Senior Mechanical Engineer

Wanna join the adventure?
Are you passionate about the structural analysis and supporting hardware design for a spacecraft? If so, this is the perfect role for you! Loft flies multiple satellites per year and is looking for a lead mechanical and MGSE engineer to ensure these satellites are able to be installed safely and are well characterized! You should have a strong understanding of mechanical engineering principles, as well as experience in the space industry.
About the Role:

• Design or refine custom Mechanical Ground Support Equipment (MGSE), including test fixtures, handling tools, and transportation containers.
• Define and document requirements, specifications, and interfaces.
• Create detailed engineering drawings and 3D models using CAD software.
• Conduct inspections and reviews of engineering documents and hardware.
• Correlate FEA results to test data.
• Ensure compliance with quality standards and industry best practices.
• Collaborate and communicate effectively with team members and external stakeholders.
• Contribute to design reviews, technical meetings, and project status updates.

Must Haves:

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or Aerospace Engineering.
• 5+ years of experience in aerospace design.
• 5+ years structural analysis in the space industry.
• Understanding of GD&T and tolerance stack.
• Understanding of force limiting techniques.
• Pragmatic vibration testing experience (both pre test inputs, test oversight and data reduction).
• FEA experience at Spacecraft level. Expert level knowledge of at least one solver and pre/post processor package and cursory knowledge of others (Femap, Patran, Nastran, ANSYS, etc).
• Can concisely document analysis and test findings in report format.Proficiency in CAD software (e.g., SolidWorks, Creo).
• Ability to adapt to changing requirements and work in a fast-paced environment.Knowledge of assembly processes.
• Experience with quality control and assurance processes.
• Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Nice to Haves:

• Ability to perform Craig Bampton (CB) model reduction for launch authorities.
• Experience with thermal/structural combined analysis modeling.
• Practical experience in assembly and integration of satellite hardware.
• Experience working in a customer facing role.
• Proven experience in optical payloads integration.

*Research shows that while men apply to jobs where they meet an average of 60% of the criteria, women and other marginalized people tend to only apply when they meet 100% of the qualifications. At Loft, we value respectful debate and people who aren’t afraid to challenge assumptions.  We strongly encourage you to apply, even if you don’t check all the boxes.
Who We Are
Loft Orbital builds “shareable” satellites, providing a fast & simple path to orbit for organizations that require access to space. Powered by our hardware & software products, we operate satellites, fly customer payloads onboard, and handle entire missions from end to end - significantly reducing the lead-time and risk of a traditional space mission.
Our standard interface enables us to fly multiple customer payloads on the same satellite, with capabilities such as earth imagery, weather & climate /science data collection, IoT connectivity, in-orbit demonstrations, and national security missions. Our customers trust us to manage their space infrastructure, so they can focus on what matters most to them: operating their mission and collecting their data.
At Loft, you’ll be given the autonomy and ownership to solve significant challenges, but with a close-knit and supportive team at your back. We believe that diversity and community are the foundation of an open culture. We are committed to hiring the best people regardless of background and make their time at Loft the most fulfilling period of their career.
We value kind, supportive and team-oriented collaborators. It is also crucial for us that you are a problem solver and a great communicator. As our team is international, you will need strong English skills to better collaborate, easily communicate complex ideas and convey important messages.
With 4 satellites on-orbit and a wave of exciting missions launching soon, we are scaling up quickly across our offices in San Francisco, CA | Golden, CO | and Toulouse, France.
As an international company your resume will be reviewed by people across our offices so please attach a copy in English.