Spacecraft Loads & Dynamics Engineer — Vibration & Testing

Starcloud; Redmond (WA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Medical, vision & dental coverage

401(k) plan with company match

Paid parental leave

Job summary

Starcloud is seeking a Loads and Dynamics Engineer to own the dynamics analysis, testing, and cross‑functional engineering for space-based data centers. You will develop FE models for spacecraft structures, deployable solar arrays, and radiators, and perform dynamic analyses for launch, transportation, deployment, and on‑orbit operations.

The role emphasizes hands‑on testing, data processing, model correlation, and collaboration with mechanical, avionics, and integration teams to ensure reliable

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, or a related technical discipline.
• 4+ years of experience in dynamics, structural analysis, mechanical testing, or hands‑on aerospace hardware development.
• Experience analyzing test data, building hardware, or supporting mechanical qualification of flight or launch vehicle systems.
• Strong analytical fundamentals in vibrations, structural dynamics, mechanics, and frequency‑domain analysis.
• Experience with finite element modeling or structural analysis tools.

Responsibilities

• Resolve spacecraft dynamics problems through analysis, test, and model correlation.
• Develop and maintain finite element models for spacecraft structures, mechanisms, deployable solar arrays, deployable radiators, and related hardware.
• Perform dynamic analyses for launch, transportation, deployment, and on-orbit operational environments.
• Analyze vibration, shock, acoustic, transient, modal, and forcing-function environments.
• Support stress, fatigue, stability, and margin analyses where needed to improve spacecraft reliability.
• Use commercial and in-house tools to perform analysis, and develop new tools where existing methods are insufficient.
• Own dynamic testing from start to finish, including pre-test analysis, test planning, sensor selection, instrumentation, setup, execution, data processing, and post-test reporting.
• Plan and execute vibration, modal, shock, and other environmental tests for spacecraft hardware.
• Process and interpret test data using signal processing techniques.
• Correlate test results with analytical models and update models as needed.
• Define qualification and acceptance test approaches for flight hardware.
• Produce clear test reports, analysis documentation, and recommendations for design improvements.
• Build scripts, analysis pipelines, databases, and internal tools to improve speed and quality of dynamics work.
• Work with design engineers to identify and resolve structural or dynamic risks early in the design cycle.
• Support trades across mass, stiffness, manufacturability, cost, schedule, reliability, and performance.
• Collaborate with manufacturing, integration, and test teams to ensure hardware is designed for efficient build and qualification.
• Contribute to fast design iteration for large lightweight deployable spacecraft structures.

Skills

Vibrations

Structural dynamics

Mechanical testing

Data analysis

Software skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or Aerospace Engineering

Master’s or PhD in Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering

Tools

Ansys

NX

FEM tools

Job description

Starcloud is seeking a Loads and Dynamics Engineer to own the dynamics analysis, testing, and cross‑functional engineering for space-based data centers. You will develop FE models for spacecraft structures, deployable solar arrays, and radiators, and perform dynamic analyses for launch, transportation, deployment, and on‑orbit operations.

The role emphasizes hands‑on testing, data processing, model correlation, and collaboration with mechanical, avionics, and integration teams to ensure reliable