Senior Mechatronics Engineer – Spaceflight Systems

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory; California; On-site; USD 152,000 - 189,000; Full time

Job summary

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California seeks a Mechatronics Engineer to lead the design, analysis, development, integration, and test of flight mechanical and robotic systems for spacecraft and ground systems. You will direct mechanisms, actuators, sensors, controllers, and structures across mission phases, ensuring traceability of requirements and robust verification.

Role requires leading mechanical hardware development, coordinating across disciplines, and mentoring engineers

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related technical discipline with a minimum of 6 years of related experience; Master's degree with a minimum of 4 years related experience; or PhD in similar disciplines with a minimum of 2 years related experience.
• Experience serving as a technical lead for subsystem development, integration, and verification activities.
• Demonstrated experience coordinating technical efforts across multiple engineering disciplines and organizations.
• Experience leading spacecraft or instrument mechatronics development and/or mechanical hardware design, fabrication, integration, and test efforts.
• Knowledge and experience translating design and performance requirements into electro‑mechanical hardware architectures, subsystem designs, and development plans.
• Experience deriving, managing, and verifying system and interface requirements for complex engineering systems.
• Experience developing and executing technical plans, managing risk, and meeting cost, schedule, and technical commitments.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently on key project assignments with limited direction and to lead multidisciplinary technical efforts.
• Experience leading integration, verification, and validation activities for complex mechanical or mechatronic systems.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to present complex technical information to project leadership, review boards, and customers.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead the implementation of mechanisms, materials, and electronics for current and future JPL missions.
• Lead mechanical hardware development and mechanical systems engineering activities across mission phases.
• Derive and manage complex system requirements with traceability through verification.
• Perform and lead design and analysis, documentation, and delivery of mechanical engineering products for spaceflight missions.
• Research and develop system architectures, approaches, and risk mitigation plans for mechatronic systems.
• Ensure delivered products meet all technical requirements and commitments.
• Develop cost and schedule estimates, plans, and technical approaches for tasks and activities.
• Prepare and lead V&V planning and execution, including test plans and integration/test leadership for assemblies and subsystems.
• Lead and present at team, subsystem, and project-level technical reviews.
• Provide technical leadership and mentoring to engineers, designers, analysts, and other team members.
• Coordinate and lead project activities across organizations, vendors, and external partners to achieve objectives.
• Contribute to proposal and concept studies with technical content, evaluations, and analyses.
• Assess and infuse new technologies into flight projects and stay current on mechatronics advancements.
• Work with minimal direction, leading multidisciplinary teams in key project activities.

Skills

Technical leadership

Subsystem development

Cross-disciplinary coordination

Mechatronics development

Requirements engineering

Verification & validation

Cost, schedule, risk management

Independent work

Team leadership

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related discipline

Master's degree with 4+ years experience (preferred)

PhD in related discipline with 2+ years experience

Tools

Unigraphics / Siemens NX

SolidWorks

Teamcenter

FEA / modeling software

Job description

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California seeks a Mechatronics Engineer to lead the design, analysis, development, integration, and test of flight mechanical and robotic systems for spacecraft and ground systems. You will direct mechanisms, actuators, sensors, controllers, and structures across mission phases, ensuring traceability of requirements and robust verification.

Role requires leading mechanical hardware development, coordinating across disciplines, and mentoring engineers