Mechanical Engineer
El Segundo, CA$140k - $170k + equityFull-timePosted 1w ago
About the role
Founding Mechanical Engineer to own the design and development of autonomous robotic hardware for orbital inspection, repair, and assembly. Role covers architecture, detailed design, analysis, prototyping, testing, and qualification of precision mechanisms, robotic joints, end effectors, structures, and electromechanical assemblies for space in microgravity.
Responsibilities
- Lead architecture, design, development, and testing of robotic hardware for autonomous microgravity operations
- Own hardware from concept through detailed design, prototyping, qualification, integration, and deployment
- Design precision mechanisms, joints, end effectors, actuator interfaces, and electromechanical assemblies optimized for vacuum, vibration, thermal cycling, and microgravity
- Perform hand calculations, tolerance analyses, and FEA to validate component and subsystem designs
- Define requirements, loads, interfaces, error budgets, and verification plans at component, subsystem, and system levels
- Work with vendors and manufacturing partners to source components, fabricate parts, and assemble flight hardware
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related discipline
- 2+ years of experience designing, building, analyzing, and testing complex mechanical or electromechanical hardware
- Proficiency in professional CAD software (NX, CATIA, Creo, SolidWorks, or equivalent)
- Strong fundamentals in machine design, structural sizing, mechanism design, and electromechanical integration
- Experience with hand calculations, tolerance analysis, and FEA
- Proficiency with GD&T and engineering drawing standards (ASME Y14.5)
Skills
Required:Mechanical design and analysisCAD toolingFinite Element AnalysisGD&T
Nice to have:Vacuum and space-environment design
Last updated Oct 22, 2026. Interested? Apply on the company site.
About General Astronautics
Robotics for Space R&D
Robots for microgravity research and manufacturing.
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