Senior Mechanical Engineer

Senior / Principal Mechanical Engineer – Space Systems

Location: Los Angeles (On-site)

Employment Type: Full-Time, Permanent

About the Role

Our client, an innovative NewSpace company developing advanced space hardware, is seeking a Senior or Principal Mechanical Engineer to lead the design and development of critical mechanical systems for next-generation spacecraft and space platforms.

This is a hands-on engineering role where you’ll own hardware from initial concept through design, analysis, qualification testing and flight readiness, working alongside multidisciplinary teams in a fast-paced environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development of mechanical systems, subsystems and components from requirements through to deployment.
• Design and develop spaceflight hardware including structures, mechanisms, electromechanical systems and thermal hardware.
• Perform engineering trade studies, calculations and analyses to define optimal technical solutions.
• Develop qualification and verification plans in accordance with space industry standards.
• Plan and execute environmental testing, including vibration, shock, thermal and other qualification campaigns.
• Collaborate closely with electrical, software, systems and manufacturing engineers to ensure successful integration.
• Support prototype development, hardware testing and iterative design improvements.
• Drive technical decisions while identifying opportunities to improve product performance, reliability and manufacturability.
• Mentor junior engineers and provide technical leadership on complex engineering projects.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering or a related discipline.
• 5+ years of experience for Senior level or 10+ years of experience for Principal level developing mechanical hardware for spacecraft, satellites or aerospace applications.
• Demonstrated expertise in at least one of the following areas:
• Electromechanical rotary actuators and drive systems.
• Space mechanisms, including passive mechanisms, deployable systems, flexures or similar flight hardware.
• Advanced structural and mechanical analysis using ANSYS, Abaqus, NASTRAN or equivalent, including vibration analysis, rigid body dynamics and structural analysis.
• Experience using CAD software such as Siemens NX, CATIA or SolidWorks.
• Strong understanding of engineering materials, manufacturing processes and structural analysis.
• Experience designing hardware for demanding environmental conditions.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, multidisciplinary engineering environment.

Nice to Have

• Master’s degree or PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering or a related field.
• End-to-end ownership of space hardware across design, analysis, qualification, manufacturing and operations.
• Experience planning and executing environmental qualification campaigns including vibration, shock, thermal vacuum and other spaceflight testing.
• Experience working within commercial space or NewSpace organisations.

What’s on Offer

• Opportunity to develop cutting-edge hardware for next-generation space missions.
• High levels of technical ownership and responsibility.
• Collaborative, fast-moving engineering environment.
• Competitive compensation of $140,000-$200,000 USD, depending on experience, plus equity and comprehensive benefits.
• The chance to make a significant impact on innovative space programmes.

If you are interested, please get in touch and apply today.

angela.olmo@newspacetechnical.com / madison.risdale@newspacetechnical.com