Principal Mechanical Engineer, Cargo Systems

Telemetry Today LLC; Denver (CO); Hybrid; USD 190,000 - 235,000; Full time

Job summary

Gravitics in the United States is seeking a senior mechanical engineer to own the top-level mechanical design, CAD configuration, and integration of a clean-sheet cargo vehicle. You will drive packaging, interfaces, and trades to deliver a coherent, manufacturable vehicle from concept through flight operations.

The role demands 14+ years of experience, expert CAD skills across NX/SolidWorks/CATIA/Creo, and proven ability to lead cross-functional teams in a complex space system.

Qualifications

• 14+ years in mechanical/aerospace engineering.
• Ownership of complex mechanical systems or vehicle-level integration.
• Expert-level 3D CAD in NX, SolidWorks, CATIA, Creo.
• Experience delivering top-level vehicle or spacecraft assemblies.
• Strong packaging, tolerance management, and configuration control.
• Ability to balance structural, thermal, electrical, and manufacturing constraints.
• Proficient GD&T and ASME Y14.5 practices.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional discussions and resolve issues.

Responsibilities

• Own and maintain the top-level integrated CAD model and mechanical configuration of a clean-sheet cargo vehicle.
• Develop vehicle-level layouts and packaging concepts that satisfy mission, structural, cargo, subsystem, manufacturing, integration, and operational requirements.
• Establish and maintain the vehicle CAD architecture, including assembly structure, coordinate systems, interface geometry, envelopes, keep-out zones, and other configuration-critical features.
• Lead vehicle-level mechanical integration across primary and secondary structures, cargo, avionics, thermal systems, propulsion, mechanisms, harnessing, fluid systems, and other vehicle subsystems.
• Work with subsystem responsible engineers to define and manage mechanical interfaces and ensure their designs integrate into the overall vehicle configuration.
• Lead packaging and configuration trades involving vehicle geometry, cargo volume, mass properties, accessibility, serviceability, assembly sequence, subsystem routing, and structural load paths.
• Identify integration conflicts early and drive cross-functional teams to resolution.
• Own vehicle-level clearance and interference management and ensure the integrated configuration remains internally consistent as designs mature.
• Drive configuration maturity from conceptual layouts through preliminary and critical design, released hardware, vehicle assembly, and integration.
• Support vehicle mass properties development by maintaining accurate configuration, component location, and orientation within the integrated model.
• Ensure the vehicle configuration accounts for manufacturing, assembly, integration, test, transportation, ground handling, and operational constraints.
• Develop and maintain interface definition products and other documentation necessary to communicate and control the vehicle's mechanical configuration.
• Support design reviews by clearly communicating vehicle configuration, major trades, integration risks, open interfaces, and design maturity to engineering teams and leadership.
• Create detailed mechanical designs and drawings where needed, applying sound engineering fundamentals, GD&T, and tolerance analysis.
• Work directly with manufacturing, integration, and test teams to resolve vehicle-level issues as hardware moves from CAD into reality.
• Serve as the technical authority for the integrated mechanical configuration of the vehicle, from initial concept through mission operations.

Skills

14+ years experience

3D CAD proficiency

Top-level CAD/assembly

System-level integration

GD&T & ASME Y14.5

Interface Control

Cross-functional comms

Education

Bachelor's degree in mechanical/aerospace engineering

Tools

NX

SolidWorks

CATIA

Creo

Job description

AtGravitics,we'renot just exploringspace—we'rebuilding it.We'recreating the infrastructure for a thriving space economy, enabling humanity to flourish beyond Earth. Our vision is bold, butwe'renot just dreamers;we'redoers. We design and manufacturethe large-scale structures and systems that will power human and robotic activity in Earth orbit and beyond. Ifyou'reready to lay the foundations for a new era in space, embrace a culture of relentless learning and innovation, and contribute to a future where humanity's reach extends farther,Graviticsis the place for you.Let'sbuild thefuture,together.

About the Role

To build our space systems, we need an exceptional mechanical engineer to own the top-level mechanical design, CAD configuration, and physical integration of a clean-sheet cargo vehicle.

You willbe responsible fordeveloping andmaintainingthe integrated vehicle CAD model, establishing the mechanical configuration, and ensuring that structures, cargo, avionics, thermal systems, mechanisms, propulsion, and other subsystems come together into a coherent and manufacturable vehicle.

This is a highly cross-functional role at the center ofthevehicledesign. You will work with subsystem responsible engineers toestablishinterfaces, drive packaging trades,identifyand resolve integration conflicts, and mature the vehicle from early concepts through detailed design, build, integration, test, and flight operations.

