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Staff Mechanical Design Engineer

San Jose, CA, United States

OUR COMPANY

As an early mover in the in-space transportation and infrastructure services, Momentus is at the forefront of the commercialization of space. With an experienced team of aerospace, propulsion, and robotics engineers, Momentus has developed a cost-effective and energy-efficient in-space transport system. 

OUR PEOPLE

Daring problems require daring solutions.  We boldly charge into uncharted territory knowing that no matter the outcome we will benefit from the journey and move closer to our goals no matter what. Our teams know that working at Momentus means more than building innovative technology, it means creating entirely new markets in the space economy. We are level-headed, business-minded strategic thinkers intent on providing immediate value to our customers today while simultaneously preparing for the vast possibilities of the future. If this sounds like you, we should talk.

JOB SUMMARY

As the Staff Mechanical Design Engineer, you will serve as the mechanical technical authority for our spacecraft, leading hardware development from early concept through production deployment. This role will collaborate cross-functionally with Electrical, Systems, Manufacturing, and Supply Chain teams to deliver integrated hardware solutions. The ideal candidate should be accustomed to working in a fast-paced environment and quickly adapting to new challenges. 

Key Responsibilities 

  • Own subsystem-level mechanical solutions, ensuring performance in demanding thermal and high-vibration environments 
  • Represent the mechanical discipline in internal and external design reviews and customer engagements 
  • Support hardware integration, verification, and production readiness activities within secure program environments 
  • Work with structural analysts to ensure structural integrity of the spacecraft and all components during all phases of launch 
  • Work with thermal analysts to ensure all components are maintained within acceptable temperature limits 
  • Conduct mechanical testing of systems and components including vibration testing, static load testing, and shock testing 
  • May be asked to support TVAC testing on an as-needed basis 

Required Skills and Experience 

  • Demonstrated experience with detailed mechanical design, including technical subcontractor and vendor collaboration
  • Proficiency in CAD software (e.g., SolidWorks) 
  • Strong understanding of structural analysis techniques, including finite element analysis (FEA) and hand calculations 
  • Strong understanding of drafting standards such as GD&T 
  • Experience defining requirements for mechanical systems and components. 
  • Familiarity with the space environment and how it affects mechanical hardware 
  • Familiarity with material selection and material coatings for space applications 
  • General understanding of spacecraft structural loads (quasi-static loads, random vibration, shock, thermo-mechanical) 
  • Ability to work independently 
  • Excellent technical communications skills 
  • Good written and verbal communications skills 

Desired Skills and Experience: 

  • Experience designing, manufacturing, and testing space hardware with demonstrated on-orbit success 
  • Experience running structural vibration testing 
  • Experience running TVAC tests 
  • Structural and/or thermal analysis experience 
  • Previous experience working on DoD and other USG development and deployment programs 
  • Ability to hold and maintain a USG Security Clearance 

Education & Work Experience: 

  • BS degree in Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related discipline 
  • 12-15+ year relevant experience 

Compensation: 

Annual Base Salary Range: $190,000 - $215,000/per year 

Base pay is one part of our total compensation package (base+bonus+equity) and is determined within a range. Your actual base salary will be determined on job-related knowledge and skills, education, experience, and location.  Our benefit plans include medical, dental, and vision insurance, 401k retirement plan, short and long term disability and life insurance. We also offer flexible PTO, along with 11 paid holidays, sick time and paid parental leave.

This is a full-time position in San Jose, California. This position requires access to export-controlled commodities, technical data, technology, software, and services. U.S. citizenship, U.S. legal permanent resident status, or protected person status under 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a)(3) is required. 

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

To all recruitment agencies: Momentus does not accept agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to our employees or any company email. Momentus will not be responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.  

 

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Citizenship Status: To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, you must be 1) a U.S. citizen, 2) a permanent resident of the U.S. (hold a "greencard"), 3) a protected person per 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or 4) eligible to obtain the required export authorizations. Additionally, this position may require access to U.S. only data systems or may require a U.S. government security clearance. U.S. Citizenship is required for most positions

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For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Momentus Space LLC’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

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If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

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