Principal Mechanical Engineer, Space Special Programs

Speedrun Talent Network; Chantilly (VA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Anduril Industries in Chantilly, VA is seeking a Principal Mechanical Engineer to own the full design cycle for spacecraft and subsystems. You will derive requirements, create 3D CAD models, perform structural/thermal/dynamic analyses, select materials, supervise fabrication, assembly, testing, and system integration.

You will also design MGSE and support high-rate manufacturing environments. You will be an individual contributor and team lead, mentoring engineers and defining mechanical

Qualifications

• Derive requirements and perform 3D CAD modelling for spacecraft.
• Supervise fabrication, initial assembly, testing and integration.
• Develop MGSE and qualification/test campaigns for space hardware.
• Mentor and grow the mechanical engineering team.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop spacecraft structures and subsystems.
• Lead rapid prototyping and ensure high-reliability assemblies.
• Apply space-flight hardware standards and verification methods.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams across programs.
• Oversee design-for-fabrication and manufacturing readiness.

Skills

3D CAD

Structural analysis

Thermal analysis

Dynamic analysis

Design for fabrication

Mentoring & leadership

Job description

Anduril Industries is a defense technology company with a mission to transform U.S. and allied military capabilities with advanced technology. By bringing the expertise, technology, and business model of the 21st century’s most innovative companies to the defense industry, Anduril is changing how military systems are designed, built and sold. Anduril’s family of systems is powered by Lattice OS, an AI-powered operating system that turns thousands of data streams into a realtime, 3D command and control center. As the world enters an era of strategic competition, Anduril is committed to bringing cutting-edge autonomy, AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and networking technology to the military in months, not years.

ABOUT THE TEAM

In the Space Special Programs team, we build spacecraft and space systems which serve a wide variety of functions in the space architecture. At a time when space superiority can no longer be taken for granted and with space systems proliferating at an incredible rate, the Space Special Programs team provides advanced, mission critical capabilities to our customer base to be able to more effectively operate and survive within this expanding environment with limited personnel. Working across product, engineering, sales,logistics, operations, and mission success, the Space Special Programs team develops, tests, deploys, andoperatesnew, unique, space capabilities to drive mission success in challenging operational environments.

ABOUT THE JOB

We are looking for a Principal Mechanical Engineer to join our rapidly growing team in Chantilly, VA. In this role, you will be responsible for the full cycle design for spacecraft and associated systems including deriving requirements, 3D CAD, modelling (structural, thermal, dynamic,etc), materials selection, supervision of fabrication, initial assembly, test, debug and integration with the system. The designs include deployment mechanisms for spacecraft and subsystems (such as antennas, solar panels,etc), as well as boxes, structures, pressure vessels, and the like.Allofthese components require rigorous testing including vibration, shock, thermal vacuum, thermal,etcand must be developed to work with very tight tolerances, since the space vehicles themselves arefairly small. The design work also includes designing, building, and testing the MGSErequiredto integrate, assemble, and test the spacecraft,ultimately ina high-rate manufacturing environment. Your engineering team as a whole must span the capabilities of structural, thermal, and dynamic analysis, structure design for spacecraft, spacecraft dispensers, and other components, 3D CAD for all of these designs, design for fabrication and manufacture, as well as building prototypes, flight articles, and taking them through full qualification or acceptance test campaigns.You are expected to be an individual contributor as well as the team lead.

Additionally, you willbe responsible forhelping developthe systemmechanical designs, techniques, and standards, and, as the expertmechanicalengineer,formentoring and growing yourteam.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Work with a cross-functional team to design market leading hardware products
• Drive product maturity through rapid prototyping, design verification, and qualification activities
• Apply modernspace-flight hardwaredesign standards and guidelines to create high-reliability, highly manufacturable assemblies, and a team which implements them.
• Implement a variety of structural components and mechatronics, with associated environmental testing to assure robustness in the context of the various missions as well as to characterize performance envelopes of the hardware
• Use rapid prototyping, 3D printing, and hands‑on machining asappropriate toiterate quickly and allow for creative “outside‑the-box