Spaceflight Hardware Engineer: Prototyping & Testing

IRPI; Wilsonville (OR); On-site; USD 85,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary: $85,000–$105,000 USD per year

Medical and dental insurance

Employer retirement contributions

Generous paid time off

Job summary

IRPI is seeking an early-career mechanical engineer to design, prototype, and test flight hardware for NASA and commercial space programs. You will contribute across CAD, analysis, in-house additive manufacturing, lab validation, and production, gaining hands-on experience from seasoned flight engineers.

This role emphasizes curiosity, precision, and a drive to see designs fly, with opportunities to work on a range of fluid-thermal systems and to grow within a mission-driven environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• Solid understanding of design, heat transfer, fluids, thermodynamics, and materials.
• Proficiency in SolidWorks for parts, assemblies, and drawings; hands-on prototype fabrication experience.

Responsibilities

• Assist senior engineers with analysis, design, and trade studies for mechanical, thermal, and fluid systems.
• Create and revise SolidWorks parts, assemblies, and drawings; maintain BOMs and configuration control.
• Operate additive manufacturing equipment and test rigs to fabricate prototypes and test fixtures; collect data and report findings.

Skills

Hands-on prototyping

Technical writing

Cross-team collaboration

Education

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

MATLAB

Python

LabVIEW

Job description

IRPI is seeking an early-career mechanical engineer to design, prototype, and test flight hardware for NASA and commercial space programs. You will contribute across CAD, analysis, in-house additive manufacturing, lab validation, and production, gaining hands-on experience from seasoned flight engineers.

This role emphasizes curiosity, precision, and a drive to see designs fly, with opportunities to work on a range of fluid-thermal systems and to grow within a mission-driven environment.