPythonMATLABMathcadAdvanced ExcelGlovebox DesignHot Cell Design

Qualifications

U.S. CitizenshipSecurity Clearance EligibilityBSME or MSMEABET-Accredited Engineering Program10+ Years Mechanical Engineering ExperienceNuclear Environment ExperienceDOE Experience

Benefits

Medical Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
401(k) Match
Tuition Assistance
Paid Time Off
Parental Leave

Full job description

Responsibilities

This position allows for a hybrid arrangement with a mix of work from home and in the office.

This is a lead-level engineering position that offers a variety of challenging opportunities in Mechanical Engineering and will provide an excellent opportunity for career advancement.

  • Lead Mechanical design engineering efforts on a multi-disciplined project design team and apply mechanical engineering expertise to the design and analysis of special purpose equipment, pressure vessels, and interfacing systems, controls, and structural support elements

  • Prepare and review complex calculations

  • Prepare and review mechanical systems/equipment designs

  • Prepare documented design input for drawing production (i.e., P&IDs, machine layouts, general arrangements, etc.)

  • Prepare and review equipment specifications

  • Communicate with vendors via clearly written and complete specifications

  • Prepare and review reports/studies

  • Develop single-discipline/simple-scope project budgets, schedules, and project work plans; monitor own work to ensure it is completed within budget and on schedule

  • Interface directly with customers in project meetings

  • Mentor junior engineers

Qualifications

Must be a U.S. Citizen; Dual citizenship with a country other than the U.S. does not qualify.

Essential skills and experience:

  • Must be able to obtain US Government security clearance

  • BSME or MSME degree in engineering from an ABET-accredited program with a strong academic background and interest in thermodynamics, heat transfer, fluid mechanics, machine design, or thermal systems

  • 10+ years of progressive responsible experience in mechanical engineering ideally in a nuclear environment

  • Experience with producing engineering designs and analysis for piping, pressure vessels, HVAC, and/or radioactive material handling systems

  • Working knowledge of Codes, Standards, and Regulations that apply to mechanical engineering design (eg., ASME B31 piping Codes, ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code, ASME AG-1)

  • Experience with Finite Element Analysis or advanced engineering software (e.g., ANSYS, AutoPIPE, Datacor/AFT flow simulation, Hourly Analysis Program, Trace 700)

  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Valued but not required skills and experience:

  • Professional Engineer License (PE)

  • DOE experience preferred; commercial or Navy

  • Field engineering and construction experience

  • Experience with CAD software (e.g., Solidworks, Inventor, Microstation, AutoCAD)

  • Programming or scripting (e.g., Python, MATLAB, Mathcad, advanced Excel)

  • Experience with glovebox and hot cell design

Technology & Innovation

Sargent & Lundy values the appropriate use of technology to improve how work gets done and deliver high-quality outcomes for our clients. Depending on the role, employees may use data, automation, artificial intelligence, and other digital tools to support research, analysis, engineering and design activities, workflow improvement, or other aspects of their work. We value candidates who demonstrate an interest in learning and effectively using emerging technologies where relevant to their role. Employees remain accountable for their work and are expected to apply appropriate professional judgment and review when using technology-assisted tools. Experience with AI, automation, programming, or similar technologies is valued where relevant but is not required unless specifically identified elsewhere in the job description.

About Sargent & Lundy

At Sargent & Lundy, we care about the health and well-being of our employees. Our commitment extends beyond the workplace, offering comprehensive healthcare plans and generous paid time off to support our team members in every aspect of their lives. We understand the importance of work-life balance, which is why we are proud to provide competitive, award-winning benefits. Our dedication to employee satisfaction has earned us the prestigious Top Workplaces Culture Excellence Award for compensation and benefits in 2022, 2023, and 2024.

Health & Wellness Financial Benefits Work-Life Balance

  • Health Plans: Medical, Dental, Vision

  • Life & Accident Insurance

  • Disability Coverage

  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

  • Back-Up Daycare

  • FSA & HSA

  • 401(k)

  • Pre-Tax Commuter Account

  • Merit Scholarship Program

  • Employee Discount Program

  • Corporate Charitable Giving Program

  • Tuition Assistance

  • First Professional Licensure Bonus

  • Employee Referral Bonus

  • Paid Annual Personal/Sick Time (PST)

  • Paid Vacation

  • Paid Holidays

  • Paid Parental Leave

  • Paid Bereavement Leave

  • Flexible Work Arrangements

Compensation Range

$118,023 - $180,313

Transparency Statement

Sargent & Lundy discloses compensation ranges that comply with all local and state regulations. The total compensation package for eligible positions will include a base salary or an hourly rate and a comprehensive benefits package, reflecting our commitment to rewarding performance and supporting the overall well-being of our employees. Individuals may also be eligible to participate in our yearly discretionary bonus.

Equal Opportunity

Sargent & Lundy is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any protected status as defined by applicable law.

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CityWarrenville

StateIL

CountryUnited States

Area of InterestMechanical Engineering

TypeFull Time - Regular

Job ID2026-28720

Business GroupGovernment Services Group

DepartmentGS Mechanical Engineering

How this job compares

Set against the 7,755 open Mechanical Engineer jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 7, 2026.

Pay
  • This posting$118–180K/yr
  • Illinois median$100–154K/yr173 salary ranges
  • US median$106–160K/yr4,676 salary ranges

This range's midpoint, $149K, is 19% above the Illinois median midpoint ($126K) — in the middle half of Mechanical Engineer salary ranges in Illinois.

Openings
Olive Jobs lists 211 open Mechanical Engineer jobs in Illinois and 7,755 across the US. 2% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
Hiring the most in Illinois
Experience
This posting asks for at least 10 years of experience — more than three in four Mechanical Engineer postings that state a minimum ask for (median 5 years, across 6,451 postings).
Education
This posting asks for a bachelor's degree; 5,294 of the 7,755 open Mechanical Engineer jobs (68%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.

Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 7, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.

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