Mechanical Designer IV

JPL/NASA•Pasadena, CA

11h•$159,952 - $190,632•Onsite

About The Position

This senior-level temporary position is within JPL’s Mechanical and Control Systems Division and the Mechanical Engineering, Integration, and Test Section. The section leads the design, analysis, development, integration, and testing of flight mechanical and robotic systems for spacecraft, payloads, and ground-based systems. The assignment may last up to 36 months, subject to approvals based on 6- to 12-month assignments; employment may be terminated at any time, with or without notice, and is not under an employment contract. The role performs mechanical design engineering for spacecraft, instruments, robotics, and/or Mechanical Ground Support Equipment (MGSE). It leads the design and technical review of complex mechanical components, subassemblies, and assemblies; develops CAD models, drawings, configurations, and subsystem architectures; and oversees engineering documentation. The position collaborates with engineers, space science experts, analysts, manufacturing engineers, and project staff, and presents design decisions and technical status at subsystem, system, and management reviews.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related technical discipline with at least 9 years of related experience; or a master’s degree with at least 7 years; or a Ph.D. with at least 5 years.
Extensive experience designing, analyzing, developing, integrating, and verifying mechanical components and assemblies for spaceflight or comparably complex environments.
Demonstrated ability to independently lead complex mechanical design efforts, including requirements development, interface definition, subsystem architecture, and formal design reviews.
Experience approving mechanical engineering products such as drawings, models, analyses, interface documents, and change requests.
Strong communication skills and ability to present complex mechanical engineering material to internal and external stakeholders.
Fluency in engineering CAD tools, including required experience with Siemens NX; CATIA or Creo are also listed.
Experience producing engineering drawings using ASME Y14.100-2017.
Knowledge of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) using ASME Y14.5-2018.
Expertise with CAD and PDM tools such as NX, SolidWorks, and Teamcenter, and with tolerance stackups.

Nice To Haves

Extensive experience in mechanical design of spacecraft primary and secondary structures, mechanisms, and instruments.
Extensive experience in mechanical design of MGSE.
Experience producing detail, assembly, interface, and source control drawings.
Demonstrated success defining and approving mechanical requirements, interfaces, verification strategies, and risk mitigation plans at subsystem or system level.
Ability to innovate and solve unprecedented mechanical engineering challenges.
Experience representing mechanical engineering in project, peer, and customer-facing reviews.
Experience with composite structures, aerospace materials, and fabrication processes.
Experience with opto-mechanical hardware design, fabrication, integration, and testing.
Familiarity with JPL, NASA, and Aerospace Corporation policies and procedures.
Experience with aerospace fabrication processes and aerospace material selection.
MGSE design experience with JPL Critical Items (JCI) hardware.
Experience with basic analysis methods to support preliminary hardware sizing.
Experience leading a team of designers.

Responsibilities

Perform mechanical design engineering for spacecraft, instruments, robotic systems, and/or Mechanical Ground Support Equipment (MGSE).
Create complex CAD models, manage critical assemblies, and produce engineering drawings.
Develop and manage mechanical design configurations and trade studies for projects.
Lead conceptualization, design, and tolerancing of complex mechanical components, subassemblies, and assemblies for spacecraft, payloads, mechanisms, opto-mechanical systems, and ground support equipment.
Conduct and approve critical mechanical design and analysis, including structural, thermal, dynamic, kinematic, GD&T, material selection, and producibility evaluations.
Oversee development of engineering documentation, including models, drawings, interface definitions, mechanical requirement sets, and design packages.
Lead subsystem-level mechanical architecture development, ensuring robust interfaces, integration feasibility, and end-to-end mechanical integrity.
Present mechanical engineering products and design decisions at subsystem, system, and management reviews, representing technical status and design justification.
Collaborate with engineers and interface with space science experts, analysts, manufacturing engineers, and project staff.
Work collaboratively with teams and guide or lead mechanical design efforts.