Mechanical Engineer

Star Catcher; Jacksonville (FL); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Highly competitive benefits package

Job summary

A pioneering space technology company in Jacksonville is seeking a Mechanical Engineer to support the development of an orbital energy grid. Responsibilities include designing mechanical systems and components for spacecraft, testing prototypes, and ensuring assembly adherence to specifications. The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and at least five years of experience in aerospace manufacturing. This position offers an innovative work environment with a highly competitive benefits package.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in designing and analyzing mechanical structures in aerospace.
• Experience in aerospace manufacturing environment or relevant industry.
• Capability to develop innovative solutions to advanced engineering challenges.

Responsibilities

• Design mechanical systems and components including payload and spacecraft structures.
• Develop and test prototypes of mechanical components and systems.
• Oversee manufacturing and assembly of mechanical components.
• Work with a cross-functional team for integration into spacecraft.
• Create detailed documentation for designs and testing procedures.
• Manage project timelines, resources, and budgets.

Skills

Mechanical design principles

CAD software

Creative problem-solving

Effective communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, structural, or aerospace engineering

Master’s or PhD preferred

Job description

Power the future of Space at Star Catcher

Star Catcher is powering the future of space by building the world’s first orbital energy grid: the Star Catcher Network. Spacecraft connect into the Star Catcher Network and receive conditioned energy via their existing solar arrays, requiring no retrofit to utilize the first true space-based infrastructure. The Star Catcher Network provides power as needed from tens of Watts to tens of thousands of Watts at concentrations from fractions of a Sun of flux to ten Suns of flux.

The Star Catcher Network enables More Uptime, More Bandwidth, and More Mission.

Join our team of experienced and passionate space innovators driven to transform and expand humanity’s utilization of space. The creation of space-based power infrastructure is as impactful for space missions in the 2020’s and 2030’s as the advent of low-cost launch services was in the 2010’s. We seek individuals who share our passion for enabling people to do more in space and are not afraid to get their hands dirty to make our vision of the future reality.

Star Catcher Industries, Inc. (Star Catcher), located in Jacksonville, FL, has an opportunity for a Mechanical Engineer to support the development of space-to-space power beaming spacecraft and the Star Catcher Network, its orbital power grid. This role will be responsible for design, analysis, and implementation of mechanical systems and components used on spacecraft, satellites, and other space-related technologies.

Responsibilities

• Design mechanical systems and components including payload and spacecraft structures, thermal control systems, and structural frameworks; creating detailed specifications, drawings, and models.
• Develop and test prototypes of mechanical components and systems to verify their performance and reliability.
• Oversee the manufacturing and assembly of mechanical components and work with suppliers and manufacturers to procure parts, ensuring they meet design specifications and quality standards.
• Work closely with a cross-functional team to integrate mechanical systems and components into spacecraft, satellites, and other systems and ensure that materials are compatible with design specifications and operational requirements.
• Support hands‑on build of flight and ground test hardware.
• Create detailed documentation for designs, analyses, and testing procedures. This includes writing technical reports, test plans, analysis reports, system design documents, and interface control documents.
• Manage project timelines, resources, and budgets related to mechanical engineering tasks.

Ideal Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, structural, or aerospace Engineering, or a related field; Master’s or PhD preferred.
• At least five years of experience designing, analyzing and building mechanical structures in an aerospace manufacturing environment or other relevant industry experience.
• Creative problem‑solving skills, with the capability to develop innovative solutions to advanced engineering challenges.

Desired skills

• Demonstrated expertise in mechanical design principles and CAD software.
• Ability to analyze complex mechanical systems and solve engineering problems effectively.
• Familiarity with space industry regulations, safety standards relevant to space missions and operations.
• Effective communication skills with the ability to interface with the team and organization and prioritize tasks, projects, and personnel from a variety of disciplines.

Help us deploy and scale space infrastructure that will drive our utilization of space forward! We offer a highly competitive benefits package.

Star Catcher is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Star Catcher is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

All offers of employment at Star Catcher are contingent upon results of a thorough background check and your ability to provide proof of eligibility to work in the US.

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.