Mechanical Engineer (Vehicle Engineering), Senior or Staff-Level

Astrolab

$130K — $219K *
Aerospace & Defense
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in a STEM field
  • 4+ years of design experience in a space company
  • Proficient in CAD and analytical tools (FEA, MATLAB)
  • Experience with space industry design standards
  • Master's degree preferred

Responsibilities

  • Design mechanical systems for planetary rovers at multiple levels
  • Oversee hardware lifecycle from concept to operational success
  • Create detailed design documentation and compliance reports
  • Develop tools to enhance team efficiency
  • Collaborate with leadership to establish design best practices

Benefits

  • Opportunity to work with top engineers in planetary exploration
  • Equity ownership stake in the company
  • Comprehensive health benefits including mental health support
  • 401(k) plan with company matching
  • Flexible PTO and parental leave policies
  • Weekly lunch stipend and on-site snacks
  • Monthly social gatherings with food and drinks
Full Job Description
Mechanical Engineer (Vehicle Engineering), Senior or Staff-Level

Department: Vehicle Engineering

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Hawthorne, California

Reporting To: Andrew Welter

Compensation: $130,000 - $219,000 / year

Description

As a Senior or Staff Mechanical Engineer, you will design, develop, test, and operate planetary rovers and related hardware. You will be responsible for producing high-performance designs for challenging environments, with cradle-to-grave accountability. You will have the opportunity to develop and mentor other engineers while working on novel, complex mechanical systems.

What you'll do:
  • Design mechanical systems (structures, mechanisms, electro-mechanical, thermal, etc.) at both architectural and detailed levels
  • Own hardware products through the entire life cycle, from requirements definition all the way through to operational mission success and beyond
  • Produce detailed design documentation, including models, drawings, analysis packages, test plans, test reports, certification compliance, operations plans, and more
  • Build tools and infrastructure to make your team and the company more efficient
  • Work with leadership and design counterparts to define Astrolab best practices for design, analysis, and test


What you'll bring:

Basic Qualifications
  • Bachelor's degree in a science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) field
  • 4+ years of experience in a design role at a space company
  • Experience with CAD modeling and analytical skills (FEA, MATLAB, etc.)
  • Experience developing hardware to meet space industry design standards and best practices

Preferred Qualifications
  • Master's degree in a science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) field
  • Experience with NASA technical standards for design, analysis, and test
  • Experience with integrated systems and test of complex structures, mechanisms, deployables, electro-mechanical systems, thermal hardware, etc.
  • Experience with structural and thermal analysis methods and tools, kinematics & dynamics analysis, adjacent systems experience (power electronics, motor control, fluids, loads & dynamics, etc.)
  • Ability to mentor and develop more junior engineers, contractors, and interns


Benefits and Perks
  • Join a team of best-in-class engineers building the foundation of planetary surface exploration
  • Equity ownership in the company
  • Comprehensive health benefits, including medical, dental, vision, and mental health support
  • 401(k) plan with company match
  • Flexible PTO and parental leave
  • Weekly lunch stipend, plus complimentary snacks and beverages on-site
  • Once a month social hour on-site with food and drinks

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