- Robot type
- Drone · Defense
- Location
- ChantillyVirginiaUSA
- Job type
- Hardware
- Posted
- Aug 11, 2026
- Salary
- $129,000–$171,000 a year
Full-time
Mechanical Engineer, Space Special Programs
Job description
In the Space Special Programs team, we build spacecraft and space systems which serve a wide variety of functions in the space architecture. At a time when space superiority can no longer be taken for granted and with space systems proliferating at an incredible rate, the Space Special Programs team provides advanced, mission critical capabilities to our customer base to be able to more effectively operate and survive within this expanding environment with limited personnel.
We are looking for Mechanical Engineers to join our rapidly growing team in Chantilly, VA. In this role, you will be responsible for portions of the full cycle design for spacecraft and associated systems including…
Job responsibilities
- Work with a cross-functional team to design market leading space flight hardware and associated ground equipment products
- Implement product components through rapid prototyping, design verification, and space qualification activities
- Learn and apply modern space-flight hardware design standards and guidelines to create high-reliability, highly manufacturable assemblies
- Implement a variety of structural components and mechatronics, with associated environmental testing to assure robustness in the context of the various missions as well as to characterize performance envelopes of the…
- Use rapid prototyping, 3D printing, and hands-on machining as appropriate to iterate quickly and allow for creative “outside-the-box" thinking
- Participate in peer-level and cross-discipline design reviews and collaborate with other MEs on your team to improve everyone’s capabilities
- Root cause investigation data collection and analysis in support of production operations
- Work in a fast-paced environment, having to juggle multiple concurrent projects and changing delivery timelines
Job requirements
- B.S. in mechanical or aerospace engineering or similar engineering or technical field
- 3-8 years of professional experience, in hardware product development
- Basic understanding of PCB Layout requirements to meet space flight mechanical, and manufacturing requirements
- Experience in ground-up system design and any 3-D CAD
- Hands-on assembly, prototyping, testing, and performance characterization of mechanisms designed for 0g but in a 1g environment.
- Experience designing and building very small mechanisms, components, and systems.
- Familiarity with launch environments, testing for launch environments, range safety, and system integration efforts
- Demonstrated creativity and “out of the box thinking” for spacecraft mechanisms with an eye toward simplicity and reliability