Senior Mechanical Engineer, Space Products

The Company

Astra’s mission is to Improve Life on Earth from Space® by creating a healthier and more connected planet. Today, Astra offers one of the lowest cost-per-launch dedicated orbital launch services of any operational launch provider in the world, and one of the industry’s first flight-proven electric propulsion systems for satellites, Astra Spacecraft Engine™. Astra delivered its first commercial launch to low Earth orbit in 2021, making it the fastest company in history to reach this milestone, just five years after it was founded in 2016. Astra (NASDAQ: ASTR) was the first space launch company to be publicly traded on Nasdaq.

The Team 

The space products engineering team is producing low-cost, reliable, highly efficient, Hall-effect thruster propulsion systems for modern satellites and spacecraft. Our thrusters will be used in Low Earth Orbit, Medium Earth Orbit, Geostationary Orbit, Lunar missions, and beyond. The team includes talented engineers who have designed and launched into orbit over 1,000 satellites over the course of their careers. Comprehensive design, prototype production, qualification, and acceptance tests are conducted within our Alameda and Sunnyvale facilities. 

The Opportunity 

You will work with an interdisciplinary team of mechanical engineers, systems engineers, propulsion engineers, electrical engineers, and analysts to bring designs to life. This position will serve as a Mechanical Design Engineer for the Space Products group. New programs come in frequently. You will be a primary contributor on a team that develops new systems/modules and launches them into orbit.

How You'll Fulfill Your Mission

• Design of modules/assemblies, structures, pneumatics, tanks, tubing, harnessing/wiring layout
• Design of test, assembly, & inspection fixtures
• Generate 3-D models, fully dimensioned drawings, and interface control documents per ASME Y14.5 GD&T standards
• Document & update testing procedures, test & analysis results, inspection reports, FMEAs, requirement documents, work instructions, etc.
• Build & render system layouts using NX for customer evaluation and proposals
• Ensure best practices in our Product Data Management system including design documentation, process documentation, inspection, and quality control
• Support unit-level and module-level qualification builds and test campaigns
• Deliver efficient designs capable of high-volume production throughput
• Set, implement, and maintain schedules and budgets to ensure project completion

Why We Value You

• You have a Bachelor’s degree in in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related technical discipline
• You have 5+ years of professional experience in mechanical design and analysis
• You have 5+ years of design experience using CAD & PLM tools (Siemens NX / Teamcenter preferred)
• You have 5+ years of hands-on fabrication, assembly, and/or testing experience
• You have a strong understanding of various manufacturing processes
• You have strong mechanical engineering fundamentals
• You can critically analyze problems and are excited by new design challenges
• You have demonstrated ability of working with structural and thermal analysts symbiotically to create efficient designs that satisfy broad requirements
• You are self-motivated and have excellent written and verbal communication skills

Desired Multipliers

• Advanced degree (Master’s or PhD) in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related technical discipline
• You have 8+ years of professional experience in mechanical design
• Experience developing hardware that has been to space, and which successfully operated as intended
• Experience with electronics packaging
• Experience with high-pressure pneumatics/fluid management systems and designs including latch valves, piezo valves, and regulators
• Experience designing high-temperature components
• Experience with Finite Element Analysis (NASTRAN preferred)