Senior Structures Engineer

Karman+ - Launching the Regolith Age; Broomfield (CO); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Karman+ in Colorado is seeking a Senior Structures Engineer to drive development of mass-efficient spacecraft primary and secondary structures. You will work with an adept team to build a new generation of vehicles with consideration for propulsion, thermal control, and component layout.

You will lead end-to-end structural design, perform modal and FEA studies, validate with tests under launch and space conditions, and collaborate with vendors to meet mission timelines while upholding safety and

Qualifications

• 5+ years of hands-on structural engineering experience in aerospace.
• Experience with spacecraft structures and high-reliability components.
• Ability to translate theory to hardware via lab testing.

Responsibilities

• Take end-to-end responsibility of structural design.
• Conduct and review detailed structural analyses including modal analysis, FEA, load calcs, and dynamic testing.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to optimize vehicle performance and layout.
• Source and procure materials for the structural subsystem and ensure delivery schedules.
• Identify risks and mitigations for structural subsystem.
• Ensure designs meet regulatory, operational, and quality standards during reviews.

Skills

Structural design

FEA (finite element analysis)

Modal analysis

Material science

Vibration testing

Thermal management

Spacecraft structures

Tools

FEA software

Thermal analysis tools

Job description

At Karman+ we are building vehicles to go beyond Earth orbit. As a Senior Structures Engineer, your role will be to drive development of mass efficient vehicle primary and secondary vehicle structures. You will work closely with an adept team of engineers to build a new generation of spacecraft, with considerations for solar electric propulsion, thermal control, and component layout.

Key Responsibilities

• Take end-to-end responsibility of structural design.
• Conduct and review detailed structural analyses, including modal analysis, finite element analysis (FEA), load calcs, and dynamic testing to validate design integrity under launch loads, thermal stresses, and in-space conditions.
• Work closely with other engineering teams to optimize vehicle performance and layout.
• Collaborate with vendors to source and procure materials and components for the structural subsystem, ensuring that all parts meet mission specifications and delivery schedules.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate risks associated with the structural subsystem, including potential failure modes and material limitations.
• Ensure that all designs adhere to regulatory, operational, and quality standards, serving as the technical checkpoint for your subsystem during design reviews and integration milestones.

What You Bring

• Equivalent of 5+ years of experience in structural engineering, with a hands-on approach to design, analysis, build, and testing of spacecraft or aerospace structures.
• Strong expertise in structural design, FEA, material science, modal analysis, load analysis, and vibration testing, particularly for space-rated or high-reliability structures.
• Problem-solving mindset going from theory to hardware by working in a lab to define testing and verify analysis to ensure structural integrity across mission phases.
• An understanding of thermal and propulsion system design considerations, and component layout best practices.
• A desire to keep design cycles tight, by following a build and break philosophy.
• Motivation to challenge the status quo, and be an integral part of an elite team.