Senior Mechanical Engineer, Propulsion, Amazon Leo

Key job responsibilities

• Own the complete lifecycle of one or more propulsion subsystems - thrusters, cathodes, fluidic feed systems, or power processing units - from conceptual design through qualification, high-volume production, and on-orbit performance monitoring
• Solve complex mechanical, thermal, magnetic, and fluid system problems on space-grade hardware, using first-principles analysis to drive design decisions and resolve ambiguity quickly
• Develop design criteria, collaborate on requirements, and lead system-level trade studies. Rapidly iterate on designs and analysis to inform high level trades and steer product development
• Produce complete design documentation - drawings, tolerance analyses, structural & thermal analyses, and test plans - at a level of detail that drives production without ambiguity
• Apply DFMA practices to minimize part counts, reduce fastener counts, optimize assembly sequences, and error-proof fabrication and integration steps for a high-rate production environment
• Plan and execute vacuum chamber tests, performance characterization, and environmental qualification to validate analytical models and demonstrate compliance
• Lead root cause investigations for hardware failures and non-conformances; owning corrective action through closure
• Work cross-functionally with experts in plasma physics, avionics, thermal, structures, and materials as an accountable technical partner across the full product lifecycle

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or above in Mechanical Engineering
• Experience in the design of complex mechanical products and equipment at volume
• 7+ years of technical engineering experience
• Experience in developing functional specifications, design verification plans and functional test procedures

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree (Master’s or PhD) in aerospace or mechanical engineering, or related discipline
• Experience designing, building, and testing electric propulsion subsystems such as Hall effect thrusters, cathode assemblies, or ion engines
• Experience with pressurized fluid component design, analysis, and testing
• CAD software expertise (SolidWorks, NX, Creo, etc)
• Strong GD&T background, including tolerance stack analysis on complex multi-component assemblies
• Experience with structural analysis methods for spacecraft: static margin, modal analysis, random vibration, shock response spectrum, and fatigue
• Experience with thermal analysis: conduction and radiation modeling, thermal isolator and strap selection, heat dissipation paths, and temperature prediction across operational and survival environments
• Proficiency with scripting (Python, MATLAB, or equivalent) for analysis and data visualization