Spacecraft Mechanical Ground Support Equipment Engineer
Astranis
$110,000 - $145,000 / year
Need a reasonable accommodation to apply or interview? Contact us.
JobMinglr uses automated technology to recommend jobs based on profile information and job preferences. Match Score does not determine eligibility for a position, prevent a user from viewing or applying to a job, or make hiring decisions on behalf of an employer.
Description
Astranis builds advanced satellites for high orbits, expanding humanity’s reach into the solar system. Today Astranis satellites provide dedicated, secure networks to highly-sophisticated customers across the globe – large enterprises, sovereign governments, and the US military.
With five satellites on orbit and many more set to launch soon, the company is servicing a backlog of more than $1 billion of commercial contracts. Astranis is the preferred satellite communications partner for buyers with stringent requirements for uptime, data security, network visibility, and customization.
Astranis has raised over $1.2 billion from some of the world’s best investors, including Andreessen Horowitz, Baillie Gifford, Blackrock, Fidelity, Franklin Templeton, and Snowpoint, and employs a team of 500 engineers and entrepreneurs. Astranis designs, builds, and operates its satellites out of its 153,000 sq. ft. headquarters in Northern California, USA.
Tooling Engineer - Ground Support Equipment (GSE)
As a GSE design engineer at Astranis, you'll be responsible for designing, fabricating, and maintaining various ground support equipment, fixtures, and tooling for spacecraft assembly, test, lifting, and handling. You will not only manage the design and fabrication, but also act as a key stakeholder in defining and enabling the mechanical integration flow of our vehicles through our factory. You will play a vital role in scaling our production rate safely and efficiently.
Role
- Own the cradle-to-grave design, analysis, fabrication and commissioning of mechanical fixtures and tooling required for spacecraft assembly, integration, testing, lifting and handling.
- Manage the configuration, documentation and lifecycle of all ground support equipment using PLM/PDM systems.
- Define, trade, and develop concepts for tooling interfaces and operating procedures.
- Collaborate with design engineering and production to define fixture and tooling specifications, qualification plans, and introduce to production.
- Collaborate with external vendors and contractors during the design, fabrication, testing and commissioning phases of large-scale tooling.
- Perform mechanical analysis via hand calculations and FEA to ensure tooling meets stability, structural and safety requirements.
- Produce quick-turn or prototype tooling to unblock late-breaking production roadblocks.
- Develop operation, proof-testing, and preventative maintenance plans for all test fixtures and tooling.
Requirements
- Bachelor's of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering or related technical discipline
- 2+ years professional experience in mechanical design, analysis and fabrication of hardware
- Hands-on experience with handling, lifting, or integration of large, complex assemblies
- Proficiency in 3D CAD and experienced in creating detailed drawing packages per ASME Y14.5
- A passion for hardware development, thriving in a fast-pace environment and hands-on design and development
- Strong cross-functional communication and organizational skills, with a meticulous attention to detail
- Ability to handle multiple tasks and shifting high-level priorities
Bonus
- Familiarity with industry safety and structural design standards such as AISC-360, ACI-318, the Aluminum Design Manual (ADM), AWS-D1.1 & D1.2, NASA-STD-5005, ASME B30 (Rigging/Lifting), or OSHA regulations
- Experience using FEA software (e.g. Ansys, Nastran, Femap) for static and dynamic structural loading
- Experience with automation, pneumatics, hydraulics or basic controls
- Strong sense of accountability, integrity, and team focus with extensive multitasking and organizational experience
- Creative, passionate problem solver that thrives in fast-paced, autonomously-drive, and demanding design and integration campaigns
- Experience designing ground support equipment for aerospace applications or applications of similar scale
Base pay is just one component of Astranis’s total rewards package. Your compensation also includes a significant equity package via incentive stock options, high-quality company-subsidized healthcare, disability and life insurance, 401(k) retirement planning, flexible PTO, and free on-site catered meals.
Astranis SMS Terms of Service
-
Recruiting Updates: By opting in, you agree to receive SMS updates, interview coordination, and recruiting communications from Astranis Space Technologies Corp.
-
Opt-Out: You can cancel this service at any time by replying STOP. We will send one final text confirming your unsubscription.
-
Opt-In Again: To resume receiving messages, reply START or YES.
-
Support & Rates: For assistance, reply HELP or contact us at coordinators@astranis.com. Message and data rates may apply. Message frequency varies; carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages.
-
Privacy: For details on how we protect your data, view our Privacy Policy.
Benefits
- Recruiting Updates: By opting in, you agree to receive SMS updates, interview coordination, and recruiting communications from Astranis Space Technologies Corp.
- Opt-Out: You can cancel this service at any time by replying STOP . We will send one final text confirming your unsubscription.
- Opt-In Again: To resume receiving messages, reply START or YES .
- Support & Rates: For assistance, reply HELP or contact us at coordinators@astranis.com. Message and data rates may apply. Message frequency varies; carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages.
- Privacy: For details on how we protect your data, view our Privacy Policy .
About this role
Astranis is seeking a mechanical engineer to own the full lifecycle of ground support equipment and tooling that enables spacecraft assembly, integration, and testing at scale. You'll design fixtures and handling systems for large, complex satellite components, perform structural analysis to meet safety and stability requirements, collaborate with production and external vendors through fabrication and commissioning, and develop maintenance and operating procedures. This role sits at the intersection of design and manufacturing—you'll be responsible not just for creating tooling, but for defining how it integrates into the factory workflow as production rates increase.
The position requires a mechanical engineering degree and at least two years of hands-on experience designing and fabricating hardware, ideally involving large assemblies. You should be comfortable with 3D CAD, detailed drawings per ASME standards, and mechanical analysis; experience with FEA software, aerospace safety standards, or ground support equipment design is valued but not required. Success here demands strong cross-functional communication, the ability to juggle shifting priorities, and a willingness to produce quick-turn solutions when production hits roadblocks.
Based in San Francisco and full-time in-office, the role offers a base salary of $110,000–$145,000 plus equity, comprehensive benefits, and 401(k) matching. U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent residency is required due to space technology export regulations.
How this employer is doing
solid
- News: Recently Raised Funding
- Hiring Mentioned
- Recently Raised Funding
In the news
Astranis Hires Dentons for Defense Spending Lobbying, Legis1
This role's local market on JobMinglr
Pay for this role
$110,000 to $145,000 per year
That is the employer's posted range, and where you land in it is usually decided in one conversation. Before that conversation, run the numbers: analyze an offer for this role.
The path into this work
We map every route into it support specialist work: what to learn, what each certificate costs, and how long each step takes. See the IT Support Specialist career path.
Before you apply, worth reading
How JobMinglr reads this job
Every listing here is scored against your profile before you apply: skills overlap, experience level, location and work arrangement, each weighted and explained. You see the score and the reasons, not just a list. How the matching works.