Staff Mechanical Engineer

ICEYE; Warszawa; Hybrid; PLN 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

ICEYE in Warsaw, Poland is seeking a Staff Mechanical Engineer to lead the mechanical design of the next‑generation optical satellite platform. You’ll own structural analysis, optimization, material decisions, and guide designs from concept through manufacturing, testing and qualification, collaborating with manufacturers and subcontractors to ensure space‑grade precision.

You’ll mentor engineers, raise the technical bar, and apply first‑principles thinking across outgassing, thermal cycling and

Qualifications

• Expert knowledge and hands-on CAD design, analysis, and optimisation across all project phases.
• Ability to break down problems and build robust solutions from fundamentals.
• Guidance on material selection for space environment and related analyses.
• Experience with testing campaigns (TVAC, vibration) and pre-launch qualification.
• Experience delivering designs through suppliers to production.
• Mentoring other engineers to raise technical performance.

Responsibilities

• Own mechanical design, structural analysis, and optimization of satellite platform elements from concept to manufacturing.
• Direct material selection and analysis for space environment, including outgassing and thermoelastic effects.
• Collaborate with manufacturers and subcontractors to ensure quality and performance, while mentoring teammates.

Skills

Mechanical CAD

First-principles thinking

Material science

TVAC testing

Vibration testing

Optical components

Supplier collaboration

Mentoring

Tools

CAD software

Job description

Role highlights:

• Location: Warsaw, Poland

• Department: Optical Systems

• Reports to: Engineering Manager, Optical Systems

• Employment type: Permanent

• Workplace model: Hybrid

• Employment is subject to applicable security screening (incl. SUPO, where required)

Why this role matters:

As Staff Mechanical Engineer, you will be a senior technical anchor for the mechanical design of ICEYE's next-generation optical satellite platform, driving the structural analysis, optimization, and material decisions that determine how the platform performs in space. Working hands-on in CAD, you will take designs from concept through manufacturing, testing, and qualification, working directly with component manufacturers and subcontractors to make sure every part meets the precision the mission demands. Alongside your own technical work, you will mentor other engineers on the team, raising the bar for how mechanical design gets done.

Who We Are

ICEYE is the world leader in sovereign intelligence from space. We deliver persistent monitoring capabilities to detect and respond to changes in any location on Earth.

ICEYE owns the world's largest and most advanced SAR (synthetic aperture radar) satellite constellation. To our customers we provide intelligence with unmatched quality, latency and revisit times, in any weather, day or night. To governments who choose to operate their own constellation we provide this proven capability as a sovereign system.

ICEYE-built constellations serve customers in defence and intelligence, environmental monitoring, insurance and emergency management. We enable fast decisions that contribute to a safer future.

Founded and headquartered in Finland, ICEYE operates globally with over 1000 employees across Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific.

Your day-to-day responsibilities

• Own the mechanical design, structural analysis, and optimization of critical elements of the satellite platform, working hands-on in CAD from concept through manufacturing, testing, and qualification.

• Guide material selection and analysis for the space environment, accounting for outgassing, thermal cycling, and thermoelastic effects across the platform's components.

• Work directly with manufacturers and subcontractors to ensure the quality, alignment, and performance of delivered components and mechanisms, and mentor other engineers on the team as they do the same.

What we’re looking for

Must haves:

• Expert knowledge and hands‑on skills in mechanical CAD design, analysis, and optimisation, covering all phases of the project from concept up to material and structural analysis.

• First-principles thinking: able to break down complex problems into fundamentals and build solutions from the ground up.

• Familiarity with material science and engineering, able to guide material selection and analysis for the space environment (outgassing, thermal cycling, thermoelastic effects).

• Good knowledge of testing, especially TVAC and vibration testing, and pre‑launch qualification campaigns.

• Experience working with optical component manufacturers to ensure the right selection and quality of components to meet system requirements.

• Embracing the challenge, with a mindset of owning problems and solving them, and the capability of taking risks and leaning forward when needed. R&D style of learning by doing and iterating on the parts that require improvement.

• Experience delivering design through suppliers, with a proven record of working directly with manufacturers and subcontractors to get designs delivered to production, verified and validated.

• Comfortable mentoring other engineers and raising the technical bar across the team, without formal people‑management responsibility.

Nice to haves:

• Experience in QA for optical components and AIT for optical systems and/or precise mechanisms.

• Experience with large optical earth observation payloads.

Application Process

• Talent Attraction Screening

• Hiring Manager Screening

• Onsite workshop + Technical discussion

• Interview with Leadership

Working at ICEYE

At ICEYE, you’ll join a diverse and highly engaged team united by the ambition to make the impossible possible. As a global scale‑up, we combine speed and ambition with the opportunity to take real ownership from day one. Your growth, wellbeing, and success are a priority, with continuous professional development, training opportunities, and a culture where collaboration is how we win.

How We Work (Our Values)

• Make the impossible possible: We set ambitious goals and stay calm under pressure. We bring grit, optimism, and ownership when things get hard, and we keep moving until we find a way.

• Be curious: Go deep, ask questions, listen carefully, and think critically. Understand the "why" behind decisions.

• See the big picture: Stay close to what’s happening across the company so you can make better decisions. Consider how your work affects others.

• Drive effective teamwork: Create psychological safety, invite different perspectives, and build inclusive teams. There are no bad questions.

• Act as one team: We win together. We match tasks to the right owner and stay agile as priorities shift.

• Have fun: What we do matters—and it should be enjoyable. Celebrate progress, take pride in results, and share the wins.

Benefits

Our benefits are designed to support your health and wellbeing, at work and beyond. We keep improving them based on employee feedback, and offerings vary by location. Talent Acquisition will confirm what applies for this role and location during the process.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

We want ICEYE to be a place where people can be themselves and do great work.

Different backgrounds and perspectives make us stronger, which is why we work to create an environment where people feel included, respected, and able to speak up.

Whatever your background, we want you to bring your authentic self to the table.

We’re committed to fair, inclusive hiring and equal opportunity.

Everyone is welcome to apply.

If you need any adjustments or support during the recruitment process, tell us—we’ll do our best to help.

Read more about ICEYE and working with us at iceye.com.