Senior Spacecraft Mechanisms Engineer

Umbra; Reston (VA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible Time Off, Sick, Family & Med.

Stock Options

Free Parking

Free lunch in office daily

Job summary

Umbra, an American space technology company, seeks a Senior/Staff Mechanical Engineer to lead design and development of next-generation space systems and mechanisms. The role emphasizes rotating machinery and hands-on prototyping, testing, and verification across hardware stack.

The position is on-site in Santa Barbara/Goleta, CA, Arlington, VA, or Reston, VA, enabling close collaboration with cross-functional teams and mission-ready hardware delivery.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field.
• 10+ years of professional experience in mechanical or aerospace engineering.
• 5+ years of experience developing motor-driven mechanisms for spacecraft power or payload systems.
• Demonstrated technical leadership and ownership of spacecraft hardware through qualification and delivery.
• Strong multidisciplinary understanding of mechanisms and mechanical systems.
• Hands-on experience in manufacturing and assembling parts using various methods and standards.
• Proficiency in CAD software, with experience in design and drafting to ASME Y14.5 standards.
• Expertise in first principles analysis, including hand calculations and Finite Element Analysis (FEA).
• Excellent problem-solving skills, with the ability to independently research, diagnose, and clearly explain technical challenges and solutions.

Responsibilities

• Design and analyze spacecraft mechanisms, including serving as the technical lead for spacecraft mechanisms and pointing systems.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to derive and refine requirements.
• Create motorization budgets and select encoders and cable routing.
• Design for launch loads and stow/release behavior; create pointing budgets.
• Own the design through full build and test lifecycle; lead technical reviews and qualification campaigns.
• Develop test plans and equipment selection for verification of torque and pointing performance.
• Provide mechanical engineering support to other teams as needed.
• Occasionally support launch/test campaigns outside regular hours.

Skills

Technical leadership

Hands-on hardware

CAD proficiency

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering or related field

Tools

CAD software

FEM/FEA

Job description

Umbra, an American space technology company, seeks a Senior/Staff Mechanical Engineer to lead design and development of next-generation space systems and mechanisms. The role emphasizes rotating machinery and hands-on prototyping, testing, and verification across hardware stack.

The position is on-site in Santa Barbara/Goleta, CA, Arlington, VA, or Reston, VA, enabling close collaboration with cross-functional teams and mission-ready hardware delivery.