Spacecraft Senior Mechanical Engineer

NewSpace Technical; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Flexible PTO

Comprehensive benefits

Job summary

A leading aerospace startup in California is seeking a Mechanical Engineer to design and fabricate systems for lunar fuel production. The ideal candidate has a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, 5+ years of relevant experience, and proficiency in CAD. This position involves ownership of projects from concept to integration within a dynamic work environment focused on space missions.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in mechanical engineering roles, ideally in prototyping or space hardware.
• Must meet ITAR/EAR requirements (U.S. Citizen, Permanent Resident, Refugee, or Asylee).
• High personal productivity and problem-solving initiative.

Responsibilities

• Design, fabricate, and test mechanical subsystems and components for lunar fuel production.
• Take ownership of projects from initial concept through testing and integration.
• Support mentoring of junior engineers and contribute to team growth.

Skills

Design and fabrication of mechanical subsystems

Project ownership

Problem-solving initiative

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

CAD software

Job description

Overview

Location: Hawthorne, California, United States

Employment Type: Full-Time | On-Site

Package: $130K – $160K Base + Equity + Benefits + Flexible PTO

Are you a hands-on mechanical engineer ready to take your designs from concept to lunar deployment? Want to build real hardware for real space missions?

On offer is the opportunity to join a high-growth startup developing a full-stack lunar propellant production system—from excavation to refueling landing craft. You’ll work on the design, prototyping, and integration of critical systems for producing and storing fuel from lunar resources.

Join a team at the forefront of industrializing space. You’ll design systems that operate in extreme conditions and help shape infrastructure that could power future missions across the Moon and beyond.

This position would suit a mechanical engineer eager to take ownership of hardware in development and deployment phases, with a passion for building the future of space.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, fabricate, and test mechanical subsystems and components for lunar fuel production.
• Take ownership of projects from initial concept through testing and integration.
• Perform engineering analysis and define system requirements with supporting rationale.
• Document design decisions and operational procedures to support future deployment.
• Collaborate across teams to ensure system-level hardware integration.
• Support mentoring of junior engineers and contribute to team growth.
• Identify areas for process improvement and technical acceleration.

Essential Skills and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, or related engineering discipline.
• 5+ years of experience in mechanical engineering roles, ideally in prototyping or space hardware.
• Proficient in CAD and detailed mechanical analysis.
• Strong project ownership and delivery mindset.
• High personal productivity and problem-solving initiative.
• Must meet ITAR/EAR requirements (U.S. Citizen, Permanent Resident, Refugee, or Asylee).

Application Instructions

If you\'re excited to help build infrastructure for off-world industry, please click to apply or send your resume to [e-mail]