Principal Mechanical Engineer I Hardware

Front Door Defense; Westminster (CO); On-site; USD 134,000 - 161,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental coverage

Vision coverage

Retirement plans

Company stock options

Job summary

CesiumAstro, located in Westminster, Colorado, is seeking a Principal Mechanical Engineer I to lead the mechanical design of satellite payload hardware through the development lifecycle. This role requires extensive experience in electronics packaging design and mechanical simulations.

The ideal candidate will manage the mechanical design from concept through to manufacturing and testing. Full-time employment includes a generous benefits package and stock options.

Qualifications

• 9 years of industry experience in design and analysis of electronics packaging.
• Demonstrated expertise in packaging high‑power and high‑density electronic assemblies.
• Strong understanding of thermal management techniques for spaceborne electronics.

Responsibilities

• Lead mechanical design through all phases of the development process.
• Present engineering design review materials to customers and executive team.
• Serve as technical and professional mentors in the field.

Skills

Thermal management design

Finite element analysis (FEA)

Electromagnetic interference/compatibility (EMI/EMC)

Computer-aided design (CAD)

Education

Bachelor of Science (BS) or Master of Science (MS) in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

Ansys

Job description

Principal Mechanical Engineer I

Lead the mechanical design of satellite payload hardware through development lifecycle

Location: Westminster, Colorado, United States

Compensation: $134,000 - 161,000 USD / year

Job Tags: Hardware

About The Role

At CesiumAstro, we are developers and pioneers of out‑of‑the‑box communication systems for satellites, UAVs, launch vehicles, and other space and airborne platforms. We take pride in our dynamic and cross‑functional work environment, which allows us to learn, develop, and engage across our organization. If you are looking for hands‑on, interactive, and autonomous work, CesiumAstro is the place for you.

We are looking to add a Principal Mechanical Engineer I to our team. If you enjoy working in a startup environment, and are passionate about developing leading‑edge hardware for satellites, spacecraft, and aerospace systems, we would like to hear from you.

In this position, you will be responsible for the mechanical design of Cesium products through all phases of the development process. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in electronics packaging design, mechanical simulations and analyses, computer‑aided design (CAD), spacecraft mechanical interfaces, and environmental qualification of electronic assemblies.

As a principal mechanical team member, you will be responsible for mechanical designs from initial concept design through requirements definition, detailed design, simulation, analysis, manufacturing, testing, qualification, and in‑orbit support of Cesium's products. Required skills and experience include thermal management design, precision machining principles, thermal simulation and analysis, shock and vibration simulation and analysis, electromagnetic interference/compatibility (EMI/EMC) mitigation techniques, geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T), finite element analysis (FEA), and cost analysis to develop, validate, and optimize mechanical designs. Principal engineers also serve as technical and professional mentors in their field.

The successful candidate will also present engineering design review materials to our customers and executive team, as well as participate in proposal‑writing efforts. As such, excellent written and verbal communication skills are required.

Job Requirements and Minimum Qualifications

• A Bachelor of Science (BS) or Master of Science (MS) degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering from an accredited university or institution.
• 9 years of industry experience in design and analysis of electronics packaging, including thermal, vibration, and stress dynamics.
• Demonstrated expertise in packaging high‑power and high‑density electronic assemblies.
• Strong understanding of thermal management techniques for spaceborne and/or high‑power electronics.
• Experience designing hardware for launch and spaceflight environments (or similar).
• Expertise in finite element analysis and thermal simulation tools (Ansys or similar).
• Expert‑level proficiency with professional mechanical CAD tools (SolidWorks or similar).
• Experience with precision machining, advanced manufacturing processes, and tolerance analysis.
• Experience with EMI/EMC mitigation techniques.
• Strong understanding of GD&T and aerospace drawing practices.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Preferred Experience

• Experience packaging digital, power or RF printed circuit board assemblies.
• Experience with spacecraft payloads, avionics, or power systems.
• Knowledge of NASA, DoD, ESA, or commercial space qualification standards.
• Experience with thermal vacuum testing and spacecraft environmental qualification.
• Familiarity with materials selection for radiation and outgassing environments.

Compensation: $134,000 - $161,000 a year

CesiumAstro considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate's work experience, education/training, and key skills. Full‑time employment offers include company stock options and a generous benefits package featuring health, dental, vision, HSA, FSA, life and retirement plans.

Equal Opportunity Employer

CesiumAstro is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected Veteran Status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.