Senior Mechanical Systems Engineer – Spaceflight Hardware

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory; California; On-site; USD 170,000 - 216,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision benefits

Retirement plans

Paid time off

Learning opportunities

Rideshare program

Childcare support

Flexible schedule

Parental leave

Job summary

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA seeks a Senior Mechanical Systems Engineer to lead mechanical hardware development for spacecraft payloads and instruments. The role requires steering requirements, interfaces, and V&V plans, while guiding multidisciplinary teams through design, analysis, integration, and test to ensure mission success.

The position emphasizes independence, mentorship, and broad technical direction, with opportunities to influence cost, schedule, and technical

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field with extensive experience in mechanical systems for spaceflight or complex environments.
• Master’s degree adds experience; PhD adds depth; years of related experience increase with degree.
• Ability to translate mission needs into system architectures, requirements, and implementation strategies.

Responsibilities

• Lead mechanical hardware development and systems engineering for payloads and spacecraft across all mission phases.
• Approve requirements, interfaces, and V&V plans to ensure technical integrity.
• Lead documentation, data packages, and technical artifacts for projects.

Skills

Mechanical Eng

System architecture

V&V planning

Technical leadership

Scheduling

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Master's degree

PhD

Tools

NX

SolidWorks

Teamcenter

FEA

Job description

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA seeks a Senior Mechanical Systems Engineer to lead mechanical hardware development for spacecraft payloads and instruments. The role requires steering requirements, interfaces, and V&V plans, while guiding multidisciplinary teams through design, analysis, integration, and test to ensure mission success.

The position emphasizes independence, mentorship, and broad technical direction, with opportunities to influence cost, schedule, and technical