Senior Structural Engineer, Kuiper Government Solutions, KGS Mechanical Engineering

Amazon; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company is seeking a Senior Structural Engineer to join their Kuiper Government Engineering team. This role focuses on delivering innovative mechanical design and analysis for satellite systems. The ideal candidate will leverage their experience in structural analysis and collaborate with cross-discipline teams to meet mission requirements. The position requires US Citizenship and may involve obtaining a TS/SCI clearance.

Qualifications

• Experience with space-based and ground-based mechanical analysis and design.
• Demonstrated experience leading small teams of mechanical engineers.

Responsibilities

• Perform structural analysis for satellite payloads and ground equipment.
• Conduct thermal analysis via finite element methods.
• Prepare technical reports and documentation.

Skills

Collaboration

Structural Analysis

Thermal Analysis

Mechanical Design

Technical Reporting

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Engineering

Tools

CAD Systems

Finite Element Methods

Job description

Senior Structural Engineer, Kuiper Government Solutions, KGS Mechanical Engineering

Project Kuiper aims to launch a constellation of Low Earth Orbit satellites to provide low-latency, high-speed broadband connectivity worldwide, especially to unserved and underserved communities.

The Kuiper Government Engineering team is a multidisciplinary group developing scalable solutions for satellite and ground applications, working closely with core teams and addressing the needs of specific customers such as government agencies. The Senior Mechanical Engineer will be crucial in delivering innovative analysis and design for space and ground systems and sub-systems.

The ideal candidate has a background in space-based and ground-based mechanical (structural) analysis and design, including electro-mechanical systems integration, with experience in optimization trades for payloads and system architectures. This hands-on role requires a highly collaborative individual capable of translating trade studies into space-qualified payloads, meeting cross-disciplinary requirements, and focusing on customer needs through thermal and structural analyses.

The candidate should have demonstrated experience with complex programs, leading small teams of mechanical engineers, and producing clear, technical reports.

Key job responsibilities

1. Perform structural analysis to support mechanical design and layout trade studies for satellite payloads, ground communication equipment, and test hardware.
2. Contribute to system architectures with inputs from cross-discipline teams: Electrical, RF, Optical, Thermal, Dynamics, Mechanisms, Materials, Manufacturing, Assembly, and Test.
3. Conduct structural and thermal analysis via finite element methods to support design and demonstrate solutions meet mission requirements.
4. Facilitate cost trades for various configurations balancing cost, manufacturability, and design uncertainty.
5. Generate detailed designs using CAD systems and create engineering drawings with GD&T.
6. Prepare technical reports, documentation, and presentations for reviews and proposals.
7. Design and support test campaigns for space and ground hardware, including development and qualification tests.
8. Interact directly with customers to understand requirements and translate them into robust solutions backed by data and analysis.

Security Clearance: US Citizenship required; candidates may need to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI clearance.