Principal Mechanical Engineer

Argo Space Corp.; El Segundo (CA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Argo Space Corp. is seeking a Principal Engineer to lead design, analysis, and testing of spacecraft structures and mechanical systems. You will own end-to-end development of mass-critical components and assemblies, from concept through verification, in collaboration with a multidisciplinary team.

You will drive integration of deployables, propulsion components, and mechanisms while ensuring performance across mission environments; strong leadership and communication are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in relevant engineering or science discipline.
• Comprehensive understanding of mechanics, materials, dynamics, mechanisms and assemblies, and test operations.
• Understanding of aerospace structure design and analysis.
• Experience with CAD and FEA software.
• Experience managing test data and generating data analysis products.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Track record of delivering novel, excellent technical results.

Responsibilities

• Design and analyze high-performance, mass-critical mechanical systems using CAD and FEA.
• Engineer products meeting company and mission goals; enable new in-space capabilities.
• Negotiate requirements with deep understanding of objectives; propose alternatives.
• Prototype, test, troubleshoot, and integrate spacecraft hardware.
• Qualify hardware for mission environments (thermal-vacuum, etc.).
• Draft and implement test procedures, safety protocols, and data-analysis pipelines.
• Provide technical input to system and component designs across disciplines.
• Lead and contribute to design reviews, test reviews, and FRRs with emphasis on excellence.

Skills

Mechanics

Materials

Dynamics

Mechanisms

Test operations

CAD

FEA

Data analysis

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in relevant engineering or science

Tools

CAD software

FEA software

Job description

As a Mechanical Engineer at Argo, you will work with an exceptional team to develop the structures, mechanisms, actuators, and spacecraft systems for our family of reusable, in-space transport vehicles. The work will include the design, analysis, build and testing of primary and secondary structures, propellant tanks, docking and capture systems, propulsion components, deployables, and all other mechanical systems for a novel spacecraft architecture. As an employee at Argo, you will have an influential role in designing our vehicle’s architecture and enabling high efficiency transport of payloads throughout cislunar space. Engineers at Argo have a large amount of responsibility, take on a wide range of projects, and demonstrate end-to-end ownership.

Responsibilities

• Perform design and analysis of high performance, mass-critical mechanical systems using CAD and FEA software
• Engineer products that meet company and mission goals and provide new capabilities for the in-space economy
• Negotiate requirements by having a deep understanding of the company and mission objectives and providing alternative solutions
• Hands-on prototyping, testing, troubleshooting, and integration of spacecraft hardware
• Qualify hardware to ensure survival and performance across expected mission and thermal-vacuum environments
• Draft and implement test procedures, safety protocols, and data analysis pipelines consistent with mission risk posture, and own the outcome of test campaigns
• Provide technical input to system and component designs and analysis across multiple disciplines
• Lead and contribute to design reviews, test reviews, and Flight Readiness Reviews (FRRs) with a heavy emphasis on technical excellence

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in relevant engineering or science discipline
• Comprehensive understanding of mechanics, materials, dynamics, mechanisms and assemblies, and test operations
• Understanding of and experience in aerospace structure design and analysis
• Experience with CAD and FEA software
• Experience managing test data and generating data analysis products
• Capable of maintaining flexibility in direction under changing circumstances
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Track record of delivering novel, excellent technical results

Principal Engineer

• 5+ years of experience designing, analyzing, and/or testing spacecraft structural, mechanical, and/or electro-mechanical systems
• 8+ years of experience designing and testing structural, electro-mechanical, and/or deployable / actuated systems that operate in harsh environments
• Demonstrated end-to-end ownership over complex spacecraft mechanical systems
• Ability to define and own integrated test campaigns – environmental, structural, and functional

Preferred Qualifications

• Conducted full structural and environmental test campaigns of spacecraft systems
• Hands-on experience with complex deployables and spacecraft mechanisms
• Experience with scripting / programming for task and analysis automation
• Ability to rapidly change roles/responsibilities while working in a high-paced, rewarding work environment.