Y Combinator 
a16z Mechanical Engineer - Spacecraft Design
Summary
Designs and models spacecraft components like brackets and manifolds using SolidWorks, maintains CAD assemblies and engineering drawings, and supports production workflows in a fast-paced aerospace environment.
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.
Mechanical Engineer - Spacecraft Design
Role
- Design, evaluate, procure, assemble, and test primary structure, bracketry, and/or mechanisms for Astranis spacecraft. Components include composite and metallic parts and assemblies with a variety of manufacturing techniques.
- Develop requirements for components and systems including loads, interfaces, and functional requirements.
- Perform mechanical and thermal analysis for spacecraft systems
- Integrate parts and systems into the spacecraft by working together with the rest of the team, and document and develop procedures to improve the build process in the future.
- Assist in recruiting, interviewing, and hiring additional teammates to our rapidly-growing team.
Requirements
- Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering or equivalent
- 2-4 years of mechanical design or equivalent experience
- Experience with CAD (SolidWorks preferred) and GD&T
- Demonstrated fundamentals with mechanical and thermal analytic abilities; FEA experience is not required, but preferred
- A passion for hardware development, including working in a fast-paced environment and hands-on design and development
- Don't meet them all? Not a problem. Please apply even if you do not meet all these criteria.
Bonus
- Experience with spaceflight structures and/or mechanisms
- Experience with mechanical and/or thermal FEA
- Experience with composite structures
- Experience in designing in a vacuum environment with large temperature swings
- Experience with vibration environments
- Electromechanical design experience
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.
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Skills
As published by greenhouse · 8 questions · 3 written answers
Basics
First Name, Last Name, Email, Phone, Resume/CV, Location
Short answers (2)
- How did you hear about Astranis?
- LinkedIn Profile optional
Pick from a list (2)
- Astranis complies with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, therefore will you state which of the following applies to you:
- At Astranis, we value in-person collaboration and a strong work ethic. Are you comfortable with working onsite at our San Francisco HQ 5 days a week?
Written answers (3)
- Please tell us in a few sentences about the most impressive thing that you have built or achieved. (If you are describing a team effort or group project, please be specific about your personal contribution.)
- How and when would you determine whether or not to use a HUB sketch within a component or assembly (aka skeleton, layout, or master sketch)? Can you provide a personal example of its use? (5 sentences max)
- What are the benefits or considerations of having unabsorbed sketches in your feature tree? (5 sentences max)
Attachments (1)
- Please submit portfolio, or an example of your past work, in addition to your resume.