Director of Mechanical Design - Spacecraft & Propulsion

ExoTerra Resource LLC; Littleton (CO); On-site; USD 110,000 - 189,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discretionary annual bonus

Paid time off

Health benefits

Job summary

ExoTerra Resource LLC in Colorado is seeking a Mechanical Design Engineering Manager to lead the Mechanical Design organization across spacecraft structures, propulsion hardware, mechanisms, and integration. You will set objectives, manage budgets, oversee technical execution, and present status to customers and executive leadership.

The role demands deep aerospace design experience, strong leadership, and a proven track record delivering complex programs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering.
• 15+ years of experience in mechanical design for aerospace, spacecraft, or high-reliability systems.
• 5+ years of experience managing engineering teams.
• Demonstrated success leading mechanical design organizations on complex aerospace programs.
• Strong technical foundation in spacecraft structures, mechanisms, and propulsion hardware.
• Experience managing department budgets and resource allocation.
• Proven ability to work with executive leadership and represent technical organizations to customers.
• Experience with propulsion systems, spacecraft, or high-reliability aerospace hardware.
• Familiarity with NASA, DoD, MIL-STD, and commercial spaceflight requirements.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills.
• Candidates must comply with U.S. export control and ITAR requirements (U.S. person status required).

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Mechanical Design Engineering department, including structures, mechanisms, and propulsion hardware design teams.
• Set department objectives aligned with company goals; develop and execute strategic plans for the Mechanical Design organization.
• Manage department budget, resource allocation, and capacity planning across all programs.
• Hire, develop, and retain top mechanical design talent; conduct performance reviews and support career development.
• Establish mechanical design standards, processes, and best practices to ensure technical consistency and quality.
• Oversee technical execution of mechanical designs across all propulsion and spacecraft programs.
• Ensure mechanical designs meet performance, reliability, mass, and cost targets.
• Represent the Mechanical Design organization at executive leadership meetings and in company-wide planning.
• Present mechanical design status, risks, and results to customers at major program reviews (PDR, CDR, MRR, TRR).
• Coordinate with Program Management to ensure mechanical schedules and deliverables meet program milestones.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives, CAD/PLM tool development, and automation to increase team efficiency.
• Support proposal efforts including technical approach, staffing plans, cost estimates, and schedule development.
• Ensure compliance with aerospace standards, customer requirements, and regulatory obligations.
• Foster a collaborative, high-performance culture focused on technical excellence and innovation.
• Manage relationships with external design consultants, suppliers, and manufacturing partners.

Skills

Leadership

Mechanical design

Aerospace engineering

Program management

Budget management

Staff development

Customer communication

Export control/ITAR

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's or PhD

Tools

CAD/PLM tools

Job description

ExoTerra Resource LLC in Colorado is seeking a Mechanical Design Engineering Manager to lead the Mechanical Design organization across spacecraft structures, propulsion hardware, mechanisms, and integration. You will set objectives, manage budgets, oversee technical execution, and present status to customers and executive leadership.

The role demands deep aerospace design experience, strong leadership, and a proven track record delivering complex programs.