Sr Staff/Principal Mechanical Engineer
Array Labs
Other Engineering
Palo Alto, CA, USA
Posted on Wednesday, September 27, 2023
Array Labs is building a distributed radar imaging constellation to power the first accurate, real-time 3D model of the world.
We are looking for a collaborative Mechanical Engineer with a specialization in spacecraft structural analysis and thermal modeling to join our Spacecraft Bus Team. This team oversees the design, analysis, fabrication, and integration of mechanical and electrical subsystems aboard Array Labs satellites, ensuring their robustness and performance. As a Mechanical Engineer, you will play a key role in designing, and fabricating many components of our spacecraft. In addition, you will conduct testing campaigns to validate your designs and prove system flight readiness. You will be responsible for creating accurate stress and thermal models, developing reliable mechanical systems, and driving continuous improvement in the efficacy and reliability of our engineering tools and processes. Creating structural and thermal models for spacecraft requires a deep technical understanding of spacecraft systems and associated simulation techniques. You will be responsible for ensuring the mechanical integrity and thermal performance of our systems.
Responsibilities:
- Utilize expertise in structural and thermal modeling to lead the design and fabrication of spacecraft mechanical systems
- Create finite element analysis (FEA) and thermal simulations to evaluate spacecraft components and systems
- Collaborate with Array Labs' Formation Flight Team to optimize system performance and reliability
- Design, build, and test prototypes of spacecraft hardware with a focus on rapid iteration
- Troubleshoot and resolve stress and thermal-related issues in a timely and effective manner.
Basic Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field
- 11+ years of experience in structural or thermal modeling (industry internships and project teams qualify)
- Previous experience in finite element analysis (FEA) and thermal simulations
- Excellent teamwork and communication skills
- Learns new concepts rapidly, completely, and in a self-directed manner
- High levels of self-motivation and personal accountability
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment under significant time constraints
- Experience using 3D CAD software like NX, SolidWorks, Fusion 360, or OnShape
Preferred Skills and Experience:
- Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field
- Experience designing spacecraft subsystems
- Experience in using advanced stress and thermal modeling software (e.g., MSC NASTRAN, FEMAP)
- Experience working with interdisciplinary teams to solve complex problems in reliability and failure analysis
- Familiarity with composite materials, spacecraft structures, and surface treatments for mechanical components
- Familiarity with meeting aggressive spacecraft sensor and payload pointing requirements while reducing mass to the absolute minimum amount possible
ITAR Requirements:
- To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.
Equal Opportunity Employer
- Array Labs is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made on the basis of merit, competence, and job qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by gender, color, race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, age, gender identity, veteran status, disability status, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.
Interview Process
We will conduct three interviews via Zoom; the typical process takes around 2-4 weeks to complete from start to finish.
Hiring and Compensation Strategy
Our hiring and compensation strategy is simple:
1) find uncommonly good people
2) pay them uncommonly well
You can anticipate competitive pay, with high flexibility between salary and equity-based compensation.
Why you should join Array Labs
Array Labs is launching a constellation of satellites to create the first high-resolution, real-time, three-dimensional model of Earth. Our next-generation satellite technology will offer image quality 60x greater than traditional techniques, profoundly expanding humanity’s ability to understand and respond to events on a global scale.
In forging an affordable, accessible, accurate representation of Earth, our work has the potential to transform the face of dozens of fields, including autonomy, telecommunications, disaster relief, gaming, climate science, defense and construction.