Hiring: Spacecraft Mechanisms Engineer Company: Approach Venture Location: Golden, CO Job Posted Time: 2026-09-15 12:06:44 Employment Type: Full-time / On-site Target Skills & Keywords : Aerospace Engineering, Assembly, AutoCAD, CAD, MATLAB, Python, SolidWorks About the job Experience: •Flight experience with spacecraft mechanisms, deployables, separation systems, docking hardware, capture systems, or release mechanisms Required Skills: •Own spacecraft mechanisms from initial architecture through flight qualification and production •Design launch restraint, hold-down, release, deployment, docking, capture, latching, and mating hardware •Develop preload paths, hard points, mechanical interfaces, and structural load paths into spacecraft primary structure •Design mechanisms for reliable operation across launch, vacuum, thermal, shock, vibration, and on-orbit environments •Develop docking and mating interfaces with appropriate capture envelopes, alignment tolerances, preload, compliance, and structural performance •Select and integrate actuators, release devices, bearings, connectors, springs, latches, coatings, lubricants, and other mechanism hardware •Perform kinematic studies, tolerance stack-ups, force and torque margin analysis, and joint analysis •Conduct structural FEA including modal, quasi-static, random vibration, and mechanism-level load analysis Qualifications: •Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical discipline •4+ years of experience designing aerospace, spacecraft, satellite, or similarly demanding mechanical hardware •Strong mechanical design fundamentals with experience developing mechanisms, structural interfaces, or moving assemblies •Advanced proficiency with 3D CAD and detailed mechanical design •In-depth knowledge of GD&T, tolerance analysis, manufacturing drawings, and ASME Y14.5 principles •Hands-on experience supporting vibration, shock, deployment, environmental, or qualification testing •Solid functional working knowledge of launch loads, structural factors of safety, margin reporting, and spacecraft environmental requirements •Understanding of aerospace materials, fabrication methods, fasteners, surface treatments, and design for manufacturability •Demonstrated capacity to move between analysis, CAD, hardware assembly, test, and troubleshooting without relying on large support organizations •Strong cross-functional communication skills and the ability to make engineering decisions with incomplete information Compensation: •$130,000 - $170,000 / year •Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage Interested candidates, please apply directly through the job posting on company's career page or try via AI auto apply on this platform. Don't miss this opportunity to join a forward-thinking team!