Mechanical & Dynamics Engineer

Loft Orbital Solutions; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Orbitworks is seeking a Mechanical & Dynamics Engineer to lead aerospace structural analysis and testing for spacecraft hardware, ensuring stress margins meet launch environment requirements.

The role emphasizes FEA model correlation with test data, force-limiting techniques, and experience with CAD tools. You'll review supplier analyses, support thermal design work, and contribute to system-level engineering across satellite hardware.

Qualifications

• Degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering (Master's preferred).
• 5+ years of structural analysis experience in the space industry.
• Experience with force-limiting techniques and vibration testing.
• Ability to correlate FEA models to vibration test outputs and document findings.

Responsibilities

• Lead spacecraft-level structural analysis to ensure stress margins meet launch requirements.
• Correlate FEA models to test data and reviews supplier analyses.
• Support mechanical trade studies, layouts, interface drawings, and assembly/testing.
• Contribute to thermal analysis to confirm satellite temperatures stay within limits.

Skills

FEA (Space)

Force-limiting techniques

Vibration testing

Thermal analysis

System-level thinking

CAD experience

Report writing

Model correlation

Satellite hardware design

Craig-Bampton modeling

Education

Bachelor's in Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Femap

Patran

Nastran

ANSYS

SolidWorks

Job description

Wanna join the adventure The Mechanical & Dynamics Engineer will be the in-house expert for all Orbitworks structural analysis and testing. This will predominantly be spacecraft-level analysis to ensure fastener and component stress margins of primary structures are compliant with our launch environment. They will also work on identifying any justified notch requests through force-limited methodology. The ability to correlate models to test is essential. They will also act as a more general Mechanical Engineer predominantly at satellite level. Beyond structural analysis this role extends to mechanical trade studies vendor selection mechanical layouts interface design drawings and assembly & test. They will also be responsible for reviewing mechanical analysis/test results from suppliers and customer Payloads. Ideally the successful candidate will also have a strong understanding of the fundamentals of satellite thermal design. They will be capable through training if necessary of performing thermal analysis of our satellites to confirm temperatures remain within acceptable limits.

• Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering Aerospace Engineering or a related field. Masters degree preferred.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience performing structural analysis in the space industry.
• Understanding of force-limiting techniques.
• Pragmatic vibration testing experience (provision of pre-test inputs test oversight data reduction).
• FEA experience at Spacecraft level. Expert-level knowledge of at least one solver and pre-/post-processor package and cursory knowledge of others (Femap Patran Nastran ANSYS etc).
• Experience correlating FEA models to vibration test outputs.
• Can concisely document analysis and test findings in report format.
• Possess strong communication and organizational skills.
• System-level thinking and approach to problem-solving.

• Ability to perform Craig Bampton (CB) model reduction for launch authorities.
• Proficient with CAD tools (Solidworks or similar).
• Experience designing satellites or other space H/W.
• Thermal design and/or analysis experience. Use of ESATAN or Systema-Thermica would be an advantage.
• Proven experience in optical payloads integration or other use-cases where alignment and tolerances are design drivers.

Orbitworks mission is to make space simple for organizations that want to deploy physical and virtual missions to space. Building on Loft Orbitals heritage Orbitworks will be the first commercial firm in the United Arab Emirates to mass-manufacture satellites. Orbitworks aims to manufacture tens of satellites annually and operates out of a 50000-square-foot facility in Abu Dhabi.

Required Experience:

IC