As a Geotechnical Engineer, this role will join Interlune's engineering team and be responsible for developing the critical lunar surface technology required to build and sustain off-world infrastructure. You will own the geotechnical evaluation of regolith mechanics, soil-tool interactions, and lunar site preparation to ensure our hardware operates flawlessly on the Moon. This position would be full-time at our Interlune Research Lab in Houston, TX. Candidates in Seattle, WA will be considered, but there is strong preference to have this position located in our Houston, TX site.
Applicants from all industries are welcome, with particular emphasis in complex, multi-disciplinary system development. Experience in the aerospace, oil and gas, construction, or mining industry are valuable but not required.
Responsibilities:- Integrate geotechnical insights with mechanical and systems engineering to deliver complete, functional hardware working to bridge the gap between design intent and working product.
- Drive the evaluation and characterization of lunar regolith mechanics to support the design of complex hardware that will interact with the lunar regolith and surface infrastructure.
- Apply geotechnical engineering principles to the development of engineered lunar surfaces, anchoring systems, and surface stabilization techniques for demanding lunar environments (low gravity, hard vacuum, and extreme temperatures).
- Conduct engineering analysis using a combination of hand calculations, computational modeling (e.g., DEM, FEA), and first-principles reasoning to validate soil-structure interactions and slope stability.
- Lead the design and execution of terrestrial testing programs using lunar regolith simulants-including collaborating with planetary scientists on the development of new, high-fidelity simulants-to evaluate excavation forces, compaction behavior, and material flow.
- Lead and participate in design reviews at the component, subsystem, and system level, communicating technical decisions clearly to a multidisciplinary team.
Required Qualifications:- B.S. in Civil Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Geological Engineering, or a related technical subject area.
- 5+ years of experience in geotechnical design, soil mechanics, or terrestrial mining/construction technology.
- Direct experience planning and executing geotechnical laboratory or field testing programs.
- Familiarity with earthmoving, excavation, or foundation design principles and their practical implementation.
- Ability to operate effectively with minimal direction, maintaining a high attention to detail and aspiration for technical excellence, and have a demonstrated track record of resourcefulness and success from previous work.
Desired Qualifications:- M.S. or Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, or a related technical subject area.
- Specific knowledge or prior research in lunar regolith properties, extraterrestrial soil mechanics, or granular physics.
- Proficiency with computational modeling software tailored for granular materials and soil mechanics (e.g., Discrete Element Method/EDEM, Plaxis, FLAC, or similar).
- Experience designing hardware or infrastructure intended to operate in extreme environments or high-vacuum systems.
Compensation range for employees is:Target Levels:
Level 3 Range: $125,000 - $195,000
Level 4 Range: $150,000 - $250,000
We will consider candidates with a wide variety of experience levels for this position. Your actual level and base salary will be decided based on your specific experience and skill level.
Benefits:Benefits include: Medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance, short and long-term disability, and other benefits
Paid Time Off: Flexible PTO policy with paid company holidays.
