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CesiumAstro creates out-of-the-box communication systems for space and airborne platforms.
The Role
Lead a small mechanical team to design, analyze, build, test, and qualify spacecraft structures and mechanisms from concept through flight. Define requirements, perform trades and FEA review, mentor engineers, coordinate cross-functional interfaces, support AI&T and environmental testing, present to customers, and contribute to proposals.
Summary Generated by Built In
Please Note: To conform with the United States Government Space Technology Export Regulations, the applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., conditional resident, asylee or refugee (protected individuals as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.
At CesiumAstro, we are developers and pioneers of out-of-the-box communication systems for satellites, UAVs, launch vehicles, and other space and airborne platforms. We take pride in our dynamic and cross-functional work environment, which allows us to learn, develop, and engage across our organization. If you are looking for hands-on, interactive, and autonomous work, CesiumAstro is the place for you. We are actively seeking passionate, collaborative, energetic, and forward-thinking individuals to join our team.
We are looking to add a Principal Spacecraft Mechanical Engineer I to our team. If you are great at what you do, enjoy working in a startup environment, and are passionate about developing space hardware for leading-edge communications satellites, we would like to hear from you.
In this position, you will be responsible for leading a team of engineers responsible for mechanical aspects of CesiumAstro spacecraft, subsystems, and interfaces through all phases of the development process. The ideal candidate will be versatile and proficient in mechanical design, electronics packaging, computer-aided design (CAD), mechanical interfaces, thermal architecture, deployable and actuated structures, and environmental qualification of spacecraft. You will use these skills to effectively direct, mentor, and grow a team of upcoming engineers in the design of a novel satellite.
As a CesiumAstro spacecraft team lead and responsible mechanical authority, you will manage a small team to develop satellites and put them in orbit. You will be responsible for delivering robust mechanical designs from concept through space flight including requirements definition, architecture trades and block diagrams, analysis, manufacturing, assembly, testing, qualification, and in-orbit support. In this role you will also collaborate closely with GNC, EPS, CDH, Payload, RF, Systems, and AI&T teams.
The successful candidate will also present engineering design review materials to our customers and executive team, as well as participate in proposal-writing efforts. As such, excellent written and verbal communication skills are required.
JOB REQUIREMENTS AND MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor of Science (BS) or Master of Science (MS) degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering from an accredited university or institution.
- 9 years of experience in communications satellite structures and mechanisms design from concept design 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 the meaning of 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.
- Experience with professional mechanical and FEA CAD tools, such as SolidWorks Simulation, Ansys, and Nastran.
- Design and build for manufacturing and cost.
- Expertise in 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.
- Experience in designing spacecraft primary and secondary structures in a variety of materials.
- Familiarity with design for test, manufacturability, assembly, and reliability.
- Familiarity with spacecraft AI&T.
- Hands-on experience supporting environmental test campaigns (vibe, shock, TVAC).
PREFERRED EXPERIENCE
- 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.
CesiumAstro considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, education/training, and key skills. Full-time employment offers include company stock options and a generous benefits package including health, dental, vision, HSA, FSA, life, disability and retirement plans.
CesiumAstro is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected Veteran Status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
Please note: CesiumAstro does not accept unsolicited resumes from contract agencies or search firms. Any unsolicited resumes submitted to our website or to CesiumAstro team members will be considered property of CesiumAstro, and we will not be obligated to pay any referral fees.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's or Master’s in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering
- 9 years experience in communications satellite structures and mechanisms design across multiple programs
- At least 5 years leading technical teams
- Significant contributions to multiple flight missions and lead ownership of one or more full mechanical development cycles at the space vehicle level
- Ability to define clear mechanical interfaces and support subsystem leads
- Hands-on experience in satellite and large instrument Assembly, Integration & Test (AI&T) leading to design implementation
- Experience with mechanism failure and recovery in test and operations, including loss-of-mission experience
- Experience recovering from a structural failure in environmental test
- Strong fundamentals in mechanics of materials, hand calculations, and engineering rules of thumb
- Experience conducting architectural trade studies including parametric and first-order cost and physical analysis
- Experience reviewing structural and thermal analysis to ensure requirements and manufacturability
- Experience with professional mechanical and FEA CAD tools such as SolidWorks Simulation, Ansys, and Nastran
- Design-for-manufacturing and cost awareness
- Expertise in CNC manufacturing and GD&T with the ability to implement and critique mechanical drawings
- Experience designing and manufacturing composite sandwich panels and understanding related trades
- Experience designing spacecraft primary and secondary structures in a variety of materials
- Familiarity with design for test, manufacturability, assembly, and reliability
- Hands-on experience supporting environmental test campaigns (vibe, shock, TVAC)
- US-person status per US Government space export regulations (citizen, lawful permanent resident, conditional resident, asylee/refugee, or eligible to obtain required State Department authorizations)
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to present design reviews and participate in proposals
- Strong opinions on engineering rigor and lean process
CesiumAstro Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about CesiumAstro and has not been reviewed or approved by CesiumAstro.
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Healthcare Strength — Health coverage includes medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance, plus FSAs and mental health benefits. Feedback suggests the health package is comprehensive for a growth-stage aerospace firm.
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Retirement Support — Offerings include a 401(k) with company matching and other retirement-plan elements. Feedback suggests core retirement mechanisms are in place alongside standard financial benefits.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Generous PTO, paid holidays, paid sick days, and bereavement leave are included. Feedback suggests time-off options are broad on paper across multiple leave types.
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The Company
What We Do
We build high-throughput, plug-and-play phased array communication payloads for space and airborne platforms. CesiumAstro’s full-stack, multi-mission hardware and software products enable a diverse range of commercial and defense objectives. Full-system engineering design is at the heart of every CesiumAstro product. We deliver high-performance solutions under rapid development timelines.
Why Work With Us
At CesiumAstro, we’re a team. We’re passionate, respectful, and determined colleagues ready to help at a moment’s notice. We’re mentors excited to enable our peers with the knowledge they need to succeed. Together, we’re visionaries committing to building memories that will last a lifetime.
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