Senior Staff Structural Analyst - Spacecraft Engineering
- US citizenship
- ITAR / US person
How this pay compares
This posting states $193k–$277k a year. Open mechanical engineer jobs in California post a median of $158k a year, the middle half $130k–$180k, across 266 jobs that state their pay, so this one is above the middle half of what they post.
Mechanical engineers in California: pay by town and employer
About the job
## About IonQ: IonQ, Inc . [NYSE: IONQ] is the world’s leading quantum platform and merchant supplier - delivering integrated quantum solutions across computing, networking, sensing, and security.
IonQ’s newest generation of quantum computers, the IonQ Tempo, is the latest in a line of cutting-edge systems that have been helping customers and partners including Amazon Web Services, and AstraZeneca achieve 20x performance results and accelerate innovation in drug discovery, materials science, financial modeling, logistics, cybersecurity, and defense.
In 2025, the company achieved 99.99% two-qubit gate fidelity, setting a world record in quantum computing performance . Headquartered in College Park, Maryland, IonQ has operations in California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Washington, Italy, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
Our quantum computing services are available through all major cloud providers, while we also meet the needs of networking and sensing customers across land, sea, air, and space. IonQ is making quantum platforms more accessible and impactful than ever before. ## About Capella Capella, an IonQ company, spans national security, advanced sensing, and next-generation compute to deliver secure, mission-ready intelligence.
Capella’s culture is built on collaboration, rigorous engineering, and a shared commitment to delivering solutions that strengthen global stability and security. Team members work side-by-side with some of the most innovative minds in space systems, quantum-enabled technologies, and mission-critical operations.
Capella values curiosity, resilience, and a willingness to tackle hard problems with precision and creativity. Capella welcomes and encourages applicants whose perspectives are historically underrepresented in technology, national security, and aerospace. No prior space experience is required. Diverse viewpoints strengthen Capella’s ability to innovate and deliver meaningful impact for partners worldwide.
Location: This role will be based onsite at our San Francisco, CA office. Travel: Up to 10%, domestic or international. Job ID: 1784 ## The Role Capella, an IonQ company, is seeking an experienced Structural Analyst to advance our structural analysis capabilities supporting the design, development, and qualification of spacecraft and flight hardware.
In this role, you will lead complex finite element analysis (FEA) and structural dynamics efforts, developing high-fidelity models to evaluate spacecraft performance under launch, vibration, shock, and operational environments.
You'll help refine our analysis tools, establish standardized methodologies, and work closely with design, manufacturing, systems, and test teams to support engineering decisions and mission success.
We welcome candidates with experience in spacecraft, launch vehicles, propulsion systems, missile systems, and related aerospace applications. ## Responsibilities - Lead structural analyses for spacecraft, payloads, and associated flight hardware. - Develop, maintain, and correlate high-fidelity finite element models for static, dynamic, thermal, and nonlinear analyses. - Perform structural dynamics analyses, including modal, frequency response, random vibration, shock, and acoustic loading. - Generate structural loads, dynamic environments, and margins of safety to support hardware design and qualification. - Develop and validate vehicle-level structural models, including reduced-order models when required for launch vehicle interfaces. - Support structural qualification testing through pre-test predictions, test planning, and post-test correlation. - Partner with design, manufacturing, systems, and test teams to resolve structural issues and guide engineering decisions. - Establish standardized analysis methodologies, prepare technical documentation, and mentor engineers. ## Requirements - Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related discipline. - 5+ years of structural analysis experience supporting aerospace, spacecraft, launch vehicles, propulsion systems, or comparable flight hardware. - Advanced proficiency with NASTRAN and finite element modeling, including model development, analysis, and correlation. - Experience with FEA pre/post-processing tools such as FEMAP, Patran, HyperMesh, or equivalent. - Strong knowledge of structural dynamics, vibration, shock, modal analysis, and aerospace structural design. - Experience evaluating metallic or composite structures under static and dynamic loading conditions. - Strong technical judgment, communication skills, and ability to collaborate across engineering teams. - To conform to U.S.
Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Capella Employees must be a U.S. citizen, lawful U.S. permanent resident (i.e., current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State and/or the U.S.
Department of Commerce, as applicable. Learn more about ITAR here . ## Preferred Qualifications - Direct experience supporting spacecraft or satellite structural analysis. - Experience with Craig-Bampton component mode synthesis, reduced-order modeling, or coupled loads analysis. - Experience with MATLAB, Python, ANSYS, ABAQUS, or similar engineering analysis tools.
