Mechanical Engineer (Prism)

Northwood Space • Los Angeles, CA

4d • $92,000 - $115,000

About The Position

As a Mechanical Engineer, you will be responsible for operating and improving Northwood’s ground segment network. You will own mechanical designs for hardware deployed around the world, including RF feed structures, electronics packaging, actuators, and support structures. You will investigate fielded systems and develop component and subsystem updates, working closely with RF, electrical, manufacturing, and software engineers, as well as site operators.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field.
• 2–4+ years of professional experience in mechanical design.
• Experience taking mechanical hardware through the full product cycle, from requirements and design through prototype, test, production, and fielded support.
• Hands-on experience investigating hardware failures and driving root cause analysis at the component and system levels.
• Working knowledge of manufacturing processes such as machining, sheet metal, welding, fastening, and adhesives, and the ability to design for manufacturability.

Nice To Haves

• Experience driving root cause and corrective action campaigns using thorough, systemic processes such as fishbone, 5 Whys, 8D, and FMEA.
• Hands-on project team experience, such as Formula SAE, rocketry, or CubeSat.
• Proficiency in Siemens NX for 3D modeling, assembly, and drafting.
• Experience with structural and thermal analysis, including hand calculations and simulation tools such as ANSYS.
• Electronics packaging experience, including enclosures, PCBA mounting, thermal management, sealing and ingress protection, connectors, and cable routing.
• Experience designing hardware for long-term outdoor deployment, including consideration of corrosion, UV exposure, wind and ice loading, water ingress, and fatigue.
• Understanding of environmental and reliability testing, including vibration, thermal cycling, and environmental exposure, and of reliability analysis from field or test data.
• Basic understanding of electrical and RF systems to ensure a holistic approach to system design.

Responsibilities

• Own mechanical systems deployed in Prism systems, spanning PCBA packaging, feed structures, actuators, and support structures.
• Observe the performance and degradation of mechanical systems deployed on Prism systems.
• Drive root cause investigations and corrective actions for in-factory testing and deployed ground stations.
• Provide design and analysis inputs to support reliable design, test, and qualification campaigns for upgraded systems and new products.
• Drive product design improvements from requirements definition through prototyping, manufacturing, and deployment.
• Test prototypes and assess performance in the lab and in the field.
• Work closely with production teams to develop testable and manufacturable products in-house.

What This Job Offers

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