Mechatronics Engineer III

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory; California; On-site; USD 152,000 - 189,000; Full time

Job summary

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California seeks a Mechatronics Engineer to lead the design, analysis, development, integration, and test of flight mechanical and robotic systems for spacecraft and ground systems. You will direct mechanisms, actuators, sensors, controllers, and structures across mission phases, ensuring traceability of requirements and robust verification.

Role requires leading mechanical hardware development, coordinating across disciplines, and mentoring engineers

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related technical discipline with a minimum of 6 years of related experience; Master's degree with a minimum of 4 years related experience; or PhD in similar disciplines with a minimum of 2 years related experience.
• Experience serving as a technical lead for subsystem development, integration, and verification activities.
• Demonstrated experience coordinating technical efforts across multiple engineering disciplines and organizations.
• Experience leading spacecraft or instrument mechatronics development and/or mechanical hardware design, fabrication, integration, and test efforts.
• Knowledge and experience translating design and performance requirements into electro‑mechanical hardware architectures, subsystem designs, and development plans.
• Experience deriving, managing, and verifying system and interface requirements for complex engineering systems.
• Experience developing and executing technical plans, managing risk, and meeting cost, schedule, and technical commitments.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently on key project assignments with limited direction and to lead multidisciplinary technical efforts.
• Experience leading integration, verification, and validation activities for complex mechanical or mechatronic systems.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to present complex technical information to project leadership, review boards, and customers.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead the implementation of mechanisms, materials, and electronics for current and future JPL missions.
• Lead mechanical hardware development and mechanical systems engineering activities across mission phases.
• Derive and manage complex system requirements with traceability through verification.
• Perform and lead design and analysis, documentation, and delivery of mechanical engineering products for spaceflight missions.
• Research and develop system architectures, approaches, and risk mitigation plans for mechatronic systems.
• Ensure delivered products meet all technical requirements and commitments.
• Develop cost and schedule estimates, plans, and technical approaches for tasks and activities.
• Prepare and lead V&V planning and execution, including test plans and integration/test leadership for assemblies and subsystems.
• Lead and present at team, subsystem, and project-level technical reviews.
• Provide technical leadership and mentoring to engineers, designers, analysts, and other team members.
• Coordinate and lead project activities across organizations, vendors, and external partners to achieve objectives.
• Contribute to proposal and concept studies with technical content, evaluations, and analyses.
• Assess and infuse new technologies into flight projects and stay current on mechatronics advancements.
• Work with minimal direction, leading multidisciplinary teams in key project activities.

Skills

Technical leadership

Subsystem development

Cross-disciplinary coordination

Mechatronics development

Requirements engineering

Verification & validation

Cost, schedule, risk management

Independent work

Team leadership

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related discipline

Master's degree with 4+ years experience (preferred)

PhD in related discipline with 2+ years experience

Tools

Unigraphics / Siemens NX

SolidWorks

Teamcenter

FEA / modeling software

Job description

Job Details

New ideas are all around us, but only a few will change the world. That’s our focus at JPL. We ask the biggest questions, then search the universe for answers—literally. We build upon ideas that have guided generations, then share our discoveries to inspire generations to come. Your mission—your opportunity—is to seek out the answers that bring us one step closer. If you’re driven to discover, create, and inspire something that lasts a lifetime and beyond, you’re ready for JPL.

Located in Pasadena, California, JPL has a campus-like environment situated on 177 acres in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains and offers a work environment unlike any other: we inspire passion, foster innovation, build collaboration, and reward excellence.

This unique opportunity is part of the Mechanical and Control Systems Division (35) , which creates advanced mechanical, robotics, thermal, propulsion, onboard GNC, and electronic packaging systems. Division 35 develops hardware and systems from early architecture through design, fabrication, subsystem, and system‑level integration and test.

You will be working as a Mechatronics Engineer within the Mechanical Engineering, Integration, and Test Section , which leads the design, analysis, development, integration, and test of flight mechanical and robotic systems for spacecraft, payloads, and ground-based systems. In this role, you will:

