Structures and Mechanisms Manufacturing Engineer

Venturi Astrolab, Inc.; Hawthorne (CA); On-site; USD 155,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity ownership

Comprehensive health benefits

401(k) plan with company match

Flexible PTO and parental leave

Weekly lunch stipend and snacks on‑sit

Monthly social hour on-site

Job summary

Astrolab, Hawthorne, CA, is seeking a Structures and Mechanisms Manufacturing Engineer to lead the design and execution of fabrication, assembly, and test processes for flight hardware. You will shape DFx, standards, and cross-functional workflows to deliver rover subassemblies and full vehicle integration.

You will perform hands-on work, troubleshoot root causes, and develop effective work instructions while coordinating schedules with product, manufacturing, and supply chain teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a STEM field or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years in production, R&D, manufacturing engineering, or test ops for flight-critical hardware.
• Experience with electro-mechanical systems and precision mechanisms assembly.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings and apply GD&T per ASME Y14.5.

Responsibilities

• Design, define, and develop fabrication, assembly, integration, test processes for flight-qualified structural hardware.
• Drive DFx across the product life cycle and develop fabrication standards.
• Champion tech and process implementations to accelerate hardware development, build, test, and operation.
• Lead investigations and determine root causes for non-conformances; perform hands-on troubleshooting.
• Hands-on fabrication, assembly, test, and integration work; develop build/test work instructions.
• Outline detailed project plans and drive cross-functional execution.

Skills

STEM degree

5+ years experience

Electro-mechanical systems

GD&T + ASME Y14.5

Education

Bachelor's degree in STEM

Master's degree in STEM (preferred)

Tools

Siemens NX

JIRA

MES/MRP

Excel

Job description

Structures and Mechanisms Manufacturing Engineer

Department: Manufacturing Engineering

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Hawthorne, California

Compensation: $155,000 - $175,000 / year

Description

Astrolab is The Lunar Operations Company. We design and build the systems and hardware the lunar economy will come to depend on — rovers, power, and data networks for sustained operations on the Moon. We are focused on the problems that must be solved before the next chapter of human exploration can scale. The Moon does not forgive untested assumptions. The people who work here know that, and they wouldn't have it any other way.

Astrolab is looking for a team member who will support both the development of lunar rovers and development of our production processes and facility. You will collaborate with other Astrolab engineers to advance product design in tandem with advancing our means to build and test. You will be ultimately responsible for ensuring the timely build and test of various rover subassemblies, subsystems, and final vehicle integration activities.

What you'll do:

• Design, define, and develop fabrication, assembly, integration, test processes for Flight-qualified structural hardware, primary and secondary structures, metallic and composites assemblies, deployable mechanisms, actuators, hinges, latches and precision mechanisms
• Drive design for excellence (DFx) throughout all stages of the product life cycle
• Develop and institutionalize fabrication and assembly standards
• Champion implementation of technology, processes, and methodologies to accelerate hardware development, build, test, and operation
• Lead investigations and determine solutions for non-conformances
• Perform hands-on troubleshooting and root cause analysis
• Hands-on work. Fabrication, assembly, test, and integration.
• Develop work instructions and documentation for build and test processes
• Outline detailed project plans and drive cross functional execution.

Key supporter of these areas:

• Design of the rover and other lunar hardware
• Collaborate with the cross functional team to develop the product, processes, facility, and supply chain simultaneously championing concurrent engineering
• Supplier development
• Quality systems, data, and records management
• Development of internal design, construction, and verification specifications
• Configuration management
• Procurement and production planning

What you'll bring:

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) field or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience
• 5+ years of experience working in production, R&D, manufacturing engineering, or test operations supporting structures and mechanisms for flight-critical hardware
• Experience with electro-mechanical systems, including precision mechanisms assembly and integration
• Experience interpreting engineering drawings and applying GD&T principles in accordance with ASME Y14.5

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in a relevant STEM field
• Experience supporting human-rated spacecraft or NASA programs
• Experience with composite manufacturing and/or precision machining
• Experience using CAD modeling software; Siemens NX experience preferred
• Experience conducting root cause investigations and implementing corrective actions across the product life cycle
• Experience with ESD controls, precision cleaning, and cleanroom assembly requirementsExperience using instrumentation and sensors, including power supplies, oscilloscopes, accelerometers, thermocouples, and RTDs
• Experience working with safety regulations and developing or implementing best practices
• Experience using JIRA, MES/MRP software, and Excel
• Working knowledge of SMC-S-016 and SMC-S-017 standards
• Experience with non-destructive evaluation (NDE) techniques for metallic materials
• Experience working with harnessing and familiarity with NASA-STD-8739.4, J-STD-001, and IPC/WHMA-A-620

Additional Responsibilities

• Must be able and willing to periodically travel (i.e. field testing events)
• Must be able to lift 50 lbs

Benefits and Perks

• Join a team of best-in-class engineers building the foundation of planetary surface exploration
• Equity ownership in the company
• Comprehensive health benefits, including medical, dental, vision, and mental health support
• 401(k) plan with company match
• Flexible PTO and parental leave
• Weekly lunch stipend, plus complimentary snacks and beverages on-site
• Once a month social hour on-site with food and drinks