Mechanical Manager

Katalyst Space Technologies•Broomfield, CO

About The Position

Katalyst builds robotic spacecraft for dynamic space operations, aiming to make maneuvering, upgrading, refueling, and exploration routine in space. The company focuses on developing foundational capabilities for sustained, responsive operations to enable a new era of space activity. Working at Katalyst is described as intense, hands-on, and rewarding, with opportunities for real ownership and impact in an environment with hard problems and driven teammates. The culture values humility, craftsmanship, and doing things the right way.

Requirements

8+ years of mechanical engineering experience in aerospace or complex hardware development.
3–5+ years leading engineering teams.
Extensive spacecraft or aerospace structural/mechanical design experience.
Strong CAD and GD&T expertise.
Deep understanding of manufacturing and assembly processes.
Experience leading qualification and environmental testing.
Strong mechanical fundamentals and systems engineering intuition.
Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary engineering efforts.
Experience making high-consequence engineering decisions and tradeoffs.

Nice To Haves

Flight hardware ownership from concept through launch.
Startup or rapid-development environment.
Experience managing multiple simultaneous programs.
Experience hiring and developing engineering talent.
Familiarity with propulsion systems, thermal systems, avionics integration, optics, or deployable structures.
Familiarity with robotics designed for a space environment.
Experience establishing engineering processes and design standards.
Experience designing and implementing space mechanisms.
Experience designing for launch environments and qualification.

Responsibilities

Lead and grow the Mechanical Engineering organization spanning robotics, bus design, arrays and other space mechanisms.
Own execution across multiple spacecraft mechanical development efforts.
Establish engineering standards and best practices.
Mentor engineers across all experience levels.
Drive architecture and major technical decisions.
Balance schedule, cost, manufacturability, and technical risk.
Coordinate closely with Systems, Electrical, Software, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Test.
Lead design reviews and technical risk assessments.
Build a culture of ownership, craftsmanship, and continuous improvement.
Support integration, qualification, environmental testing, and flight readiness.
Remove roadblocks for engineering teams while maintaining accountability.