Geotechnical Engineer, Lunar Infrastructure

Interlune is a space infrastructure and natural resources company based in Seattle, WA. We are building the industrial backbone of the space economy.

We are looking for a Doer who wants to join our early-stage team and accelerate humanity’s progress toward an off-world future. Our technical team combines expert knowledge of geological sciences, mechanical engineering, automation, systems engineering, modeling and simulation, and advanced fabrication to build the infrastructure that will create an in-space economy. To join our small team, you must be agile, willing to learn, and able to take on multiple roles as needed.

As a Geotechnical Engineer, this role will join Interlune’s engineering team and be responsible for developing the critical lunar surface technology required to build and sustain off-world infrastructure. You will own the geotechnical evaluation of regolith mechanics, soil-tool interactions, and lunar site preparation to ensure our hardware operates flawlessly on the Moon. This position would be full-time at our Interlune Research Lab in Houston, TX. Candidates in Seattle, WA will be considered, but there is strong preference to have this position located in our Houston, TX site.

Applicants from all industries are welcome, with particular emphasis in complex, multi-disciplinary system development. Experience in the aerospace, oil and gas, construction, or mining industry are valuable but not required.

Responsibilities

• Integrate geotechnical insights with mechanical and systems engineering to deliver complete, functional hardware working to bridge the gap between design intent and working product.
• Drive the evaluation and characterization of lunar regolith mechanics to support the design of complex hardware that will interact with the lunar regolith and surface infrastructure.
• Apply geotechnical engineering principles to the development of engineered lunar surfaces, anchoring systems, and surface stabilization techniques for demanding lunar environments (low gravity, hard vacuum, and extreme temperatures).
• Conduct engineering analysis using a combination of hand calculations, computational modeling (e.g., DEM, FEA), and first-principles reasoning to validate soil-structure interactions and slope stability.
• Lead the design and execution of terrestrial testing programs using lunar regolith simulants - including collaborating with planetary scientists on the development of new, high-fidelity simulants - to evaluate excavation forces, compaction behavior, and material flow.
• Lead and participate in design reviews at the component, subsystem, and system level, communicating technical decisions clearly to a multidisciplinary team.

Required Qualifications

• B.S. in Civil Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Geological Engineering, or a related technical subject area.
• 5+ years of experience in geotechnical design, soil mechanics, or terrestrial mining/construction technology.
• Direct experience planning and executing geotechnical laboratory or field testing programs.
• Familiarity with earthmoving, excavation, or foundation design principles and their practical implementation.
• Ability to operate effectively with minimal direction, maintaining a high attention to detail and aspiration for technical excellence, and have a demonstrated track record of resourcefulness and success from previous work.

Desired Qualifications

• M.S. or Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, or a related technical subject area.
• Specific knowledge or prior research in lunar regolith properties, extraterrestrial soil mechanics, or granular physics.
• Proficiency with computational modeling software tailored for granular materials and soil mechanics (e.g., Discrete Element Method/EDEM, Plaxis, FLAC, or similar).
• Experience designing hardware or infrastructure intended to operate in extreme environments or high-vacuum systems.

Export Control Regulations

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicants for employment at Interlune must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (i.e. current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.

Interlune is seeking to hire highly motivated and forward-thinking professionals who are interested in focusing on creating our off-world future. Interlune is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate in hiring on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected Veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

Don’t meet every requirement? If you’re excited about this role but you don’t meet all of the job requirements, we encourage you to apply and explain why the experiences you do have are a suitable substitute. We’d hate to miss out on the perfect candidate for this or other roles.

Compensation range for employees is

Target Levels:

Level 3 Range: $125,000 - $195,000

Level 4 Range: $150,000 - $250,000

We will consider candidates with a wide variety of experience levels for this position. Your actual level and base salary will be decided based on your specific experience and skill level.

Benefits

Benefits include: Medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance, short and long-term disability, and other benefits

Paid Time Off: Flexible PTO policy with paid company holidays.