Principal Spacecraft Mechanical Engineer II

About the role

CesiumAstro is seeking a Principal Spacecraft Mechanical Engineer II to lead a team responsible for mechanical aspects of spacecraft, subsystems, and interfaces. This role involves hands-on work, collaboration with various teams, and presenting engineering design reviews.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team in mechanical design from concept to space flight, including requirements definition, architecture trades, and block diagrams.
• Conduct analysis, manufacturing, assembly, testing, qualification, and in-orbit support.
• Collaborate with GNC, EPS, CDH, Payload, RF, Systems, and AI&T teams.
• Present engineering design review materials to customers and the executive team.
• Participate in proposal-writing efforts.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Science (BS) or Master of Science (MS) degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering from an accredited university or institution.
• 11 years of experience in communications satellite structures and mechanisms design from concept to decommissioning across multiple programs.
• At least 5 years of experience leading technical teams.
• Significant contributions to multiple flight missions, plus lead ownership of one or more full mechanical development cycles at the space vehicle level.
• Ability to support subsystem leads with clear mechanical interfaces and cross-functional alignment.
• Hands-on experience in satellite and large instrument AI&T that leads directly to design implementation.
• Strong opinions on engineering rigor and lean process.
• Experience including failure and recovery of mechanism operations in test and in operations, as well as loss of mission due to mechanism failure (experience with success as well!)
• At least one experience with a structural failure in environmental test and recovery from that failure.
• Strong fundamentals including mechanics of materials, hand calcs, and engineering rules of thumb.
• Experience in conducting architectural trade studies including parametric and first-order cost and physical analysis.
• Experience as a reviewer for structural and thermal analysis to ensure designs meet requirements and manufacturability needs.
• Expertise in professional mechanical and FEA CAD tools, such as SolidWorks Simulation, Ansys, and Nastran.
• Design and build for manufacturing and cost.
• Experience with CNC manufacturing and GD&T as evidenced by ability to implement and critique mechanical drawings.
• Experience with design and manufacturing of composite sandwich panels including an understanding of the trades and benefits of each in satellite structures.
• Familiarity with design for test, manufacturability, assembly, and reliability.
• Familiarity with spacecraft AI&T.
• Hands-on experience supporting environmental test campaigns (vibe, shock, TVAC).

Qualifications

• Experience including LEO, GEO, and beyond.
• Experience ranging from CubeSats and SmallSats to large GEO satellites.
• Python or other scripting capability.
• Experience with two or more spacecraft structural and mechanical architectures which drives your vision for the next generation of spacecraft.

Skills

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Benefits

• $133,900 - $161,000 a year
• Company stock options
• A generous benefits package including health, dental, vision, HSA, FSA, life, disability and retirement plans.

Pay

• $133,900 - $161,000 a year

Schedule

• Full-time