Responsibilities:

• Own andmaintainthe top-level integrated CAD model and mechanical configuration of a clean-sheet cargo vehicle.
• Develop vehicle-level layouts and packaging concepts that satisfy mission, structural, cargo, subsystem, manufacturing, integration, and operational requirements.
• Establish andmaintainthe vehicle CAD architecture, including assembly structure, coordinate systems, interface geometry, envelopes, keep-out zones, and other configuration-critical features.
• Lead vehicle-level mechanical integration across primary and secondary structures, cargo, avionics, thermal systems, propulsion, mechanisms, harnessing, fluid systems, and other vehicle subsystems.
• Work with subsystem responsible engineers to define and manage mechanical interfaces and ensure their designs integrate into the overall vehicle configuration.
• Lead packaging and configuration trades involving vehicle geometry, cargo volume, mass properties, accessibility, serviceability, assembly sequence, subsystem routing, and structural load paths.
• Identifyintegration conflicts early and drive cross-functional teams to resolution.
• Own vehicle-level clearance and interference management and ensure the integrated configurationremainsinternally consistent as designs mature.
• Drive configuration maturity from conceptual layouts through preliminary and critical design, released hardware, vehicle assembly, and integration.
• Support vehicle mass properties development bymaintainingaccurateconfiguration,componentlocation, and orientation within the integrated model.
• Ensure the vehicle configuration accounts for manufacturing, assembly, integration, test, transportation, ground handling, and operational constraints.
• Develop andmaintaininterface definition products and other documentation necessary to communicate and control the vehicle's mechanical configuration.
• Support design reviews by clearly communicating vehicle configuration, major trades, integration risks, open interfaces, and design maturity to engineering teams and leadership.
• Create detailed mechanical designs and drawings where needed, applying sound engineering fundamentals, GD&T, and tolerance analysis.
• Work directly with manufacturing, integration, and test teams to resolve vehicle-level issues as hardware moves from CAD into reality.
• Serve as the technical authority for the integrated mechanical configuration of the vehicle, frominitialconcept through mission operations.

About You

You are a systems-minded mechanical engineer who understands that a vehicle is more than a collection of independently optimized subsystems. You naturally think about interfaces, packaging, assembly, accessibility, load paths, configuration, and how changes in one part of the vehicle propagate through the rest of the design.

You are equally comfortable working in a top-level CAD assembly, leading a cross-functional packaging trade, reviewing a detailed mechanical interface, or walking the floor with manufacturing and integration teams to resolve a hardware issue.

You thrive in clean-sheet design environments where interfaces are still beingdefinedand the answer is not already captured in an ICD. You can create order from ambiguity, make sound technical decisions with incomplete information, and drive a diverse engineering team toward an integrated vehicle solution.

You are a giver, not a taker. You help the broader team succeed, take ownership of problems that cross organizational boundaries, and build trust by consistently driving issues to closure.

Required Attributes

• 14+ years of industry experience in mechanical, aerospace, or a related engineering discipline.
• Demonstrated ownership of complex mechanical systems or vehicle-level integration efforts.
• Expert-levelproficiencywith 3D CAD and large assembly management using NX, SolidWorks, CATIA, Creo, or similar tools.
• Experience developing andmaintainingtop-level vehicle,aircraft, spacecraft, or other complex mechanical assemblies.
• Strong understanding of mechanical packaging, interfaces, tolerance management, assembly architecture, and configuration control.
• Ability to develop integrated vehicle layouts while balancing competing structural, thermal, electrical, operational, manufacturing, and subsystem requirements.
• Strong mechanical engineering fundamentals and working knowledge of primary structures, secondary structures, mechanisms, pressure systems, and other vehicle hardware.
• Knowledge of vehicle environmentsincludingacceleration, vibration, shock, pressure, and thermal loading and an understanding of how these environments influence mechanical design.
• Strong understanding and application of engineering drawing practices, GD&T, and ASME Y14.5.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional technical discussions and drive interface and integration issues to closure.
• Ability to clearly communicate complex technical concepts and configuration decisions to subsystem engineers, program leadership, manufacturing teams, and customers.
• Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, or a related technical field.

BonusPoints for

• Ownership of the top-level CAD model or mechanical configuration for a spacecraft, launch vehicle,aircraft, or similarly complex system.
• Experience taking a clean-sheet vehicle from conceptual configuration through detailed design, manufacturing, integration, test, and operations.
• ExperienceestablishingCAD architecture and configuration-management practices for a new vehicle program.
• Experience with spacecraft cargo or payload accommodation, including internal and external cargo interfaces.
• Experience performing vehicle-level packaging and configuration trades across multiple engineering disciplines.
• Experience with vehicle mass properties, includingcomponentlocation management, center-of-gravity trades, and configuration-dependent mass properties.
• Experience defining and managing mechanical Interface Control Documents (ICDs), interface geometry, keep-out zones, and subsystem envelopes.
• Experience integrating harnessing, fluid lines, avionics, thermal hardware, and other distributed systems within a constrained vehicle envelope.
• Experience with design-for-assembly, vehicle integration sequencing, ground support equipment, transportation, lifting, and handling.
• Experience supporting spacecraft or launch vehicle integration and test activities through flight.

Compensation and Benefits
Your level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary
based on the considerations of job-related knowledge and skills, education, and direct
experience. Salary is just one component of the total employee package, which also
includes company equity at an exciting time of company growth, as well
as comprehensive medical, 401(k) retirement plan, a generous PTO policy, employee
discounts, and more.

About Compliance

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Gravitics is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are based on merit, qualifications, and business needs, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin or ethnicity, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, or any other legally protected status. Salary Range $190,000 — $235,000 USD