The total compensation package includes base salary, bonus, equity, and a range of benefits available on our career site.
If this role has a commission structure, the compensation range below just reflects the base compensation range. ## Wage Transparency $192,979 - $276,722 USD Compensation will vary based on individual factors such as education, qualifications, and experience of the final candidate(s), specific office location, and calibration against relevant market data and internal team equity.
Posted base salary figures are subject to change as new market data becomes available. Our benefits include comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans, matching 401(k), unlimited PTO and paid holidays, parental/adoption leave, legal insurance, and a home technology stipend. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided when a candidate receives an offer of employment.
At IonQ, we believe in fair treatment, access, opportunity, and advancement for all while striving to identify and eliminate barriers. We empower employees to thrive by fostering a culture of autonomy, productivity, and respect. We are dedicated to creating an environment where individuals can feel welcomed, respected, supported, and valued. We are committed to equity and justice.
We welcome different voices and viewpoints and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, ancestry, physical and/or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by law.
We are proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. US Technical Jobs. The position you are applying for will require access to technology that is subject to U.S. export control and government contract restrictions. Employment with IonQ is contingent on either verifying “U.S.
Person” (e.g., U.S. citizen, U.S. national, U.S. permanent resident, or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum) status for export controls and government contracts work, obtaining any necessary license, and/or confirming the availability of a license exception under U.S. export controls. Please note that in the absence of confirming you are a U.S.
Person for export control and government contracts work purposes, IonQ may choose not to apply for a license or decline to use a license exception (if available) for you to access export-controlled tech
From Capella Space's job posting, checked 7 Nov 2026. The employer's own page is the final word on requirements and availability.
Selected agencies hiring now
Contract Professionals Inc (CPI)Engineering and technical staffing agency
Aerospace and defense staffing firm in Waterford, Michigan, placing engineers, maintenance technicians, mechanics, welders and CNC machinists.
Places: Propulsion, Mechanical, Avionics, RF & Payloads
NESC Staffing (Nesco Resource)Engineering and technical staffing agency
Engineering and technical staffing firm placing engineers, designers, technicians and manufacturing staff on contract and direct hire.
Places: Mechanical, Avionics, Systems & Test, Technicians
These agencies and apps pay SpaceJobs.Now a referral fee when someone we introduce is placed or signs up. It costs you nothing and never changes your pay. Employers' own jobs below keep their own order.
Sponsored jobs from job networks, which pay SpaceJobs.Now when you click one.
Free tools for this application: check your resume against this job, answer the application's questions or see every free tool.
New mechanical, structures and thermal engineering jobs in space in California, by email
One email a week with the newest ones, straight from the employers' own careers sites, with the pay each posting states. Free, stop anytime.
About Capella Space
Radar satellites that image the ground at night and through cloud, now part of IonQ.
Pay on its listings: 91.7% of its open jobs state an hourly rate
How it pays: Paid as an employee on Capella Space's own payroll (salaried or hourly, as each posting states).
More open jobs at Capella Space
- Staff Technical Program Manager$152,000–$190,000/yr
- Senior Electrical Hardware Technician$84,000–$105,000/yr
- Component Test Engineer$80,000–$105,000/yr
- Senior Spacecraft Hardware Technician$68,000–$102,000/yr
- Senior Harness Engineer$124,000–$186,000/yr
- Senior Technical Program Manager$124,000–$155,000/yr
More mechanical, structures and thermal engineering jobs in space
- Loads & Dynamics Engineer (Starshield)$100,000–$160,000/yr
- Spacecraft Dynamics Engineer$136,000–$220,000/yr
- Senior Spacecraft Mechanical Engineer$150,000–$200,000/yr
- Senior Spacecraft Mechanical Engineer - Composites and Structures$175,000–$215,000/yr
- Vehicle Structures Engineer I (Heat Shield)$90,000–$136,000/yr
- Strength Analyst 3$99,604–$166,007/yr
A mechanical, structures or thermal engineer?
One profile for every employer here. Space companies and their recruiters ask us for people with a specific degree, clearance, specialty or location: add yours once, and when a job fits, we introduce you, only with your yes. Free.
Capella Space openings, sent to you weekly
Each week we send the newest postings from Capella Space's own careers site, along with similar openings at other space employers. It costs nothing and you can stop anytime.