Build Engineer

Reflect Orbital • Hawthorne, CA

7d

About The Position

As a Build Engineer, you’ll be responsible for creating the physical infrastructure that enables Reflect to build, test, and iterate at maximum velocity. You’ll design and fabricate tools, fixtures, test rigs, alignment systems, and assembly support hardware that directly accelerate engineering. When the satellite needs a jig, rig, bracket, stand, alignment tool, or measurement fixture, you will design it, build it, and iterate quickly.
This role is highly hands-on and deeply practical. You won’t need to run FEA or design flight-critical structures. Instead, you’ll focus on delivering clean, reliable, well-thought-out build solutions that improve speed, accuracy, repeatability, and ease of use across the entire development process.

Requirements

• Strong hands-on mechanical build experience: machining, fabrication, assembly, metrology
• Experience designing or building test rigs, jigs, or tooling in an engineering or R&D environment
• Familiarity with CNC machining, 3D printing (SLA/FDM), sheet metal, or other rapid-fab processes
• Comfortable integrating off-the-shelf hardware: actuators, sensors, pneumatics, bearings, linear rails, etc.
• Ability to take ambiguous needs and deliver clean, practical, reliable solutions quickly
• Strong shop instincts: how to build safely, simply, and in ways that are hard to break
• Experience in hardware startups, aerospace test labs, robotics labs, or similar fast-paced environments

Nice To Haves

• Bonus: experience with basic wiring, DAQ systems, microcontrollers, or simple automation

Responsibilities

• Design, prototype, and build tooling, assembly aids, and fixtures for mechanical, optical, thermal, and deployment tests
• Create reliable alignment jigs, holding fixtures, mounting hardware, and shop infrastructure to support high-velocity assembly
• Develop test rigs—mechanical or electromechanical—including sensors, motors, pneumatics, load cells, and data acquisition
• Rapidly prototype parts via CNC, 3D printing (SLA/FDM), machining, sheet metal, woodworking, or simple composites
• Build ergonomic workstations, carts, racks, and organization systems to streamline hardware development
• Maintain and improve shop equipment (CNCs, printers, hand tools, torque tools, metrology tools)
• Diagnose and fix issues in the lab or on the shop floor—mechanical, electrical, or process related
• Work directly with design and manufacturing to translate vague requirements into practical physical solutions
• Iterate quickly on tooling and test setups to improve usability, safety, and reliability
• Document fixtures and test setups with simple drawings, instructions, or photos so they can be reused

Benefits

• Broad choice of medical/dental/vision coverage, Reflect covers 100% of each base-policy
• Access to HSA, FSA, and 401K
• Unlimited paid time off, two-weeks per year encouraged
• Healthy lunches provided daily

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 1-10 employees