Engineering Manager, Mechanisms

Menlo Ventures; Laguna Beach (CA); On-site; USD 165,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Equity options

401K

Parental Leave

Job summary

A leading aerospace technology firm located in California is looking for a Mechanisms Engineering Manager to lead a team in designing and developing innovative motor-driven actuation systems for spacecraft. The role demands a strong background in spacecraft mechanisms and team leadership, ensuring projects are completed with precision. Competitive compensation is provided, along with a benefits package including health, dental, and equity options. Candidates must possess a Bachelor's degree in a related field and have at least 10 years of relevant experience.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in spacecraft mechanisms design and development.
• Expertise in motor-driven actuation systems including brushless DC motors.
• Strong understanding of mechanism performance analysis.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team responsible for spacecraft mechanism systems.
• Oversee the mechanisms development lifecycle.
• Ensure designs meet mission reliability and performance requirements.

Skills

Motor-driven actuation systems

Spacecraft mechanisms design

Team leadership

Precision pointing and tracking

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Master's degree in related field

Tools

NASTRAN

ANSYS

Job description

Overview

A new space race has begun. True Anomaly seeks those with the talent and ambition to build innovative technology that solves the next generation of engineering, manufacturing, and operational challenges for space security and sustainability.

Our Mission

The peaceful use of space is essential for continued prosperity on Earth—from communications and finance to navigation and logistics. True Anomaly builds innovative technology at the intersection of spacecraft, software, and AI to enhance the capabilities of the U.S., its allies, and commercial partners. We safeguard global security by ensuring space access and sustainability for all.

Our Values

• Be the offset. We create asymmetric advantages with creativity and ingenuity
• What would it take? We challenge assumptions to deliver ambitious results
• It’s the people. Our team is our competitive advantage and we are better together

Your Mission

True Anomaly is seeking an innovative Mechanisms Engineering Manager to lead a small, agile team responsible for the design, development, integration, and testing of precision, affordable, motor-driven actuation systems for orbital platforms. Reporting to the VP of New Product Engineering, this role encompasses hands-on technical leadership alongside people management, program planning, and product delivery. The team's portfolio spans precision pointing and tracking systems, solar array drive assemblies, reaction wheels, solar array release mechanisms, optical focusing systems, CubeSat dispensers, and 1G test stands. The successful candidate will have deep expertise in spacecraft mechanisms and motor-driven systems, and the drive to vertically integrate in-house solutions that deliver real mission advantage.

Responsibilities

• Own the technical direction for spacecraft mechanism systems, including precision gimbals, motor-driven actuators, and associated control electronics
• Lead, mentor, and grow a team of mechanisms engineers, including a dedicated motor control engineer, to develop fully vertically integrated actuation solutions
• Oversee end-to-end mechanisms development lifecycle: requirements definition, mechanical and motor control design, analysis, procurement, integration, and test
• Lead the design and development of precision pointing, tracking, and articulation systems for on-orbit payload and antenna applications
• Partner closely with the GNC team to develop and validate bearing determination, stabilization, and closed-loop pointing control
• Develop and maintain mechanism performance budgets, including pointing accuracy, torque margin, lifetime, and disturbance analyses
• Ensure mechanism designs meet mission requirements for reliability, thermal performance, radiation tolerance, and SWaP constraints
• Manage schedules, budgets, staffing, and technical risk across multiple mechanism development programs
• Collaborate with avionics, systems engineering, software, and test teams to ensure seamless spacecraft integration
• Drive compliance with applicable aerospace standards and lead design reviews with internal stakeholders and customers
• Communicate product development status and issues with leadership and stakeholders

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field (Master's preferred)
• 10+ years of professional experience in spacecraft mechanisms design, development, and test
• Demonstrated experience with motor-driven actuation systems, including brushless DC motors, stepper motors, and associated drive electronics
• Experience with precision pointing or tracking mechanisms such as gimbals, beam steering systems, or antenna pointing systems
• Strong understanding of mechanism performance analysis including kinematics, structural dynamics, bearing life, and disturbance modeling
• Familiarity with GNC interface requirements for stabilized pointing and tracking applications
• Demonstrated ability to lead engineering teams and deliver complex hardware on schedule

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Experience with space-qualified mechanisms, including lubrication, materials selection, and life testing for vacuum and thermal environments
• Familiarity with solar array drive assemblies, reaction wheels, or other spacecraft momentum and articulation systems
• Experience with motor control firmware development and closed-loop servo system design
• Knowledge of spacecraft structural analysis tools (NASTRAN, ANSYS, or similar) and mechanism simulation environments
• Experience with 1G test stand design or other gravity off-load test approaches for validating on-orbit mechanism behavior
• Familiarity with MIL-SPEC and NASA standards applicable to spacecraft mechanisms (e.g., GSFC-STD-7000, MIL-STD-810)
• Experience working in a fast-paced, startup environment or a similarly dynamic setting

Compensation

• Colorado Base Salary: $160,000-$220,000
• California Base Salary: $165,000-$230,000
• Equity + Benefits including Health, Dental, Vision, HRA/HSA options, PTO and paid holidays, 401K, Parental Leave

Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, location, and experience.

Additional Requirements

• Ability to maintain or obtain TS//SCI clearance
• Work Location—onsite at either our Centennial, CO or Long Beach, CA locations, with travel to other sites as needed.
• Work environment—the work environment; temperature, noise level, inside or outside, or other factors that will affect the person\'s working conditions while performing the job.
• Physical demands—the physical demands of the job, including bending, sitting, lifting and driving.

This position will be open until it is successfully filled. To submit your application, please follow the directions below. #LI-Onsite

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

True Anomaly is committed to equal employment opportunity on any basis protected by applicable state and federal laws. If you have a disability or additional need that requires accommodation, please do not hesitate to let us.