Principal Mechanical Engineer, Space Special Programs

Anduril Industries; Chantilly (VA); On-site; USD 220,000 - 292,000; Full time

Job summary

Anduril Industries in Chantilly, VA seeks a Principal Mechanical Engineer to lead full-cycle spacecraft design, from requirements to test and integration, including deployment mechanisms and MGSE. You will mentor your team while delivering high-reliability space hardware for missions across varied environments.

The role demands extensive hands-on prototyping, 3D CAD, and collaboration with cross-functional teams to ensure quality and manufacturability, all within a fast-paced space program

Qualifications

• 15+ years in hardware product development
• 5+ years designing space flight hardware
• Experience in ground-up system design and 3-D CAD
• Hands-on assembly, prototyping, testing of mechanisms for 0g in 1g
• Experience building small spacecraft mechanisms and systems
• Familiarity with launch environments, range safety, and system integration
• Demonstrated creativity for spacecraft mechanisms with reliability focus
• Understanding of NASA-GEVS and spaceflight environmental testing
• Excellent communication and teamwork

Responsibilities

• Design market-leading hardware products with cross-functional teams
• Advance maturity via rapid prototyping, verification, and qualification
• Apply space-flight hardware standards to create reliable, manufacturable assemblies
• Develop structural components, mechatronics, and environmental testing for robustness
• Utilize rapid prototyping, 3D printing, and hands-on machining for iteration
• Lead design reviews and mentor teammates
• Root cause analysis to support production operations
• Operate in a fast-paced, multi-project environment

Skills

Space flight hardware

3D CAD

Mechanical design leadership

Vibration testing

Prototyping & testing

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” thinking
• Conductpeer-level and cross-discipline design reviews andmentor your team
• Root cause analysis in support of production operations
• Work in a fast-paced environment, having to juggle multiple concurrent projects and customers

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• 15+ years of professional experience in hardware product development, at least5designingspace flight hardware
• Basic understanding of PCB Layout requirements to meet spaceflight mechanical, and manufacturing requirements
• Experience in ground-up system design and any 3-D CAD
• Hands-on assembly, prototyping, testing, and performance characterization of mechanisms designed for 0g but in a 1g environment.
• Experience designing and building very small mechanisms, components, and systems.
• Familiarity with launch environments, testing for launch environments, range safety, and system integration efforts
• Demonstrated creativity and “out of the box thinking” for spacecraft mechanisms with an eye toward simplicity and reliability
• Understanding of NASA-GEVS (or equivalent) and firm understanding and experience with all facetsof spaceflight environmental testing
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work effectively with others
• Ability to work within our company and team culture
• Demonstrated High ownership and autonomy across the entire cradle-to-grave lifecycle of a spacecraft or space systemmechanicalsubsystem.
• Must be a U.S. Citizen and able to obtain and maintain a U.S. Top Secret security clearance

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience designing, integrating, and flyingCubesatspacecraft meant tooperatein LEO through GEO environments
• 1+ years ofexlperienceworking in a classified environment

US Salary Range

$220,000—$292,000 USD

The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary offer may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are included in the majority of full time offers; and are considered part of Anduril’s total compensation package. Additionally, Anduril offers top-tier benefits for full-time employees, including:

Benefits

At Anduril, we invest in our people. Our comprehensive, competitive benefits package (available at little to no cost to employees) ensures you’re supported in health, recovery, and whatever comes next. For more information, Explore Our Benefits.

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