Spacecraft Mechanical Engineering Manager

Climactic; San Jose (CA); Hybrid; USD 186,000 - 202,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity compensation

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401k retirement plan

Paid vacation (3 weeks)

12 paid holidays

Unlimited sick time

Paid parental leave

Disability insurance

Job summary

Muon Space in San Jose is seeking an Engineering Manager to lead a team of mechanical engineers who tailor Muon's spacecraft platforms to specific missions. You will design payload accommodations and mission-specific components, carrying mechanical builds through integration and environmental test.

This hands-on role splits time between management and individual contribution, with reporting to the Senior Manager of Spacecraft Structures & Missions.

Qualifications

• 8+ years designing complex, integrated space-qualified systems.
• 2+ years leading engineering teams.
• Proficiency in CAD for medium-to-large assemblies (SolidWorks preferred).
• Mastery of drawings, GD&T, BOMs, FAIs, tolerances, and mass budgets.
• Experience managing analysis products (structural, thermal) and applying results.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and presentation skills.
• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• Track record delivering hardware products to the field.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and grow a team of mechanical engineers; plan resourcing and hiring as the team scales.
• Develop early-career engineers through coaching, design feedback, and growth planning.
• Own the mechanical deliverables for assigned missions from requirements through test.
• Stay hands-on: contribute designs, drawings, and analyses and set quality bar.
• Translate customer needs into robust flight hardware with reusable platform components.
• Set and uphold engineering standards for safety, make-vs-buy, materials, and documentation.
• Run design reviews and test readiness reviews; own test campaigns.
• Collaborate with avionics, systems, thermal, structural, and production teams.

Skills

Mechanical design

Team leadership

CAD (SolidWorks)

GD&T

Structural/ Thermal analysis

Communication

Hardware delivery

Education

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

PLM systems

Job description

Muon Space in San Jose is seeking an Engineering Manager to lead a team of mechanical engineers who tailor Muon's spacecraft platforms to specific missions. You will design payload accommodations and mission-specific components, carrying mechanical builds through integration and environmental test.

This hands-on role splits time between management and individual contribution, with reporting to the Senior Manager of Spacecraft Structures & Missions.