Spacecraft Mechanisms Engineer: Rotating Hardware & Test

Apex - Satellite Platforms; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity in Apex

Health insurance

PTO 15–20 days

401(k) matching

Parental leave

Lunch provided

Office Playa Vista

Job summary

Apex is seeking a Mechanisms Build Engineer to support development, integration, scaling, and qualification of spacecraft electromechanical hardware, with a focus on long-life rotating assemblies and electronically driven mechanism systems.

You’ll work with mechanisms, avionics, controls, manufacturing, and test teams to develop scalable production and validation approaches for flight hardware destined for demanding environments and long mission lifetimes.

Qualifications

• BS in Mechanical, Aerospace, Electrical, Mechatronics, Robotics or related field.
• 5+ years hands-on experience building, integrating, testing, or qualifying electromechanical systems or rotating hardware.
• Experience delivering and testing flight hardware or high-reliability electromechanical systems.

Responsibilities

• Support the build, integration, and qualification of spacecraft electromechanical hardware and long-life rotating assemblies.
• Develop and execute component- and system-level test campaigns for motor-driven spacecraft hardware and mechanisms.
• Support manufacturing scaling efforts for actuator systems and precision electromechanical components.
• Design and implement test setups, fixtures, instrumentation, and validation for rotating assemblies and actuator hardware.
• Collaborate with controls, avionics, and software teams to integrate motor drive systems and mechanism telemetry interfaces.
• Support implementation and testing of Hall effect sensors, rotary encoders, resolvers, microswitches, and potentiometers.
• Troubleshoot hardware and system-level issues across motors, mechanisms, sensors, controls interfaces, and electrical integration.
• Support environmental testing including vibration, thermal vacuum, shock, lifetime, and functional performance testing.
• Develop manufacturing and test procedures, work instructions, assembly documentation, and production validation processes.
• Drive root cause investigations and corrective actions during development, qualification, and production activities.
• Partner with design engineering and production teams to improve manufacturability, reliability, and scalability of mechanism systems.

Skills

Hands-on hardware bring-up

Electrical troubleshooting

Electromechanical integration

Motor-driven systems

Telemetry & sensors

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical/Aerospace/Electrical/Mechatronics/Robotics

Tools

Hall effect sensors

Rotary encoders

Resolvers

Microswitches

Potentiometers

Job description

Apex is seeking a Mechanisms Build Engineer to support development, integration, scaling, and qualification of spacecraft electromechanical hardware, with a focus on long-life rotating assemblies and electronically driven mechanism systems.

You’ll work with mechanisms, avionics, controls, manufacturing, and test teams to develop scalable production and validation approaches for flight hardware destined for demanding environments and long mission lifetimes.