Mechanical Engineer - Optical, Satellites (Starlink)

The role

Mechanical engineers on the Optical Team own the end-to-end design of hardware providing high-bandwidth connectivity and imagery for satellites. This includes designing structural, actuator, and electro-mechanical hardware from initial sketch through on-orbit operation.

What you will do

• Own mechanical, electro-mechanical, and actuator hardware from conceptual design through production and on-orbit operation
• Design precision mechanisms and actuators that meet pointing, stiffness, mass, and reliability requirements
• Develop structural designs and load paths for laser terminals or imaging payloads
• Perform and interpret structural analysis to close the design
• Integrate electronics into flight hardware
• Iterate on design and analysis to inform system-level trades
• Drive design for manufacturability and assembly
• Create CAD models and drawings with appropriate GD&T
• Define and execute development, qualification, and acceptance testing
• Lead root-cause investigations and implement corrective actions

Required qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or other engineering discipline
• 1+ years of experience with CAD and mechanical design, analysis, testing, and/or manufacturing
• Ability to work extended hours and weekends as necessary

Nice to have

• Master’s degree in mechanical engineering or a related technical discipline
• 3+ years of professional experience in mechanical design of mechanisms, structures, or electro-mechanical systems
• Experience designing precision actuators, gimbals, flexures, or motion-control mechanisms
• Demonstrated structural analysis of complex assemblies
• Experience integrating electronics into mechanical assemblies
• Proficiency in 3D CAD (NX preferred) and solid application of GD&T
• Experience with structural analysis or finite element analysis (FEA) software
• Experience taking a component or assembly from initial design through production ramp
• Hands-on experience building, instrumenting, and testing hardware
• Knowledge of materials, machining, sheet metal, additive, and/or casting processes

Benefits

• Company stock or long-term cash awards
• Ability to purchase additional stock at a discount through an Employee Stock Purchase Plan
• Comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage
• 401(k) retirement plan
• Short and long-term disability insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid parental leave
• Various other discounts and perks
• 3 weeks of paid vacation
• 10 or more paid holidays per year
• Paid sick time in compliance with state and federal law
• Company shuttles from select Seattle locations to the SpaceX Redmond office Monday to Friday

Before you apply

• Applicant must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. lawful permanent resident, Refugee, or Asylee, or be eligible to obtain required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State

About the company

SpaceX was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is out exploring the stars is fundamentally more exciting than one where we are not. Today SpaceX is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal of enabling human life on Mars.