Staff Mechanical Engineer, Structural
About The Position
Viasat is seeking a highly motivated Staff Structural Analysis Engineer to join our growing space infrastructure team. In this role, you will perform structural analysis and verification to ensure hardware survives launch, deployment, and operational environments with adequate margin. You will serve as a key technical contributor across the full product lifecycle, driving innovative analysis solutions for challenging spaceflight applications while collaborating with multidisciplinary teams across engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, quality, and program management. The ideal candidate combines deep technical expertise in spacecraft structural analysis with the ability to independently solve complex problems, influence technical direction, and mentor developing engineers.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related engineering discipline.
- 10+ years of mechanical engineering experience, including significant experience developing and analyzing spaceflight hardware.
- Demonstrated experience leading structural analysis and subsystem development for spacecraft, satellites, launch vehicles, or other aerospace systems.
- Strong understanding of structural, dynamic, shock, and environmental requirements for space applications.
- Experience with engineering analysis tools including ANSYS, Nastran, Simcenter, or equivalent.
- Experience designing or interacting with flight hardware using CAD tools such as Creo, SolidWorks, NX, or equivalent.
- Experience with environmental qualification and acceptance testing, including vibration, shock, thermal vacuum, and thermal cycling.
- Ability to independently solve complex technical problems with limited direction.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including presentation of technical analysis data to management and customers.
- Experience working within cross-functional product development teams.
- U.S. Citizenship required.
Nice To Haves
- Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field.
- Experience with small satellite, broadband constellation, or spacecraft bus development programs.
- Experience analyzing composite structures, lightweight designs, and deployable mechanisms.
- Knowledge of launch vehicle structural interfaces and spacecraft integration processes.
- Familiarity with DFM/DFA principles and production scaling of aerospace hardware.
- Experience with Teamcenter, Windchill, or other PLM systems.
- Knowledge of spaceflight standards, workmanship requirements, and structural environmental qualification methodologies.
- Experience performing root cause investigations and driving corrective actions.
- Previous experience mentoring engineers and providing technical leadership across teams.
Responsibilities
- Perform structural analysis and verification to ensure hardware survives launch, deployment, and operational environments with adequate margin.
- Lead structural analysis efforts for satellite structures, mechanisms, electronics packaging, and deployable systems.
- Perform and direct structural, vibration, dynamic, shock, and environmental analyses to validate flight hardware designs.
- Independently define problems, evaluate trade studies, and develop engineering solutions that balance performance, schedule, cost, and risk.
- Own structural verification from concept development through qualification, production, integration, and on-orbit support.
- Develop engineering requirements, specifications, procedures, and qualification plans related to structural performance.
- Lead hardware structural testing, environmental testing, and anomaly resolution activities.
- Drive Design Reviews (PDR, CDR, TRR, FRR) and provide technical recommendations to program leadership.
- Collaborate closely with systems, thermal, electrical, mechanical, manufacturing, reliability, and supply chain teams to ensure successful product execution.
- Evaluate new technologies, materials, and manufacturing processes to improve structural performance and scalability.
- Provide technical mentorship and guidance to junior engineers and designers.
- Serve as a recognized subject matter expert in spacecraft structural analysis.
Benefits
- range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
