Senior Staff Mechanical Engineer
This posting asks for U.S. citizenship.
About the role
**Please Note: ** To conform with the United States Government Space Technology Export Regulations, the applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., conditional resident, asylee or refugee (protected individuals as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.
At CesiumAstro , we are developers and pioneers of out-of-the-box communication systems for satellites, UAVs, launch vehicles, and other space and airborne platforms. We take pride in our dynamic and cross-functional work environment, which allows us to learn, develop, and engage across our organization. If you are looking for hands-on, interactive, and autonomous work, CesiumAstro is the place for you. We are actively seeking passionate, collaborative, energetic, and forward-thinking individuals to join our team.
We are looking to add a Senior Staff Mechanical Engineer to our team. If you are great at what you do, enjoy working in a startup environment, and are passionate about developing space hardware for leading-edge communications satellites, we would like to hear from you.
In this position, you will be responsible for leading a team of engineers responsible for mechanical aspects of CesiumAstro spacecraft, subsystems, and interfaces through all phases of the development process. The ideal candidate will be versatile and proficient in mechanical design, electronics packaging, computer-aided design (CAD), mechanical interfaces, thermal architecture, deployable and actuated structures, and environmental qualification of spacecraft. You will use these skills to effectively direct, mentor, and grow a team of upcoming engineers in the design of a novel satellite.
As a CesiumAstro spacecraft team lead and responsible mechanical authority, you will manage a small team to develop satellites and put them in orbit. You will be responsible for delivering robust mechanical designs from concept through space flight including requirements definition, architecture trades and block diagrams, analysis, manufacturing, assembly, testing, qualification, and in-orbit support. In this role you will also collaborate closely with GNC, EPS, CDH, Payload, RF, Systems, and AI&T teams.
The successful candidate will also present engineering design review materials to our customers and executive team, as well as participate in proposal-writing efforts. As such, excellent written and verbal communication skills are required.
JOB REQUIREMENTS AND MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- BS or MS in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical field.
- 12+ years of relevant experience.
- Demonstrated technical leadership of spacecraft mechanical development, including ownership of major design decisions and successful execution through one or more full development cycles.
- Experience leading and mentoring multidisciplinary mechanical teams and coordinating across structures, thermal, mechanisms, electrical, manufacturing, analysis, and AI&T.
- Strong understanding of spacecraft mechanical architecture, structural design, mechanical interfaces, and system-level design trades
- Hands-on experience supporting spacecraft integration, environmental testing, and resolution of vehicle-level technical challenges
- Strong knowledge of design for manufacturing, assembly, test, reliability, GD&T, and mechanical drawing practices.
PREFERRED EXPERIENCE
- Experience supporting vibration, shock, and TVAC campaigns
- Experience with spacecraft primary and secondary structures, including metallic and/or composite designs
- Familiarity with common mechanical CAD and analyses tools such as SolidWorks, Ansys, Nastran, or equivalent.
CesiumAstro considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, education/training, and key skills. Full-time employment offers include company stock options and a generous benefits package including health, dental, vision, HSA, FSA, life, disability and retirement plans.
CesiumAstro is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected Veteran Status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
Please note: CesiumAstro does not accept unsolicited resumes from contract agencies or search firms. Any unsolicited resumes submitted to our website or to CesiumAstro team members will be considered property of CesiumAstro, and we will not be obligated to pay any referral fees.
Copied from the listing CesiumAstro published, verified 30 Oct 2026.
The application
Your details and CV, then 8 questions.
- 1.As a result of the work performed by CesiumAstro, all eligible candidates must be a U.S. Person or able to obtain an export license. U.S. Persons include U.S. Citizens, Permanent Residents, conditional residents, asylees, and refugees. AreYes or no
- 2.Do you now or will you in the future require sponsorship for employment visa status? Please select "Yes" if you will require the Company to commence ("sponsor") an immigration or work permit case in order to employ you, either now or at somYes or no
- 3.Do you have a family member that is currently employed with CesiumAstro?Yes or no
- 4.If yes, please specify the individual(s) and the department or location in which they work:Short answer · optional
- 5.Please indicate the highest level of education you have completed.Pick one (7 options)
- 6.Please select which of the following security clearances and/or access you currently hold.Pick any (8 options)
- 7.By submitting your application you hereby certify that the facts set forth in the above employment application are true and complete to the best of your knowledge. I certify that the information on this application is accurate and completePick any: Yes, I have read the Applicant Authorization and Certification and I acknowledge and agree with the terms stated above.
- 8.I have applied for employment with CesiumAstro, Inc. (the “Company”). In consideration of the Company's accepting and evaluating my application for employment, I hereby agree that I will comply with and be legally bound by the following terPick any: I agree with the above obligations related to protection of Proprietary Information.
Taken from the application form CesiumAstro runs, verified 30 Oct 2026.
How to apply to CesiumAstro: the questions its forms ask across its open roles.
About CesiumAstro
Software-defined radios, phased-array payloads and satcom terminals for space and defense.
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