Mechanical Design Engineer 2

United Launch Alliance • Centennial, CO

1d • $81,695 - $136,159

About The Position

United Launch Alliance is seeking a Mechanical Design Engineer 2 for its Vulcan Development team to support development of the Centaur V on the SLS upper stage. The role involves designing and developing mechanical and structural components that meet vehicle-level and subsystem requirements, contributing to engineering trades and program execution, and supporting design, qualification, manufacturing, integration, and testing activities.

The engineer will create and maintain CAD models, detailed drawings, and GD&T; prepare engineering models, drawings, analysis summaries, and verification documentation for program reviews; and provide first-order design assessments to support efficient integration with analysis teams. The position also supports requirement development, test campaigns, troubleshooting, non-conformance dispositions, root-cause investigations, and continuous improvement. The engineer collaborates with multidisciplinary engineering teams and interfaces with manufacturing, quality, and technicians.

The position is based at ULA's Denver location. Relocation may be available, and travel requirements are 10%. The role requires applicants to be U.S. Persons as defined by ITAR. The salary range for ULA-Denver is $81,695 to $136,159; eligible employees may also receive a discretionary annual bonus. Most salaried ULA team members work a 9/80 schedule, with every other Friday off; schedules and benefits may vary.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field from an accredited college or university.
• Minimum of 2 years of related work experience.
• Familiarity with structural and mechanical system design, development, and qualification.
• Experience performing CAD modeling and engineering drawing creation.
• Demonstrated capability in executing engineering drawing package release.
• Strong GD&T interpretation and application skills.
• Ability to execute assigned engineering tasks with growing independence and effective time management.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, specifications, and applicable industry or government standards.
• Understanding of aerospace hardware and system-level integration and test processes.
• Understanding of aerospace hardware production and manufacturing operations.
• Strong communication and presentation skills.
• Must be a U.S. Person as defined in ITAR 22 CFR 120.62.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in aerospace or mechanical engineering.
• Experience with NX and Teamcenter in a Model Based Engineering (MBE) environment.
• Understanding of stress analysis methodologies and tools.
• Strong understanding of design for producibility of machined and formed parts.
• Experience integrating with multidisciplinary teams and demonstrated technical coordination skills.
• Technical understanding of composite structural design and tooling solutions.
• Experience performing subsystem and vehicle walkdown inspections.
• Utilization of agile processes in a development program environment.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to design and architectural trade evaluations by generating options, assessing impacts, and preparing technical summaries for review.
• Design and develop mechanical and structural components for the Centaur V upper stage in alignment with vehicle-level and subsystem requirements.
• Support program planning and execution by maintaining assigned-task status, identifying risks, and providing technical inputs.
• Prepare engineering content for major program reviews, including models, drawings, analysis summaries, and verification documentation.
• Support requirement development and participate in fishbone analyses to clarify design intent, inform verification plans, and strengthen root-cause evaluation frameworks.
• Participate in development and qualification test campaigns, including test planning, instrumentation support, data review, and post-test documentation.
• Create and update CAD models, detailed drawings, and GD&T for mechanical hardware throughout the design lifecycle.
• Perform first-order assessments of mechanical designs to support integration with analysis teams and improve engineering workflow efficiency.
• Assist in troubleshooting hardware issues, support non-conformance dispositions, and participate in root-cause investigations.
• Interface with manufacturing, quality, and technicians to support hardware build, integration, and test activities.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary engineering teams to integrate mechanical designs into the broader upper-stage architecture.
• Contribute to continuous improvement in design, documentation, and producibility.

Benefits

• 401(k) match plus an additional employer contribution.
• Discretionary annual incentive bonus for eligible employees.
• Generous paid time off.
• Flexible work environments.
• Most salaried ULA team members work a 9/80 schedule, with every other Friday off.
• Relocation may be available.

What This Job Offers

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