Senior Spacecraft Dynamics Engineer — Equity & Impact

Speedrun Talent Network; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity incentives

Best-in-class healthcare

PTO 15–20 days

401(k) matching

Parental leave

Catered lunch

Office Playa Vista

Impactful work

Job summary

Apex Technology, Inc. is seeking a Spacecraft Dynamics Engineer to own dynamic analysis and vehicle response across our spacecraft.

You will predict and validate how hardware behaves during all flight phases, collaborating with structures, test, and systems teams to ensure robustness to vibration, shock, and acoustics. You will develop load cases, run FEM analyses, and build coupled models to guide design decisions and improve prediction accuracy.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, aerospace, or related engineering field.
• 8+ years of experience in structural dynamics, loads, or environment prediction.
• Strong fundamentals in vibration, shock, transient response, and frequency-domain analysis.
• Experience with finite element modeling and analysis (NASTRAN, FEMAP, or similar).
• Strong background in linear algebra, numerical methods, and dynamic system modeling.
• Experience with telemetry, test, or flight data processing and correlation.
• Experience developing simulation tools and performing high-speed data and signal processing.
• Ability to communicate complex dynamics concepts clearly across engineering teams.
• Proven ability to operate in fast-paced, high-ownership environments.
• Nice to have: experience with spacecraft or launch vehicle coupled loads analysis; hands-on testing; familiarity with GSFC/MIL-STD; fragile body dynamics; automation workflows.

Responsibilities

• Own dynamic and loads analysis across components, subsystems, and full spacecraft.
• Expertise in CLA, load derivation and structural verification.
• Develop load cases and environmental requirements (quasi-static, random vibration, shock, acoustics).
• Predict vehicle response across launch, deployment, and on-orbit conditions.
• Perform structural dynamics analyses using FEM and analytical methods to evaluate loads, margins, and system behavior.
• Build and assemble coupled system models across spacecraft and launch vehicle interfaces.
• Plan and execute dynamic test campaigns, including vibration and mode survey testing, from setup through data validation and model correlation.
• Process and analyze test and flight data to validate models and improve prediction accuracy.
• Evaluate analytical predictions against test and flight data and drive improvements to loads methodologies.
• Develop internal tools and workflows (Python, MATLAB, or similar) for simulation, data processing, and signal analysis.
• Partner cross functionally with design, test, and manufacturing teams to influence hardware and ensure requirements are met.
• Provide technical leadership on complex dynamics problems and mentor more junior engineers.

Skills

Vibration analysis

Loads prediction

Dynamic modeling

Engineering communication

Numerical methods

Education

Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, aerospace, or related engineering field

Tools

NASTRAN

FEMAP

Job description

Apex Technology, Inc. is seeking a Spacecraft Dynamics Engineer to own dynamic analysis and vehicle response across our spacecraft.

You will predict and validate how hardware behaves during all flight phases, collaborating with structures, test, and systems teams to ensure robustness to vibration, shock, and acoustics. You will develop load cases, run FEM analyses, and build coupled models to guide design decisions and improve prediction accuracy.