Senior Staff Mechanical Engineer, Spacecraft Systems

Viasat; Arizona; On-site; USD 181,000 - 285,000; Full time

Job summary

Viasat is seeking a Senior Staff Mechanical Engineer to lead the design, development, qualification, and production transition of spacecraft hardware for next-generation satellite platforms.

You will oversee high-impact mechanical programs across the full product lifecycle, mentoring engineering talent and collaborating with cross-functional teams to ensure reliable, manufacturable solutions in spaceflight applications.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field.
• Extensive professional experience in mechanical engineering (typically 12+ years), with spaceflight hardware development experience.
• Demonstrated experience providing top-level technical leadership for major mechanical subsystems on spacecraft or aerospace platforms.
• Deep mastery of structural, thermal, dynamic, and environmental requirements for space applications.
• Advanced CAD experience (Creo, SolidWorks, NX).
• Experience with ANSYS, Nastran, Simcenter, Thermal Desktop.
• Environmental qualification and acceptance testing (vibration, TVAC, thermal cycling).
• Ability to solve complex technical problems with minimal direction.
• Strong communication for executive-level updates.
• Cross-functional leadership across engineering teams.
• U.S. Citizenship required.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership for satellite structures, mechanisms, electronics packaging, and deployable systems.
• Define broad technical challenges, lead trade studies, and establish engineering solutions balancing performance, schedule, cost, and risk.
• Own mechanical subsystems from concept through qualification, high-rate production, launch, and on-orbit support.
• Direct structural, thermal, vibration, shock, and environmental analyses for flight hardware.
• Establish baseline engineering requirements, specs, standards, and qualification strategies.
• Lead hardware development, integration, testing, and root-cause investigations.
• Lead executive design reviews (PDR, CDR, TRR, FRR) and advise leadership.
• Foster cross-functional collaboration with systems, thermal, electrical, manufacturing, reliability, and supply chain teams.
• Evaluate and implement emerging technologies and advanced manufacturing processes.
• Mentor and develop engineers at all levels across teams.

Skills

Technical leadership

Spaceflight hardware

CAD: Creo

SolidWorks

NX

ANSYS

Nastran

Simcenter

Thermal Desktop

Cross-functional collaboration

U.S. Citizenship

Education

Bachelor's in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Master's or PhD (preferred)

Tools

Creo

SolidWorks

NX

ANSYS

Nastran

Simcenter

Thermal Desktop

Teamcenter

Windchill

Job description

Viasat is seeking a Senior Staff Mechanical Engineer to lead the design, development, qualification, and production transition of spacecraft hardware for next-generation satellite platforms.

You will oversee high-impact mechanical programs across the full product lifecycle, mentoring engineering talent and collaborating with cross-functional teams to ensure reliable, manufacturable solutions in spaceflight applications.