Cowboy Space
Mechanical Engineer | Solar Array Deployable Structures
$100K–$300K
Kent, Washington · On-site · Full-time · Posted Sep 2, 2026
- Experience
- 3+ years; experience designing and analyzing deployable mechanisms and/or precision mechanical hardware in aerospace or other high-performance environments.
- Education
- BS or MS in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field.
- Visa sponsorship
- Applicants 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.
About the job
Owns the end-to-end design, analysis, testing, qualification, and deployment of the spacecraft’s large solar-array deployable structure and mechanism.
What you'll do
- Design deployment mechanisms, including actuation, sequencing, latching, locking, and stowage; assess reliability and deployment margins.
- Analyze structural performance and design, build, and operate ground testbeds and qualification test programs.
- Drive manufacturing and supplier quality, maintain engineering documentation, and resolve integration and test anomalies with cross-functional teams.
What they ask for
- BS or MS in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field.
- 3+ years designing and analyzing deployable mechanisms and/or precision mechanical hardware in aerospace or other high-performance environments.
- Strong mechanism and structural fundamentals, including deployment reliability, stiffness, buckling, strength, and structural dynamics.
- Hands-on mechanism build, deployment testing, and hardware integration and test experience; proficiency with CAD.
Nice to have
- Direct experience with large deployable structures, booms, masts, or solar arrays; experience with composite structures or flexible-blanket arrays.
- Experience with gravity-offload test rigs, spacecraft mechanisms, space environments, or mechanism qualification.
Pay
$100,000 – $300,000 annually (base salary)
Tools
NX, SolidWorks, GN&C, MIL-SPEC, NASA-STD, ECSS
Model-written summary · the original posting is authoritative