Spacecraft Ground Support Equipment and Tooling Engineer

Astranis•San Francisco, CA

2d•$110,000 - $145,000•Onsite

About The Position

As a GSE design engineer at Astranis, you'll be responsible for designing, fabricating, and maintaining various ground support equipment, fixtures, and tooling for spacecraft assembly, test, lifting, and handling. You will not only manage the design and fabrication, but also act as a key stakeholder in defining and enabling the mechanical integration flow of our vehicles through our factory. You will play a vital role in scaling our production rate safely and efficiently.

Requirements

Bachelor's of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering or related technical discipline
2+ years professional experience in mechanical design, analysis and fabrication of hardware
Hands-on experience with handling, lifting, or integration of large, complex assemblies
Proficiency in 3D CAD and experienced in creating detailed drawing packages per ASME Y14.5
A passion for hardware development, thriving in a fast-pace environment and hands-on design and development
Strong cross-functional communication and organizational skills, with a meticulous attention to detail
Ability to handle multiple tasks and shifting high-level priorities

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with industry safety and structural design standards such as AISC-360, ACI-318, the Aluminum Design Manual (ADM), AWS-D1.1 & D1.2, NASA-STD-5005, ASME B30 (Rigging/Lifting), or OSHA regulations
Experience using FEA software (e.g. Ansys, Nastran, Femap) for static and dynamic structural loading
Experience with automation, pneumatics, hydraulics or basic controls
Strong sense of accountability, integrity, and team focus with extensive multitasking and organizational experience
Creative, passionate problem solver that thrives in fast-paced, autonomously-drive, and demanding design and integration campaigns
Experience designing ground support equipment for aerospace applications or applications of similar scale

Responsibilities

Own the cradle-to-grave design, analysis, fabrication and commissioning of mechanical fixtures and tooling required for spacecraft assembly, integration, testing, lifting and handling.
Manage the configuration, documentation and lifecycle of all ground support equipment using PLM/PDM systems.
Define, trade, and develop concepts for tooling interfaces and operating procedures.
Collaborate with design engineering and production to define fixture and tooling specifications, qualification plans, and introduce to production.
Collaborate with external vendors and contractors during the design, fabrication, testing and commissioning phases of large-scale tooling.
Perform mechanical analysis via hand calculations and FEA to ensure tooling meets stability, structural and safety requirements.
Produce quick-turn or prototype tooling to unblock late-breaking production roadblocks.
Develop operation, proof-testing, and preventative maintenance plans for all test fixtures and tooling.