Mechanical Engineer (Spacecraft Structures & Missions)

Muon Space; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health coverage

Parental leave

Generous time off

401(k) plan

Equity management

Lunch provided 3 days a week

Dog-friendly office

Job summary

Muon Space seeks a Mechanical Engineer to join the Spacecraft Structures & Missions team in San Jose, CA. You will own the mechanical execution of missions end-to-end, from platform blocks to payload accommodations, integration, and environmental testing.

You’ll collaborate with structural and thermal groups and develop interfaces and assemblies in SolidWorks. The role emphasizes hands-on hardware, GD&T, and documentation, with opportunities to grow ownership and contribute to design reviews in

Qualifications

• BS in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• 5+ years designing, building, and testing mechanical hardware for complex systems.
• Experience with drawings, GD&T, BOMs, and tolerance budgets.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end mechanical execution from requirements to build and environmental test.
• Create and manage spacecraft-level assemblies in SolidWorks with envelopes and interfaces.
• Support environmental test campaigns and spacecraft integration alongside teams.
• Produce drawings, GD&T, BOMs, and ECO/DCO documentation.
• Present work in design reviews (PDR, CDR, MRR) and coordinate across teams.

Skills

CAD software proficiency

Strong communication

Cross-functional coordination

Hands-on hardware experience

System-level thinking

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

FEMAP/NASTRAN/ANSYS

PLM systems

Job description

• Muon seeks a Mechanical Engineer to join our Spacecraft Structures & Missions team — the group that tailors Muon’s spacecraft platforms to specific customer missions. In this role you’ll own the mechanical execution of a mission end-to-end: starting from our platform building blocks, designing payload accommodations and mission-specific components, and carrying the spacecraft through integration, environmental test, and delivery to the launch vehicle
• You’ll work alongside the team’s senior and staff engineers and partner closely with Muon’s dedicated structural and thermal analysis groups, with plenty of room to grow your ownership over time
• Own the mechanical execution of an assigned mission end-to-end — from requirements through design, build, integration, and environmental test — with support from senior engineers
• Tailor Muon’s platform components to mission needs and design new mission-specific components and payload accommodations
• Create and manage spacecraft-level mechanical assemblies in SolidWorks, including envelopes, interfaces, and configuration control
• Perform first-order structural and thermal sizing to guide your designs, partnering with Muon’s dedicated structural and thermal analysis groups for detailed analysis
• Produce and release engineering documentation: drawings, GD&T, BOMs, and tolerance/mass budgets through ECO/DCO processes
• Support environmental test campaigns (vibration, TVAC) and spacecraft integration alongside production and test teams
• Write build procedures and support hardware assembly and integration on the floor
• Present your work in design reviews (PDR, CDR, MRR) and coordinate across systems, thermal, avionics, and payload teams

Benefits

• 100% health, dental, and vision coverage for employees; 50% coverage for dependents (Concierge Medical offered through One Medical where available)
• Parental leave for primary and secondary caregivers
• Generous time off policy
• 401(k) plan through Betterment and equity management through Carta
• Fully stocked kitchen at our HQ and we cater lunch 3 days per week
• Dog-friendly office

• Proficiency in CAD for medium-to-large assembly design and management (SolidWorks preferred)
• A strong desire to learn and contribute in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
• B.S. or higher in Mechanical Engineering or related field
• Excellent communication and cross-functional coordination skills
• 5+ years of experience designing, building, and testing mechanical hardware for complex systems
• Solid command of drawings, GD&T, BOMs, and tolerance/mass budgets
• Experience taking hardware from concept through build and test
• Structural analysis fundamentals: hand calculations, margin assessment, and familiarity with FEA
• We encourage you to apply, even if you don’t check all the boxes, and we look forward to reviewing your application!
• Space industry experience — spacecraft, launch vehicles, or flight hardware
• Experience running or supporting environmental test campaigns (vibration, TVAC)
• Hands-on FEA experience (FEMAP/NASTRAN, ANSYS, or similar)
• Experience with PLM systems and formal change control
• Experience with deployable hardware or precision mechanisms
• Software skills in Python, MATLAB, or similar