Mechanical Engineer

Responsibilities

• Design mechanical systems, components, and assemblies for high-voltage instrumentation, including neutral and ion mass spectrometers, energetic particle detectors, ion thruster components, test fixtures, and vacuum chambers.
• Perform structural and thermal analyses to support the design, development, and validation of scientific instruments and small satellite systems.
• Develop and execute mechanical testing and verification plans to ensure designs meet performance, reliability, and mission requirements.
• Design mechanical components for spaceflight applications, incorporating considerations such as vacuum environments, thermal performance, material selection, and system reliability.
• Evaluate and address the challenges associated with space and other harsh operating environments, including radiation exposure, thermal cycling, structural loading, and material compatibility.
• Create and maintain detailed mechanical drawings and documentation with appropriate geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) to support manufacturing and assembly.
• Utilize 3D CAD software to develop mechanical designs, models, and assemblies using tools such as SolidWorks, Autodesk AutoCAD, Inventor, Solid Edge, or similar applications.
• Apply finite element analysis (FEA) and structural analysis software, including MSC Nastran, NX Nastran, Femap, ANSYS, or comparable tools, to evaluate and optimize mechanical designs.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary engineering teams throughout the design, fabrication, integration, testing, and verification lifecycle to deliver high-quality spaceflight hardware and instrumentation.

Requirements

• BS in Mechanical Engineering and Aerospace Engineering or Physics
• 2 years in mechanical engineering of aerospace systems and instrumentation engineering and project management experience
• Demonstrated excellence in team leadership, organization and communication skills
• Must be U.S Citizen/green card holder

Desired Qualifications

• MS in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering
• Experience supporting projects and proposals for NASA or DoD