Sr. Mechanisms Engineer

Mechanisms Engineer – Senior

Glen Burnie, MD

$85,000 - $205,000

About Intuitive Machines 

Intuitive Machines is an innovative and cutting-edge space company making cislunar space accessible to both public and private customers. Our mission is to further science and exploration, communications, and economic progress from the Earth to the Moon and beyond. With the first commercial lunar landing in history, multiple NASA lunar missions in development, and additional private missions on our manifest, we pride ourselves in supporting our customers and the nation in paving the way to return humans to the surface of the Moon. Our world-class team includes experts in all aspects of spacecraft subsystems design, development, and test, on-orbit operations, and safety.

About The Position 

We are looking for skilled Mechanisms Engineers to join our team. This position will be located on-site at the IM Mechanisms Annex in Glen Burnie, Maryland.  The Mechanisms Engineer will work in a cross-functional team on the design, development, manufacture and test of space flight and ground support mechanisms, such as motor-driven actuators, payload deployers, antenna deployment and articulation devices, gimbal systems, launch hold-down systems, optical adjustment mechanisms, robotic manipulators and tools, and fluid couplings for cryogenic and rocket propellant systems.

The engineer will assist in the concept development, design, build and test of a variety of articulation and deployment mechanisms associated with Intuitive Machines’ vehicles and landers.

Our Maryland Robotics & Mechanisms Center of Excellence supports the design, fabrication, integration, testing, and production of spacecraft mechanisms and robotic systems.

Responsibilities

• Serve as end-to-end Product Design Lead (PDL) for one or more mechanisms associated with IM’s Nova-landers and their payloads
• Serve as technical lead for bearing design/analysis, geartrain development, and actuator integration
• Develop performance specifications for Stepper and BLDC actuators, lead procurement, and oversee testing/characterization
• Lead subsystem reviews, requirements definition, and verification planning
• Develop and maintain mechanism Integrated Master Schedule (IMS) for deliverable hardware
• Develop and maintain detailed Bill of Materials (BOM) and manage hardware procurement activity
• Interface with cross-disciplinary teams (structures, thermal, avionics, software) to integrate mechanisms into the vehicle
• Drive supplier selection, negotiation, and performance management for machine shops and secondary vendors
• Perform mechanism analyses including bearing and gear calculations, force and torque margins, lubricant life analysis, rigid and flexible body dynamic simulations
• Generate CAD and drawings of mechanical hardware; perform optimization studies, interference checks, tolerance analysis
• Devise test programs to demonstrate key mission activities; design test apparatus and data collection systems
• Identify key technical risks/gaps and rapidly prototype and evaluate hardware to drive risks to closure
• Own the design and implementation of integrated subsystem performance tests 
• Perform environmental testing to include test plans, test execution, and test results evaluation
• Mentor junior and mid-level engineers, ensuring knowledge transfer and best practices
• Represent mechanisms engineering at customer and program reviews

Qualifications

• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering or related field; M.S. preferred.
• Minimum of 10+ years of experience
• Expertise in bearing design, geartrain analysis, seal systems, lubrication, stepper and brushless DC actuators and controllers
• Proven ability to manage end-to-end flight hardware procurements, vendors, budgets, and schedules
• Proficiency with Creo and Windchill
• Proficiency with ASME Y14.5 geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) 
• Familiarity with performance requirements development for mechanical and electromechanical systems
• Experience with the generation of work orders, assembly procedures and test plans for mechanisms functional, vibration, thermal vacuum and life testing
• Familiarity with standard practices for assembly and environmental testing of space flight mechanisms as well as the tooling and ground support equipment associated with these tests
• Familiarity with spaceflight mechanisms topics including motors, bearings and lubricants, geared systems, release mechanisms and robotic systems, and the integration of electrical components such as wire harnesses into these systems
• Familiarity with commonly used space and commercial specifications for materials, processes, fasteners, mechanical components, connectors, wiring, etc.
• Familiarity with common space industry additive and conventional metallic and composite manufacturing processes
• Familiarity with motion simulation software and finite element analysis tools

Preferred

• Direct experience in spacecraft development
• History of leading full lifecycle mechanism development (design → build → test → flight)
• Familiarity with lunar or planetary mission requirements (dust, vacuum, thermal extremes)
• Published work or recognized contributions in aspects of mechanism design
• Experience in proposal writing, customer-facing design reviews, and technical leadership

Work Environment

Work is performed in a prototype development laboratory and manufacturing environment supporting spacecraft, lunar robotics and aerospace mechanisms.

US EEO Statement

Intuitive Machines is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.