Mechanical Engineer (Structures) - Space Solar

Position Details Location: Los Angeles (Hawthorne), CAEmployment Type: Full-timeDepartment: Starlight SolarTravel: Occasional The Mission Starpath develops and manufactures the technologies that will enable humans to live on the Moon and Mars. Today, we are building robotic systems that locally produce the essential commodities a lunar civilization will require at extreme scale: water, power, and oxygen. Our ultimate goal is to build and operate a self-sustaining city on Mars. Mechanical Engineer (Structures) - Space Solar The Structures team designs and builds the mechanical backbone of Starpath's hardware — the primary and secondary structures, mechanisms, and interfaces that must survive the punishing loads of launch and the extreme environments of space and planetary surfaces. From the systems that produce water, power, and oxygen on the Moon to the equipment bound for Mars, every subsystem depends on structures that are light, strong, and manufacturable at rate. As a Mechanical Engineer on the Structures team, you will own load-bearing hardware from concept through flight — designing, analyzing, testing, and qualifying the structures that hold Starpath's systems together. Responsibilities Own mechanical structures from concept through detailed design, analysis, fabrication, test, and flight — including primary and secondary structures, brackets, housings, and mechanismsPerform structural analysis using hand calculations and FEA to size hardware for launch, landing, thermal, and operational loads, maintaining positive margins with appropriate factors of safetyGenerate detailed manufacturing and assembly drawings with proper GD&T, and select materials, fasteners, and joining methods suited to the space environmentDefine and execute structural qualification and acceptance testing — static load, vibration, shock, and modal — and correlate analytical models to test dataWork closely with manufacturing to design for manufacturability and rate, and with thermal, avionics, propulsion, and controls teams to integrate structures into the larger systemDrive mass optimization and design simplification without compromising structural integrityPush back on unnecessary complexity — simplify load paths, reduce part count, and cut overhead wherever it doesn't add value Required Qualifications Bachelor's or advanced degree in mechanical, aerospace, structural, or a related engineering discipline1+ years of mechanical design or structural engineering experience (internship and academic experience applicable)Proficiency with 3D CAD and the ability to produce detailed engineering drawings with GD&T Preferred Qualifications Master's degree in an engineering disciplineProficiency with FEA tools (e.g., Nastran, Abaqus, Ansys, or Femap) for static, dynamic, thermal, and fatigue analysisExperience designing flight hardware that has survived launch and operated in space, or other high-reliability hardware for extreme environmentsFamiliarity with launch and landing load environments — quasi-static loads, random vibration, shock, and coupled loads analysisHands-on structural test experience — static load, vibration, shock, and modal survey — including test-to-model correlationExperience with lightweight, load-optimized structures across machined, sheet-metal, welded, and composite/bonded constructionKnowledge of materials selection, fasteners, and joint design for thermal cycling, vacuum, and radiation environmentsExperience designing mechanisms such as deployables, hinges, latches, and actuatorsFamiliarity with aerospace structural standards and margin policies (e.g., NASA-STD-5001, GEVS)Exposure to aerospace, space, or other high-reliability hardware environments EAR Requirements To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, you must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C.1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C.1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Equal Opportunity Starpath is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Benefits At Starpath Robotics, base pay is just one part of your total rewards package. We also offer: Generous benefits including health, dental, vision, and retirement plans.Paid time off, holidays, and flexible policies to support balance.Professional growth opportunities through training and development.The chance to own high-impact work that directly shapes the future of robotics & space!A collaborative, mission-driven culture where craftsmanship and innovation are celebrated.