Senior Mechanisms Engineer - Vehicle

The role

You will own a critical vehicle mechanism subsystem from concept through flight. This includes designing, building, and validating hardware such as separation systems, landing gear, aero control surfaces, or electromechanical actuation.

What you will do

• Own mechanism subsystem from concept through design, analysis, test, and flight
• Drive structural and kinematic design for minimum mass
• Balance performance, manufacturability, cost, and schedule
• Perform analysis including hand calculations, FEA, and tolerance stack-ups
• Define and execute qualification and acceptance test campaigns
• Develop and maintain engineering drawings, models, and release documentation
• Work on the factory floor with manufacturing to resolve build issues
• Troubleshoot hardware anomalies and perform root cause analysis
• Support launch operations, post-flight inspection, and refurbishment planning

Required qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field
• 5+ years of experience designing mechanisms or mechanical systems for flight vehicles or high-performance hardware
• Experience taking hardware from concept through build, integration, and test
• Strong fundamentals in structural mechanics, kinematics, materials, and manufacturing processes
• Proficiency with CAD (NX, SolidWorks, CATIA, or Creo)
• Creating engineering drawings to ASME Y14.5 GD&T standards
• Proficiency with FEA tools (ANSYS, Nastran, or Abaqus)
• Must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum

Nice to have

• 10+ years of experience designing mechanisms or mechanical systems for flight vehicles or high-performance hardware
• Direct experience with separation systems, landing gear, aero control surfaces, or flight electromechanical actuators
• Experience with pyrotechnic or low-shock separation devices
• Hands-on prototyping and machining experience
• Familiarity with reusable vehicle design
• Experience at a fast-moving, hardware-focused startup or early-stage program

Benefits

• Equity in Cowboy Space Corp.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and eligible dependents
• 401(k) retirement savings plan
• Paid time off
• 10 paid holidays per calendar year
• Paid parental leave
• Relocation assistance if applicable
• Daily lunch in the office
• Fully stocked kitchen with beverages and snacks

Before you apply

• Must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, protected individual, or eligible to obtain required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State

About the company

Cowboy Space Corporation is building the infrastructure for abundant, resilient space-based solar energy. The company is based in San Carlos, CA.