LEO Solar Array Engineer — Design & Test

Amazon; Redmond (WA); On-site; USD 97,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Amazon Kuiper Manufacturing Enterprises LLC in Redmond, WA, seeks a Solar Development Engineer to design, build, and test next-generation solar array hardware for a rapid-lead aerospace program. You will create CAD models, perform structural/thermal analysis, and participate in hardware builds and environmental testing.

This broad hardware role blends hands-on lab work with analysis and documentation, requiring strong fundamentals and quick learning in a fast-paced environment, collaborating

Qualifications

• 2+ years of hardware design and validation of components, subsystems and systems
• Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, material science, physics or equivalent
• Experience with first-principles mechanical analysis (hand calculations, FEA, or thermal analysis) to evaluate hardware designs
• Hands-on experience building, assembling, or testing mechanical hardware (prototypes, test articles, or production hardware)

Responsibilities

• Mechanical Design: Design sub-components and components for solar array hardware including solar power modules (SPMs), wing structures, frames, brackets, and mechanical interfaces. Produce detailed CAD models and engineering drawings.
• Prototyping and Build: Support prototype fabrication, assembly, and hardware builds. Work with manufacturing and suppliers to translate designs into physical hardware, incorporating DFM and DFA principles.
• Testing: Support environmental and mechanical testing of array hardware including vibration, thermal cycling, deployment, and functional tests. Develop test procedures, fixtures, and documentation.
• Materials and Processes: Support materials selection, adhesive bonding processes, composite layup, and thin-film material characterization for array structures.
• Documentation: Produce quality engineering artifacts including design specifications, trade studies, test reports, assembly procedures, and design review packages.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work with design engineers, scientists, manufacturing, test, and quality teams to support hardware delivery. Participate in design reviews and team planning discussions.

Skills

Hardware design

Mechanical analysis

Hands-on fabrication

Education

Bachelor's degree in mechanical or electrical engineering or related

Tools

NX

FEA (Ansys/NASTRAN)

Job description

Amazon Kuiper Manufacturing Enterprises LLC in Redmond, WA, seeks a Solar Development Engineer to design, build, and test next-generation solar array hardware for a rapid-lead aerospace program. You will create CAD models, perform structural/thermal analysis, and participate in hardware builds and environmental testing.

This broad hardware role blends hands-on lab work with analysis and documentation, requiring strong fundamentals and quick learning in a fast-paced environment, collaborating