Mechanical Engineer - Spacecraft Hardware

Approach Venture; Denver (NY); On-site; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity stock options

Medical, dental and vision coverage

Paid parental leave

Three weeks of paid vacation

Ten+ paid holidays

Job summary

Approach Venture in Denver, CO, on-site, seeks a Mechanical Engineer to own spacecraft mechanical subsystems from concept through production and flight. You will translate requirements into detailed designs, create CAD models, and generate manufacturing documentation for launch and on-orbit environments.

The role requires hands-on hardware experience, strong CAD skills, and collaboration across systems, electrical, software, test, and manufacturing teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or related field.
• 5 years of mechanical design experience.
• Strong CAD capability including 3D modeling, drawings, and tolerance stack-ups.
• Experience designing hardware for aerospace, spacecraft, robotics, or similar environments.
• Hands-on experience building, testing, troubleshooting, and iterating hardware.

Responsibilities

• Own spacecraft mechanical and electromechanical subsystems from concept through production and flight.
• Translate system requirements into detailed mechanical designs and hardware architectures.
• Develop CAD models, drawings, tolerance analyses, and manufacturing documentation.
• Design structures, mechanisms, actuators, and precision assemblies for launch and on-orbit environments.
• Lead mechanical design reviews and drive designs through release.
• Integrate hardware with systems, electrical, software, and manufacturing teams.
• Develop mechanical verification and validation plans and support testing.
• Collaborate with suppliers and resolve fabrication/production issues.

Skills

CAD capability

Statics & dynamics

Materials & structural mechanics

Hands-on hardware testing

Cross-disciplinary collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering

Tools

Onshape

SolidWorks

NX

Creo

Job description

Mechanical Engineer - Build the mechanical hardware behind a new generation of modular spacecraft, taking complex systems from early concept through qualification, production, and on-orbit operation

*Denver, Colorado | On-site*

Opportunity Summary

This role will own the design, analysis, integration, and testing of spacecraft mechanical and electromechanical systems. You will take hardware from initial requirements and CAD through detailed design, prototype builds, environmental testing, production, and flight. The work spans spacecraft structures, mechanisms, actuators, precision assemblies, tolerance analysis, and hardware integration. You will work closely with systems, electrical, software, test, and manufacturing engineers while helping establish strong mechanical design practices as the team and vehicle platform scale.

About Us

We are a venture-backed space technology company developing advanced modular spacecraft systems designed to operate, connect, and reconfigure in orbit. The team is small, highly technical, and progressing from flight demonstration toward operational systems. Engineers have broad ownership and work directly on hardware that must survive launch and perform reliably in space.

Job Duties

• Own spacecraft mechanical and electromechanical subsystems from concept through production and flight
• Translate system requirements into detailed mechanical designs and hardware architectures
• Develop 3D CAD models, engineering drawings, tolerance analyses, and manufacturing documentation
• Design structures, mechanisms, actuators, and precision assemblies for launch and on-orbit environments
• Perform mechanical trade studies and support material, hardware, and manufacturing process selection
• Lead mechanical design reviews and drive designs through release
• Work with systems, electrical, software, and manufacturing teams to integrate hardware into the spacecraft
• Support rapid prototype builds, assembly, troubleshooting, and design iteration
• Develop mechanical verification and validation plans
• Support vibration, structural, environmental, and qualification testing
• Evaluate test results and drive design improvements based on hardware performance
• Work directly with suppliers and manufacturing partners to resolve fabrication and production issues
• Create and review drawings using GD&T and appropriate aerospace design practices
• Support configuration control and design documentation
• Mentor less-experienced engineers and help improve mechanical engineering standards and processes

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or a related technical discipline
• 5 years of mechanical design experience
• Strong fundamentals in statics, dynamics, materials, structural mechanics, and mechanical design
• Experience owning complex mechanical or electromechanical hardware through multiple stages of development
• Strong CAD capability including 3D modeling, detailed drawings, and tolerance stack-ups
• Experience designing hardware for demanding aerospace, spacecraft, robotics, or similar environments
• Knowledge of aerospace materials, mechanical hardware, and fabrication processes
• Experience developing and executing mechanical test plans
• Hands‑on experience building, testing, troubleshooting, and iterating hardware
• Ability to work effectively across multiple engineering disciplines
• Strong technical judgment and ability to make design decisions with limited oversight

Preferred Experience

• Direct experience designing spacecraft or satellite flight hardware
• Experience with mechanisms, actuators, deployables, separation systems, or precision mechanical assemblies
• Proficiency with Onshape, SolidWorks, NX, Creo, or comparable CAD platforms
• Strong knowledge of GD&T and ASME Y14.5
• Experience with structural FEA tools such as Nastran, Femap, ANSYS, or Abaqus
• Familiarity with spacecraft thermal analysis tools
• Understanding of launch loads, thermal environments, material behavior, and structural margins
• Experience with vibration, environmental, and qualification testing
• Familiarity with NASA or other spacecraft verification standards
• Experience owning a spacecraft subsystem through design, qualification, production, and flight
• Experience with configuration management and engineering release processes
• Project planning, scheduling, risk management, or cross-functional technical leadership experience
• Previous experience in a startup or rapid hardware development environment

Why Join Us

• Own flight hardware from clean-sheet design through on-orbit operation
• Work across structures, mechanisms, electromechanical systems, manufacturing, and test
• Join a small engineering team where mechanical engineers have significant technical ownership
• Build hardware that must solve challenging launch and space-environment problems
• Help establish mechanical design standards and engineering practices as the company grows
• Equity participation through stock options
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Short- and long-term disability insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid parental leave
• Three weeks of paid vacation
• Ten or more paid holidays annually

Compensation Details

$100,000 - $150,000

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