Mechanical Engineer Jacksonville, Florida, United States

Star Catcher; Jacksonville (FL); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Star Catcher in Jacksonville, FL is seeking a Mechanical Engineer to design, analyze, and implement mechanical systems for space-to-space power beaming spacecraft and the Star Catcher Network.

The role covers design of payload and spacecraft structures, thermal control, and integration with cross-functional teams, with hands-on build support and documentation. A bachelor’s degree in mechanical/ aerospace engineering and 5+ years of relevant experience are required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, structural, or aerospace engineering; Master’s or PhD preferred.
• At least five years designing and building mechanical structures in aerospace or related industry.
• Creative problem-solving skills and ability to develop innovative solutions.

Responsibilities

• Design mechanical systems and spacecraft structures and onboard components.
• Develop and test prototypes to verify performance and reliability.
• Oversee manufacturing and assembly, sourcing parts meeting specs and quality.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate systems into spacecraft.
• Support hands-on build of flight and ground test hardware.
• Create detailed design docs, test plans, and interface control documents.
• Manage timelines, resources, and budgets for mechanical tasks.

Skills

CAD software

Analytical skills

Strong communication

Regulatory knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in mechanical, structural, or aerospace Engineering

Master's or PhD preferred

Tools

CAD software

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 aMechanical 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.
• Overseeing the manufacturing and assembly of mechanical components and working with suppliers and manufacturers to procure parts, ensuring they meet design specifications and quality standards.
• Working closely with a cross-functional team to integrate mechanical systems and components into spacecraft, satellites, and other systems and ensuring 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.
• Managing 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 standardsrelevant 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.