Senior Mechanical Design Engineer

Responsibilities:

• Be responsible for defining the product from scratch from concept through flight readiness.
• Own the overall BOM, vehicle configuration, hardware release process, and PLM.
• Take ownership of the entire spacecraft qualification campaign and flight acceptance testing, ensuring hardware is validated at the system level, not just subsystems.
• Define the test campaign for spacecraft and reentry systems.
• Define volume, mass, CG, and stiffness boundaries for other departments.
• Own the SolidWorks CAD design of primary structures and assemblies.
• Perform FEA modelling and analysis using ANSYS, Abaqus, or equivalent tools.
• Define assembly sequences for spacecraft structures and subsystems to ensure efficient integration and test flow.
• Oversee the full spacecraft integration process, from structural build-up through final system closeout.
• Collaborate with engineering teams to provide Design for Manufacturability (DFM) feedback and propose creative solutions for complex part geometries.
• Apply design for additive manufacturing principles in complex designs.
• Define and derive torque requirements for fasteners and joints.
• Oversee MGSE hardware design for integration and test operations.
  

Qualifications:

• Bachelors/Master’s in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering, or related field.
• 5+ years of experience in spacecraft or reentry structural design.
• Flight heritage required direct experience delivering hardware that has flown.
• Expert proficiency in SolidWorks CAD.
• Strong expertise in tolerance stack-up analysis.
• Deep knowledge of FEA modelling (vibration).
• Proven experience with vibration testing.
• Extensive experience with composites, including sandwich panels and high-temperature materials.
• Experience designing and validating pressure vessels for space applications.
• Experience working with pyrotechnic devices and integrating them into structural systems.
• Expertise in 3D printing and additive manufacturing design.
• Experience with high-temperature fabrics, woven composites, or textile-based structures.
• Familiarity with textile engineering concepts (weaves, stitching, layups).
  

Preferred Skills:

• Proven ability to deliver flight-ready structural hardware.
• Background in algorithmic or generative design methods for lightweight structures.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Willingness to work extended hours and/or weekends as needed.