Spacecraft Mechanical Engineer – Early Growth & Impact

terranorbitalcorporation; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

100% Company-paid medical, dental, and

vision coverage

401(k) Match

Flexible Time Off (FTO)

Education Reimbursement

Parental Leave

Job summary

Terran Orbital is hiring an Associate Mechanical Engineer to contribute to spacecraft mechanical design, layout, and integration across lifecycle stages. You will prototype, develop tests, and support low-rate production with a focus on assembly, verification, and documentation.

You’ll work under the Mechanical Engineering Manager, using CAD tools (SolidWorks/Creo) to model hardware, support electrical cabling, and refine production workflows while aligning with DoD-grade standards.

Qualifications

• B.S. in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering or equivalent.
• 0+ years (Associate Engineer - level 1) in mechanical systems design for space/aerospace.
• Proficiency with SolidWorks, Creo, or similar CAD software.
• Interpret Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing per ASME Y14.5.
• Hands-on hardware manufacture, inspection, assembly, and testing.
• Strong communication and teamwork within engineering groups.
• Experience with internal or external customers.
• Passion for space technology and sharing innovative solutions.
• U.S. Citizenship with ability to obtain DoD security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Support spacecraft mechanical design and development of subsystems and ground support equipment.
• Model parts, cable harnesses, and assemblies per industry best practices.
• Perform analyses using hand calculations and FEM tools for early design.
• Create and maintain drawings, BOMs, interface drawings, and design notebooks.
• Generate content for design reviews and technical documentation.
• Support spacecraft electrical cabling design and integration instructions.
• Contribute to production workflows and testing protocols.
• Collaborate across design, manufacturing, and production to implement DFM/ DFA.
• Stay current with materials and manufacturing advances to improve design.

Skills

CAD software

Spacecraft design

Hands-on assembly

Team collaboration

Space hardware experience

Education

B.S. in Mechanical or Aerospace Eng

M.S. preferred

Tools

SolidWorks

Creo

Job description

Terran Orbital is hiring an Associate Mechanical Engineer to contribute to spacecraft mechanical design, layout, and integration across lifecycle stages. You will prototype, develop tests, and support low-rate production with a focus on assembly, verification, and documentation.

You’ll work under the Mechanical Engineering Manager, using CAD tools (SolidWorks/Creo) to model hardware, support electrical cabling, and refine production workflows while aligning with DoD-grade standards.