Principal Mechanical Engineer

Fruition Group US; California (MO); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Fruition Group US is seeking a Principal Spacecraft Structures Design Engineer to lead primary and secondary spacecraft structures from concept to flight qualification and production. You will own critical architectures, drive complex trades, and mentor engineers across multidisciplinary teams.

The role demands deep aerospace structure expertise, experience with metallic and composite systems, and strong CAD/analysis proficiency.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering, with a master’s preferred.
• 7+ years designing aerospace or spacecraft structures.
• Experience delivering flight hardware from concept to production.
• Strong understanding of structural design principles and load paths.
• Experience with metallic and composite structures and GD&T.
• Proficiency in CAD tools: NX, CATIA, Creo or SolidWorks.
• Ability to lead complex projects with minimal oversight.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and development of spacecraft primary and secondary structures through flight hardware delivery.
• Own structural architectures, balance performance, mass, manufacturability, cost, and schedule.
• Develop detailed CAD models, drawings, and release packages for flight hardware.
• Perform sizing, load path, material selection and optimization.
• Drive design trades on structural efficiency, integration, and launch loads.
• Collaborate with analysis to validate designs via FEA and hand calculations.
• Define structural requirements and verification approaches for spacecraft and payloads.
• Support environmental testing campaigns and manufacturing readiness.
• Lead design reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, MRR) and mentor junior engineers.
• Investigate anomalies and drive corrective actions during development and flight.

Skills

Strong communication

Team leadership

Problem solving

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related discipline

Master's degree preferred

Tools

NX

CATIA

Creo

SolidWorks

Job description

About the Company

We are developing the next generation of spacecraft systems that will redefine how humanity operates in space. Our team is tackling some of the industry's most challenging engineering problems, designing and delivering high-performance spacecraft capable of operating in demanding orbital environments. Combining rapid development cycles with rigorous engineering standards, we are building space systems that push the boundaries of performance, reliability, and manufacturability.

The Role

We are seeking a Principal Spacecraft Structures Design Engineer to lead the design and development of primary and secondary spacecraft structures from early concept through flight qualification and production. As a senior technical leader, you will own critical structural architectures, drive complex design trades, and provide technical mentorship across multidisciplinary engineering teams.

This role requires deep expertise in spacecraft structural design, lightweight aerospace structures, and flight hardware development. You will work closely with systems, thermal, propulsion, avionics, manufacturing, and mission teams to develop spacecraft capable of surviving launch environments while meeting demanding mass, stiffness, thermal, and reliability requirements.

What You'll Do

• Lead the design and development of spacecraft primary and secondary structures from concept generation through flight hardware delivery
• Own structural architecture decisions, balancing performance, mass, manufacturability, schedule, and cost objectives
• Develop detailed CAD models, engineering drawings, and release packages for flight hardware
• Perform structural sizing, load path development, material selection, and design optimization for spacecraft systems
• Drive design trades related to structural efficiency, integration, launch loads, thermal distortion, and operational performance
• Collaborate with analysis engineers to validate designs through finite element analysis, hand calculations, and test correlation
• Define structural requirements and verification approaches for spacecraft and payload systems
• Support environmental testing including vibration, shock, acoustic, thermal vacuum, and qualification campaigns
• Partner with manufacturing teams to ensure designs are producible, cost-effective, and scalable
• Lead design reviews including SRR, PDR, CDR, MRR, and flight readiness activities
• Mentor and provide technical guidance to junior and mid-level engineers
• Support anomaly investigations, root-cause analysis, and corrective action activities during development and flight operations
• Drive continuous improvement in structural design methodologies, tools, and engineering processes

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related discipline (Master's preferred)
• 7+ years of experience designing aerospace or spacecraft structures
• Proven experience developing flight hardware from concept through qualification and production
• Deep understanding of spacecraft structural design principles, load paths, and lightweight aerospace structures
• Extensive experience with metallic and composite structural systems
• Advanced proficiency with CAD tools such as NX, CATIA, Creo, or SolidWorks
• Strong understanding of GD&T, tolerance analysis, and manufacturing methods
• Experience supporting structural analysis activities including static, modal, buckling, fatigue, and dynamic environments
• Knowledge of launch vehicle environments and spacecraft qualification requirements
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex technical projects with minimal oversight
• Excellent communication skills and ability to present technical concepts to leadership and cross-functional stakeholders

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience designing structures for satellites, spacecraft, launch vehicles, space stations, or deep-space systems
• Expertise in composite primary structures and bonded assemblies
• Experience with spacecraft mechanisms, deployable systems, solar array structures, or payload integration
• Familiarity with NASTRAN, Abaqus, ANSYS, HyperMesh, or similar analysis tools
• Experience supporting environmental testing and flight qualification campaigns
• Knowledge of NASA, ESA, DoD, or commercial spacecraft standards
• Experience leading major design reviews and technical decision-making processes
• Background in additive manufacturing, advanced materials, or topology optimization
• Previous experience acting as a technical lead or subject matter expert on spacecraft development programs