Senior Mechanical Engineer: Optical Payloads, Space

The role

You will create opto-mechanical designs of space payloads ranging from small cameras to large telescopes. You will act as a Responsible Engineer by conducting analyses, managing subsystem interfaces, and owning hardware design from concept to launch.

What you will do

• Create opto-mechanical designs of space payloads
• Conduct analyses, visit vendors and test sites, and execute test plans
• Manage subsystem interfaces
• Run finite element models and hand calculations to predict stresses
• Contribute to STOP analyses to evaluate structural and thermal effects
• Conduct thermal analyses to evaluate on-orbit temperatures
• Design alignment features and conduct tolerance stack-ups
• Own hardware design from concept to launch
• Communicate pros/cons of system architectures
• Lead subsystem design reviews and mentor junior engineers

Required qualifications

• BS or higher degree in engineering or hard science
• Ability to obtain and hold U.S. Top Secret security clearance
• 5+ years of mechanical design experience
• Experience with exotic opto-mechanical materials (composites, titanium, beryllium, Invar, Zerodur, etc.)
• Experience with tolerance stack-ups, mechanical alignments, kinematic mounting, and qualification test campaigns
• CAD proficiency and ability to create engineering drawings meeting industry standards (GD&T)
• Hands-on fabrication and assembly skills with hand tools, mill, lathe, etc.
• Strong fundamentals in optics, heat transfer, statics, solid mechanics, and materials
• Experience with high-reliability design, athermalization, and vibration/shock resistance

Nice to have

• Experience in NX/Teamcenter
• Hands-on technical project experience (academic, extracurricular, or personal)
• Parallel industry experience
• Ability to integrate electronic components (PCBAs, motors, sensors) into mechanical designs
• Coding experience in Python, MATLAB, or C++ for analytical models and data acquisition/automation
• Structural or thermal testing experience including sensor selection, data acquisition, and post-processing (Python preferred)

Benefits

• Highly competitive equity grants
• Comprehensive, competitive benefits package available at little to no cost to employees

Before you apply

• Ability to obtain and hold U.S. Top Secret security clearance
• Consent to pre-employment risk, integrity, and due diligence screening

About the company

Anduril Industries is a defense technology company with a mission to transform U.S. and allied military capabilities with advanced technology. The Space team develops integrated hardware and software systems to enhance Space Domain Awareness, Space Control, and Command and Control.