Satellite Hardware Engineer, Bus Structures

Amazon Kuiper Manufacturing Enterprises LLC; Redmond (WA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Amazon Leo is seeking a Spacecraft Hardware Engineer on the Bus Structures team to define the physical architecture of our spacecraft. You will work across Mechanical, Electrical, Thermal, RF, Propulsion, Manufacturing, Test, and Systems Engineering to develop a cohesive, manufacturable, and flight-ready vehicle.

You will evaluate tradeoffs, integrate subsystems, and support analysis, qualification testing, and launch activities to ensure an optimized spacecraft capable of long-term operation in

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in mechanical engineering or equivalent.
• Experience with CAD tools and engineering documentation.
• Experience working on multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Understanding of mechanical design fundamentals, materials, and manufacturing processes.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop spacecraft structural hardware and vehicle architectures.
• Integrate multiple subsystems into a cohesive mechanical design.
• Conduct trade studies balancing performance, manufacturability, mass, cost, and integration needs.
• Develop detailed mechanical designs from concept through production.
• Collaborate across Mechanical, Electrical, Thermal, RF, Manufacturing and Systems Engineering.
• Support structural analysis, qualification testing, manufacturing and launch integration.

Skills

CAD tools

Multidisciplinary teamwork

Mechanical design fundamentals

Analytical communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

CAD software

Finite element analysis

Job description

Amazon Leo is Amazon's low Earth orbit satellite network. Our mission is to deliver fast, reliable internet connectivity to customers beyond the reach of existing networks. From individual households to schools, hospitals, businesses, and government agencies, Amazon Leo will serve people and organizations operating in locations without reliable connectivity.

Amazon Leo is building a next-generation satellite constellation to deliver fast, reliable broadband connectivity around the world. Success requires engineers who can think beyond individual components and understand how every subsystem comes together to form a reliable spacecraft.

As a Spacecraft Hardware Engineer on the Bus Structures team, you will help define the physical architecture of our spacecraft. Working across Mechanical, Electrical, Thermal, RF, Propulsion, Manufacturing, Test, and Systems Engineering, you will develop structural solutions that integrate every subsystem into a cohesive, manufacturable, and flight-ready vehicle.

This role combines structural design with spacecraft integration. You will evaluate complex engineering tradeoffs involving structural performance, manufacturability, thermal interfaces, assembly, transportation, testing, launch vehicle integration, and on-orbit operations to ensure the spacecraft performs as an optimized system rather than a collection of individual subsystems.

Export Control Requirement: Due to applicable export control laws and regulations, candidates must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (i.e., current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.

Key job responsibilities

• - Design and develop spacecraft structural hardware and vehicle architectures.
• - Integrate multiple spacecraft subsystems into a cohesive mechanical design.
• - Perform engineering trade studies balancing structural performance, manufacturability, mass, cost, schedule, and integration requirements.
• - Develop detailed mechanical designs from concept through production.
• - Collaborate across Mechanical, Electrical, Thermal, RF, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering.
• - Support structural analysis, qualification testing, manufacturing, and launch integration activities.
• - Resolve hardware issues through root cause analysis and engineering problem solving.
• - Contribute to the Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) release process and configuration of flight hardware.

A day in the life

As a Spacecraft Hardware Engineer, you'll spend your day solving multidisciplinary engineering problems that span the entire spacecraft. One meeting may focus on integrating a new propulsion component into the vehicle, while the next evaluates structural changes needed to improve manufacturability or simplify assembly. You'll participate in design reviews, develop structural concepts, support qualification testing, work with manufacturing teams, and collaborate with engineers across nearly every technical discipline. Every decision contributes to building a spacecraft that is structurally sound, manufacturable, launchable, and ready for years of successful operation in orbit.

About the team

The Bus Structures team is responsible for the physical realization of the spacecraft. Beyond designing the primary and secondary structure, we develop the overall vehicle architecture and ensure every subsystem integrates into a cohesive spacecraft. We provide the system-level perspective necessary to balance structural performance, thermal performance, RF accommodations, manufacturability, assembly, transportation, launch vehicle integration, testability, and operational success.

As the primary vehicle integration authority, our team works across every engineering discipline to optimize the spacecraft as a complete system rather than individual subsystems. We also own the final mechanical configuration through the Product Lifecycle Management release process, ensuring the authoritative vehicle definition remains consistent throughout development and production.

Basic Qualifications:

• - 3+ years of working in mechanical engineering or equivalent experience
• - Experience with CAD tools and engineering documentation.
• - Experience working on multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• - Understanding of mechanical design fundamentals, structural analysis, materials, and manufacturing processes.
• - Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• - Experience developing aerospace, spacecraft, defense, automotive, or other highly integrated hardware systems.
• - Experience with structural analysis, finite element analysis, or mechanical testing.
• - Experience supporting hardware through qualification, manufacturing, and production.
• - Experience with product integration, systems engineering, or multidisciplinary design trade studies.
• - Experience balancing competing technical requiremen