Project Kuiper is an initiative to launch a constellation of Low Earth Orbit satellites that will provide low-latency, high-speed broadband connectivity to unserved and underserved communities around the world.

The Kuiper Government Solutions Engineering team is a multi-disciplinary technology team involved in developing and delivering targeted and scalable solutions for custom satellite and ground applications. The KGS Engineering team works closely with the core Kuiper team, and addresses the needs of specific customers (such as government agencies). The Mechanical Engineer will play a pivotal role in the team delivering innovative and fast-paced analysis and design at both the satellite system and sub-system level.

The Mechanical Engineer will have an outstanding background in space vehicle design and analysis and electro-mechanical systems integration. The ideal candidate has experience making major optimization trades for satellite bus architectures including integration with payload subsystems. This is a hands-on role for a highly collaborative individual that combines superb technical and analytical capabilities to convert analytic trade studies to a qualified physical vehicle, while meeting cross discipline requirements. The candidate will have a sharp focus on the specific needs of the customer and be able to conduct thermal and structural analyses to show that proposed solutions will meet the customer’s goals.

The successful candidate will have demonstrated experience working on complex programs with a diverse set of talented individuals, as well as with partner organizations (including government agencies). The candidate will exhibit the potential to lead small sub-teams of mechanical engineers, and be able to prepare easy-to-read and technically compelling written reports.



Key job responsibilities
- Interact directly with customers to understand technical requirements, and translate them into technically robust solutions backed by data and analysis
- Create electronic packaging concepts and designs for custom designed PCBAs
- Conduct or oversee static, dynamic and modal structural analysis via finite element methods as needed to support design work and to demonstrate that technical solutions will meet the needs of the customer’s mission and application
- Perform mechanical design and layout trade studies for payloads and satellite primary structure contributing to overall system architecture including inputs and requirements from cross discipline teams - Electrical, RF, Thermal, Dynamics, Mechanisms, Materials, Manufacturing, Assembly, and Test
- Facilitate cost trades on multiple parallel configurations for cost/manufacturability vs design uncertainty
- Generate detailed designs via CAD systems and engineering drawings with appropriate geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T)
- Deliver well-written documentation, reports, and presentations for technical design reviews and as part of proposal efforts
- Design and support test campaigns, both development and qualification/acceptance, for space hardware.

The role is located in Northridge, CA, and includes US relocation benefits.

Security Clearance: Candidates must be able to obtain and maintain a US Government security clearance of TS/SCI, so you must be a U.S. citizen for consideration

About the team
Kuiper Government Solutions Engineering is a multi-disciplinary technology team established to rapidly address the needs of targeted customers with specific solutions that have the potential to scale.