Mechanical Engineer, Satellite Hardware

Socket.dev; Redmond (WA); On-site; USD 97,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Amazon Leo in Redmond, WA is seeking an early-career mechanical engineer to design, test, and deliver hardware for a large satellite constellation. You will design mechanical hardware and create 3D models and drawings across spacecraft structures, packaging, and mechanisms, collaborating with electrical, thermal, and software teams.

The role emphasizes hands-on CAD work, Design for Manufacturability, and data-driven problem solving, with opportunities to own hardware decisions as you grow within

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or equivalent.
• Experience in engineering and hardware development.
• Experience with 3D CAD and mechanical design processes.

Responsibilities

• Design mechanical hardware, assemblies, fixtures, or test equipment using engineering fundamentals and sound design practices.
• Create and release 3D models, drawings, specifications, and other engineering documentation.
• Perform engineering analysis and calculations to support design decisions and verify performance.
• Work directly with technicians, machinists, manufacturing engineers, suppliers, and other partners to build and evaluate hardware.
• Develop and execute engineering tests to characterize hardware, validate designs, and investigate failures.
• Participate in design reviews and communicate technical decisions, risks, and tradeoffs to multidisciplinary teams.
• Apply Design for Manufacturing and Assembly principles to improve hardware manufacturability, reliability, cost, and production scalability.
• Troubleshoot hardware issues using data, testing, and first-principles engineering.
• Support hardware from early prototype development through qualification, production, and flight.
• Develop increasing technical ownership of hardware and engineering decisions as experience grows.

Skills

Engineering fundamentals

3D CAD experience

Hardware design

Communication of technical concepts

Education

Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering

Tools

Siemens NX

Teamcenter

Finite element analysis

Job description

Amazon Leo is Amazon's low Earth orbit satellite network. Our mission is to deliver fast, reliable internet connectivity to customers beyond the reach of existing networks. From individual households to schools, hospitals, businesses, and government agencies, Amazon Leo will serve people and organizations operating in locations without reliable connectivity.

The Leo Mechanical Engineering organization is looking for early-career mechanical engineers who want to design, build, test, and deliver hardware for a large-scale satellite constellation.

Our mechanical engineering teams own hardware across the spacecraft lifecycle, from early concepts and architecture through detailed design, analysis, prototyping, qualification, manufacturing, and flight. Engineers work directly with hardware and collaborate across electrical, thermal, RF, reliability, manufacturing, software, and operations teams to solve multidisciplinary engineering problems.

This role is intended for engineers early in their careers who have a strong foundation in mechanical engineering fundamentals, are curious about how things work, and want to develop broad spacecraft hardware experience. Depending on background, interests, and business needs, engineers may work in spacecraft structures, avionics packaging, harnessing, solar arrays, mechanisms, test development, or manufacturing process development.

Export Control Requirement: Due to applicable export control laws and regulations, candidates must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (i.e., current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.

Key job responsibilities

• Design mechanical hardware, assemblies, fixtures, or test equipment using engineering fundamentals and sound design practices.
• Create and release 3D models, drawings, specifications, and other engineering documentation.
• Perform engineering analysis and calculations to support design decisions and verify performance.
• Work directly with technicians, machinists, manufacturing engineers, suppliers, and other partners to build and evaluate hardware.
• Develop and execute engineering tests to characterize hardware, validate designs, and investigate failures.
• Participate in design reviews and communicate technical decisions, risks, and tradeoffs to multidisciplinary teams.
• Apply Design for Manufacturing and Assembly principles to improve hardware manufacturability, reliability, cost, and production scalability.
• Troubleshoot hardware issues using data, testing, and first-principles engineering.
• Support hardware from early prototype development through qualification, production, and flight.
• Develop increasing technical ownership of hardware and engineering decisions as experience grows.

A day in the life

There is no single typical day for a mechanical engineer on the team. You might begin the morning reviewing test data from hardware tested overnight, then update a CAD model based on what you learned. Later, you could work alongside a technician assembling a prototype, perform a hand calculation or finite element analysis to evaluate a design change, or meet with electrical and thermal engineers to resolve competing packaging requirements.

You may spend the afternoon in the lab troubleshooting hardware, preparing for a design review, working with a supplier on a manufacturing issue, or developing a fixture to test a new design.

Our engineers are expected to move comfortably between analysis, design, hardware, and data. The goal is not simply to produce drawings or calculations, but to understand the hardware, make sound engineering decisions, and help carry those decisions through to a successful product.

About the team

The Leo Mechanical Engineering organization designs, develops, tests, and industrializes the hardware that enables our satellite constellation. Our teams span spacecraft structures and integration, avionics packaging, harnessing, solar arrays, mechanisms, test development, and manufacturing process development. Engineers work across disciplines and throughout the full product lifecycle, from early concepts and prototypes through qualification, production, launch, and on-orbit operation. We combine deep technical expertise with strong hardware ownership and rapid iteration, giving engineers the opportunity to solve challenging multidisciplinary problems while seeing their designs progress from an idea to flight hardware.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or equivalent
• Experience in engineering
• Experience in 3D CAD
• Experience in hardware design
• Experience communicating technical concepts and processes using clear, simple language and visuals

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands-on experience building mechanical systems through internships, laboratory work, Formula SAE, rocketry, robotics, CubeSat, machining, personal projects, or similar activities.
• Experience with CAD and Product Lifecycle Management tools such as Siemens NX and Teamcenter.
• Familiarity with engineering drawings, GD&T, tolerance analysis, and mechanical design best practices.
• Familiarity with structural mechanics, dynamics, thermal environments, materials, mechanisms, electronics packaging, or manufacturing processes.
• Experience developing or executing engineering tests and interpreting test data.Experience with Python, MATLAB, or other engineering analysis and automation tools.
• Understanding of Design for Manufacturing and Assembly principles.
• Demonstrated ability to learn unfamiliar technical subjects, work through ambiguous problems, and use first-principles reasoning to develop practical engineering solutions.

Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.

Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you're applying in isn't listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.

The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.

USA, WA, Redmond - 96,600.00 - 160,000.00 USD annually