Spacecraft ME/Struct Engineer — Deployables & Equity

Orbital Inc.; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Medical, dental, vision 100% coverage

Unlimited PTO

On-site in Los Angeles Arts District

Job summary

Orbital Inc. in Los Angeles, CA is seeking a hardware-focused structural engineer to own the spacecraft's primary structure, deployable mechanisms, and the path from concept to flight. You will design solar arrays and radiator deployables, perform FEA under launch conditions, and ensure integration with the GPU payload and bus.

This is a hands-on, early-stage role in a small team. Join a founding-team culture with rapid iteration and the chance to ship on Pathfinder and Orbital-1 missions

Qualifications

• 5+ years of spacecraft mechanical/structural engineering experience.
• Hands-on deployable structures experience.
• Proficiency with FEA and launch loads.
• Experience taking designs from concept to fabrication, integration and test.
• Comfort in early-stage startups with rapid iteration.

Responsibilities

• Own the satellite's primary structure and architecture across the mission roadmap.
• Design deployable solar array and radiator mechanisms (stowage, deployment, latching).
• Run structural analyses including FEA, modal analysis, launch loads, and vibration.
• Define mechanical integration of the GPU payload to the bus.
• Manage mass properties, CG, and SWaP budgets.
• Interface with partners, vendors, test labs and fabrication shops.
• Lead hardware through environmental test campaigns (vibration, TVAC, deployment).
• Establish mechanical engineering practices and in-house manufacturing processes.

Skills

Spacecraft mechanical engineering

Deployable structures

Structural analysis (FEA)

Materials: CFRP/Al/Ti

Design-to-fabrication mindset

Tools

Siemens NX

ABAQUS

ANSYS

NASTRAN

Job description

Orbital Inc. in Los Angeles, CA is seeking a hardware-focused structural engineer to own the spacecraft's primary structure, deployable mechanisms, and the path from concept to flight. You will design solar arrays and radiator deployables, perform FEA under launch conditions, and ensure integration with the GPU payload and bus.

This is a hands-on, early-stage role in a small team. Join a founding-team culture with rapid iteration and the chance to ship on Pathfinder and Orbital-1 missions