• Develop and lead the implementation of mechanisms, materials, and electronics, including actuators, sensors, controllers, structures, and moving mechanical assemblies, for current and future JPL missions.
• Lead mechanical hardware development and mechanical systems engineering activities for payloads, instruments, and spacecraft during all mission phases including proposal, concept/system architecture development, detailed design, integration & test (I&T), verification, delivery, and flight operations.
• Derive, document, and manage complex system, subsystem, and interface requirements and ensure traceability through implementation and verification activities.
• Perform and lead design and analysis activities, generate and maintain engineering documentation, and be responsible for the delivery of mechanical engineering products for spaceflight missions.
• Research, assess, and develop system architectures, technical approaches, and risk mitigation plans for complex mechatronic and robotic systems.
• Ensure that delivered products meet all technical requirements and programmatic commitments.
• Develop cost and schedule estimates, implementation plans, and technical approaches for engineering tasks and project activities.
• Prepare and lead verification and validation (V&V) planning and execution efforts, including development of test plans and leadership of integration and test activities for complex assemblies and subsystems.
• Lead and present at team, line management, subsystem, and project-level technical reviews.
• Provide technical leadership and mentoring to engineers, designers, structural analysts, and other technical team members.
• Coordinate and lead project activities across organizations, disciplines, vendors, and external partners to achieve project objectives.
• Contribute to proposal and concept study activities, including development of technical content, evaluations, graphics, and engineering analyses.
• Assess and infuse new technologies into flight projects and technology development efforts while remaining current on advancements in mechatronics, robotics, and related engineering disciplines.
• Perform tasks with minimal direction from the group supervisor, project management, and project technical leads; work independently and lead multidisciplinary teams in the execution of key project activities.

REQUIRED SKILLS

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related technical discipline with a minimum of 6 years of related experience; Master's degree with a minimum of 4 years related experience; or PhD in similar disciplines with a minimum of 2 years related experience.
• Experience serving as a technical lead for subsystem development, integration, and verification activities.
• Demonstrated experience coordinating technical efforts across multiple engineering disciplines and organizations.
• Experience leading spacecraft or instrument mechatronics development and/or mechanical hardware design, fabrication, integration, and test efforts.
• Knowledge and experience translating design and performance requirements into electro‑mechanical hardware architectures, subsystem designs, and development plans.
• Experience deriving, managing, and verifying system and interface requirements for complex engineering systems.
• Experience developing and executing technical plans, managing risk, and meeting cost, schedule, and technical commitments.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently on key project assignments with limited direction and to lead multidisciplinary technical efforts.
• Experience leading integration, verification, and validation activities for complex mechanical or mechatronic systems.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to present complex technical information to project leadership, review boards, and customers.

DESIRED SKILLS

• Demonstrated experience with mechanisms, actuators, sensors, robotic systems, and motor controller technologies.
• Advanced knowledge and experience in electrical engineering and software development for embedded systems.
• Experience developing and delivering spaceflight hardware or other relevant spaceflight project experience from concept through mission implementation.
• Practical experience using CAD modeling software (preferably Unigraphics/Siemens NX, SolidWorks, and Teamcenter) used in a Product Delivery Management (PDM) or similar Concurrent Engineering environment.
• Practical experience performing analysis of mechanical elements using classical hand‑calculation methods, Finite Element Analysis (FEA), or modeling and simulation techniques.
• Knowledge of Standards for Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) per American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Y14.5.
• Ability to develop innovative solutions and resolve complex design, integration, implementation, and verification challenges.
• Knowledge of academic and industry practices and standards across a range of applications related to the development, analysis, production, testing, verification, and safety of spaceflight hardware and systems.
• Experience managing, implementing, and verifying project and institutional requirements at the subsystem or system levels.
• Experience developing verification approaches, risk mitigation plans, and system‑level technical documentation.
• Experience with proposal development, concept studies, mission formulation activities, or technology maturation programs.
• Experience serving as a technical reviewer or subject matter expert for project design, integration, or verification reviews.
• Experience working across organizations and subject areas, and with outside companies, vendors, NASA centers, and external partners.
• Experience assessing, developing, and infusing new technologies into flight systems, technology demonstrations, or research projects.
• Demonstrated mentoring, coaching, and technical leadership experience.
• Record of technical publications, conference presentations, proposal support, or concept study contributions.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent collaboration skills and ability to lead teams and work across subject areas and organizations.

JPL has a catalog of benefits and perks that span from the traditional to the unique. This includes a variety of health, dental, vision, wellbeing, and retirement plans, paid time off, learning, rideshare, childcare, flexible schedule, parental leave and many more. Our focus is on work‑life balance, and living healthy, fulfilling lives as we Dare Mighty Things Together. For benefits eligible positions, benefits are effective the first day of the month coincident with or immediately following the employee’s start date.

The typical full time equivalent annual hiring range for this job in Pasadena, California.

$152,360 - $189,280

JPL is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy or perceived pregnancy, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, protected military or veteran status or any other characteristic or condition protected by Federal, state or local law.

In addition, JPL is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.

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Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory is a federal facility. Due to rules imposed by NASA, JPL will not accept applications from citizens of designated countries or those born in a designated country unless they are U.S. Citizens, Legal Permanent Residents of the U.S or have other protected status under 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3). The Designated Countries List is available here.