Build Engineer I/II - Space

Antares • Los Angeles, CA

6d • $90,000 - $185,000 • Onsite

About The Position

As a Build Engineer I/II on Antares’ Space team, you will turn engineering designs into hardware that advances nuclear power for space missions. You will own development, prototype, and pathfinder builds from planning through assembly, testing, and as-built closeout. Working closely with design engineers and technicians, you will solve hands-on integration challenges and develop repeatable build processes that support qualification and transition to production.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
• At least 1 year of hands-on experience building, assembling, or integrating mechanical hardware; internships and hardware-focused student projects qualify.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and 3D CAD models.
• Ability to work long hours and weekends as necessary to support critical milestones.
• Ability and willingness to work on-site full time.
• To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. lawful permanent resident, refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Nice To Haves

• Experience owning a hardware build from planning through completion, including on collegiate rocketry, satellite, or similar project teams.
• Proficiency with geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) and tolerance stack-ups.
• 3D CAD experience designing fixtures and tooling; Siemens NX preferred.
• Experience writing build procedures, travelers, or work instructions for flight or flight-like hardware.
• Hands-on experience with fluid systems, including tube fittings, valves, regulators, seals, precision cleaning, and helium leak checking.
• Strong understanding of bolted joints, including torque, preload, and thread locking.
• Experience operating manual mills and lathes, with familiarity in welding, brazing, sheet metal fabrication, and additive manufacturing.
• Experience installing thermocouples, pressure transducers, and strain gauges, and building basic wiring harnesses.
• Experience with high-temperature, high-pressure, and vacuum hardware.
• Familiarity with product lifecycle management (PLM) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems.

Responsibilities

• Plan assembly sequences, build flow, and schedules using engineering drawings and CAD models; update models as needed.
• Write build procedures and work orders, maintaining accurate as-built records and hardware configuration throughout each build.
• Assemble mechanical and fluid hardware using appropriate tools, torque specifications, and hardware selections; support design reviews to confirm adequate safety factors and margins.
• Install instrumentation and wiring, perform mid-build checkouts, and support verification, validation, and qualification testing, including test installation, operations, teardown, and post-test inspection.
• Design, procure, and build fixtures, handling equipment, and development tooling.
• Source commercial off-the-shelf hardware, quick-turn machined parts, and consumables; inspect incoming parts and resolve fit or quality discrepancies before assembly.
• Troubleshoot assembly and integration issues, document redlines, and coordinate changes with design owners to preserve requirements, interfaces, and design intent.
• Capture lessons learned and incorporate process improvements into build documentation to support repeatable production and handoff.
• Maintain a safe, organized build area when working with pressurized systems, high temperatures, and heavy hardware.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level