Senior Mechanisms Engineer

Gravitics; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company equity

Comprehensive medical

401(k) retirement plan

Generous PTO policy

Employee discounts

Job summary

Gravitics in Seattle is seeking experienced candidates for a critical role overseeing the lifecycle of mechanical assemblies in space systems. The ideal candidate has 8+ years of experience in aerospace, strong knowledge of design principles, and familiarity with CAD and FEA tools like Nastran and ANSYS. They should demonstrate ownership of complex projects, along with knowledge of loads and structural test plans. The role includes competitive salary (up to $165,000) and comprehensive benefits including equity and medical plans.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated past ownership of complex projects.
• Knowledge of loads such as pressure, vibration, shock, thermal, and how to design for them.
• 8+ years of applicable professional experience in space vehicle, launch vehicle, or missile system programs.
• Experience with motion/kinematic simulations.
• Experience with writing and executing on structural test plans.
• Familiarity with aerospace standard structural analysis methods (Bruhn, Niu, Roark, Shigley’s, etc).
• Familiarity with CAD packages (Siemens NX preferable).
• Experience with industry FEA/FEM tools like Nastran, ANSYS, FEMAP, etc.
• Strong understanding and application of drafting standards and GD&T (ASME Y14.5) in creating drawings.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the complete lifecycle of moving mechanical assemblies.
• Apply first-order hand calculations and empirical formulas to assess designs rapidly.
• Build finite element models to assess designs in detail.
• Create detailed component and assembly drawings with GD&T understanding.
• Own design, development, and implementation of custom tooling.
• Design test plans and generate verification reports.
• Work with suppliers and manufacturing team to make designs reality.

Skills

Ownership of complex projects

Knowledge of loads (pressure, vibration, shock, thermal)

8+ years in space vehicle or missile system programs

Motion/kinematic simulations

Writing and executing structural test plans

Familiarity with aerospace analysis methods

CAD packages (Siemens NX preferable)

Industry FEA/FEM tools (Nastran, ANSYS, FEMAP)

Drafting standards and GD&T

Bachelor’s degree in applicable field

Education

Bachelor’s degree in an applicable field

Tools

Nastran

ANSYS

FEMAP

Siemens NX

Job description

About Gravitics

At Gravitics, we're not exploring space—we're building it. We're creating the infrastructure for a thriving space economy, enabling humanity to flourish beyond Earth. Our vision is bold, but we're not just dreamers; we're doers. We design and manufacture large-scale orbital structures that enable commercial operations while meeting the requirements of defense and government missions.

Our systems are built to scale and built to last—bridging commercial innovation with mission-critical performance. If you're ready to lay the foundations for a new era in space, embrace a culture of relentless learning and innovation, and contribute to a future where humanity's reach extends farther, Gravitics is the place for you. Let's build the future together.

About the Role

To build our space systems, we need rockstars of all experience levels who can directly work the full product lifecycle of several challenging assemblies, including pressurized structures, launch adapters, mechanisms, tooling, and more.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the complete lifecycle of moving mechanical assemblies, from defining requirements and interfaces through conceptual and detailed design, development, assembly, verification, qualification testing, operation, manufacturing support, and post-flight analysis
• Apply first-order hand calculations and empirical formulas to assess and iterate on your designs rapidly
• Build finite element models to assess your designs in detail and analyze your structures to prove they meet the needs of the vehicle
• Create detailed component and assembly drawings incorporating an understanding of GD&T and tolerance stack-ups
• Own the design, development, and implementation of custom tooling in support of our programs
• Design test plans and generate verification reports
• Work with suppliers and our manufacturing team to make your designs reality. This includes: managing the schedule/budget for structural hardware that you own, tracking and dispositioning non-conformances, and being a reliable expert of your system, from concept to mission control console

About You

You're a successful candidate if you are a giver, not a taker. You have an ability to make things happen. You are exceptional at several things, yet willing to take on efforts in areas of weakness.

Required Attributes

• Demonstrated past ownership of complex projects.
• Knowledge of loads such as pressure, vibration, shock, thermal, and how to design for them.
• 8+ years of applicable professional experience in space vehicle, launch vehicle, or missile system programs.
• Experience with motion/kinematic simulations.
• Experience with writing and executing on structural test plans.
• Familiarity with aerospace standard structural analysis methods (Bruhn, Niu, Roark, Shigley’s, etc).
• Familiarity with CAD packages (Siemens NX preferable).
• Experience with industry FEA/FEM tools like Nastran, ANSYS, FEMAP, etc.
• Strong understanding and application of drafting standards and GD&T (ASME Y14.5) in creating drawings.
• Bachelor’s degree in an applicable field.

Bonus Points for

• A proven history of mentoring junior engineers
• Experience working with separation systems and docking/berthing systems

$140,000 - $165,000 a year

Compensation and Benefits

Your level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the considerations of job-related knowledge and skills, education, and direct experience.

Salary is just one component of the total employee package, which also includes company equity at an exciting time of company growth, as well as comprehensive medical, 401(k) retirement plan, a generous PTO policy, employee discounts, and more.

ITAR Requirements

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Gravitics is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are based on merit, qualifications, and business needs, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin or ethnicity, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, or any other legally protected status.