Lead Solar Array Engineer – Spacecraft Hardware

Socket.dev; Redmond (WA); On-site; USD 159,000 - 215,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) matching

Paid time off

Job summary

Amazon Leo in Redmond, WA seeks a Senior Aerospace Hardware Development Engineer to lead solar array hardware development for next‑gen LEO spacecraft. You will own modules, deployable wings, secondary structures, and interfaces, guiding design from concept through qualification and production readiness.

The role requires hands‑on lab work, CAD artifacts, and collaboration across Power, Structures, Thermal, and Manufacturing teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, material science, physics or equivalent, or experience in STEM.
• 5+ years of hardware development experience in demanding industries, with leading design, analysis and qualification.
• Experience with lightweight structures, deployable systems, or precision mechanical assemblies in a performance-critical environment.
• Experience driving hardware from concept through build, test, and qualification.
• Hands-on experience with prototype fabrication, hardware builds, or lab testing.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, analysis, and qualification of solar array subsystems from concept through production readiness.
• Drive materials selection and qualification for lightweight array structures including adhesives, composites, and polymer films.
• Create and iterate CAD and engineering artifacts: geometry, schematics, ply schedules, material selections, test methods.
• Develop validation and qualification campaigns including environmental testing and materials characterization.
• Perform structural, thermal, and durability analyses to verify design margins.
• Lead engagements with materials suppliers, cell vendors, and manufacturing partners.
• Collaborate with Power Systems, Structures, Thermal, Mechanisms, Manufacturing, and Mission Operations teams.
• Lead and participate in design reviews and present trade-offs to leadership.

Skills

Hardware development

Aerospace hardware

Deployable structures

Lightweight structures

Composites & adhesives

Finite Element Analysis

Technical communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering

Master’s degree in Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering or Materials Science

Tools

Ansys

NASTRAN

CAD

Job description

Amazon Leo in Redmond, WA seeks a Senior Aerospace Hardware Development Engineer to lead solar array hardware development for next‑gen LEO spacecraft. You will own modules, deployable wings, secondary structures, and interfaces, guiding design from concept through qualification and production readiness.

The role requires hands‑on lab work, CAD artifacts, and collaboration across Power, Structures, Thermal, and Manufacturing teams.