Spacecraft Mechanical Engineer

Protingent; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Protingent seeks a Spacecraft Mechanical Engineer for a direct hire in Los Angeles, CA. You will lead mechanical design and integration for primary and secondary spacecraft structures, delivering CAD models, drawings, and GD&T compliant parts.

You will own hardware through the full lifecycle, collaborate with cross‑functional teams, and ensure compliance with industry standards. Hands‑on assembly, testing, and MTTR processes are part of the role, with opportunities to shape aerospace structures

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or advanced degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, or similar field.
• 5+ years of core mechanical engineering discipline experience in aerospace or related fields.
• Experience with hands‑on assembly and integration of space flight hardware; experience with designing spacecraft primary and secondary structural elements.
• Proficiency in CAD software such as NX, SolidWorks, etc.
• Proficiency in generating engineering drawings and GD&T.
• Demonstrated expertise in structural design, harness routing, and systems‑level mechanical engineering.

Responsibilities

• Execute the mechanical design and development team for primary and secondary spacecraft structures, including geometry and material selection.
• Design parts for manufacturing, incorporating Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) practices.
• Develop CAD models and engineering drawings, and complete part inspections of received parts for accuracy.
• Execute spacecraft mechanical assembly integration and testing, including MGSE design, torquing and staking bolts, performing interference and fit checks, and maintaining cleanroom organization.
• Develop mechanical assembly procedures.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate structural subsystems with other spacecraft subsystems.
• Own hardware through the entire project lifecycle, including part reception, inspection, integration, to spacecraft bus packing, shipping, and testing.
• Ensure compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements.
• Document design processes, test results, and system performance.
• Provide technical mechanical engineering guidance to fellow engineers, fostering a culture of excellence and innovation.

Skills

NX

SolidWorks

GD&T

Structural design

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

Simcenter

Abaqus

Altair/Optistruct

Job description

Position Title: Spacecraft Mechanical Engineer Position Description: Protingent has an exciting direct hire opportunity for a Spacecraft Mechanical Engineer with our client in Los Angeles, CA.

Job Responsibilities

• Execute the mechanical design and development team for primary and secondary spacecraft structures, including geometry and material selection.
• Design parts for manufacturing, incorporating Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) practices.
• Develop CAD models and engineering drawings, and complete part inspections of received parts for accuracy.
• Execute spacecraft mechanical assembly integration and testing, including MGSE design, torquing and staking bolts, performing interference and fit checks, and maintaining cleanroom organization.
• Develop mechanical assembly procedures.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate structural subsystems with other spacecraft subsystems.
• Own hardware through the entire project lifecycle, including part reception, inspection, integration, to spacecraft bus packing, shipping, and testing.
• Ensure compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements.
• Document design processes, test results, and system performance.
• Provide technical mechanical engineering guidance to fellow engineers, fostering a culture of excellence and innovation.

Job Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or advanced degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, or similar field.
• 5+ years of core mechanical engineering discipline experience in aerospace or related fields.
• Experience with hands‑on assembly and integration of space flight hardware Experience with designing spacecraft primary and secondary structural elements.
• Proficiency in CAD software such as NX, Solidworks, etc.
• Proficiency in generating engineering drawings and GD&T.
• Demonstrated expertise in structural design, harness routing, and systems‑level mechanical engineering.

Desired Job Qualifications

• Experience with spacecraft AI&T in clean room environments and adhering to ESD protocols.
• Proficiency with finite element method analysis packages such as Simcenter, Abaqus, Altair/Optistruct, etc.
• Experience with the design, specification, and testing of spacecraft deployable systems and mechanisms
• Experience executing and leading spacecraft vibration test campaigns

Job Details

• Job Type: Direct Hire
• Location: Los Angeles, CA
• Salary Range: $130K-170K
• ITAR obligations are associated with this role, U.S. citizenship, U.S. legal permanent resident status, or protected person status under 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a) (1), (3) is required.

About Protingent

Protingent is anAward-Winningprovider of top-tier Engineering and IT talent, trusted by companies at the forefront of innovation — fromSoftwareandAerospacetoAI, Clean Tech, Medical Devices, and Connected Technologies.We’re passionate about making a positive impact by connecting exceptional talent with meaningful opportunities and helping our clients build the future.