Mechanical Engineer

Responsibilities

• Own rotary actuator designs from concept through detailed design, analysis, build, test, and flight, including solar array drive assemblies (SADAs), deployment hinges, dampers, latches, and gimbals
• Select and integrate motors, gearheads, bearings, slip rings, and position sensors; size drivetrains for required torque, speed, lifetime, and backlash
• Perform mechanism analysis including torque margin, friction budgets, stiffness, backlash, jitter, and life using hand calculations and FEA
• Specify lubrication, materials, and surface treatments suited for vacuum, thermal cycling, and radiation
• Design and execute mechanism qualification and acceptance testing, such as functional, life, vibration, shock, and thermal-vacuum testing
• Partner with electrical, controls, and avionics teams on motor drive electronics and closed-loop control
• Work with manufacturing to design for assembly, alignment, and rate production of precision hardware

Requirements

• Bachelor's or advanced degree in mechanical, aerospace, or a related engineering discipline
• 1+ years of mechanism, actuator, or precision mechanical design experience (internship and academic experience applicable)
• Proficiency with 3D CAD and the ability to produce detailed engineering drawings with GD&T
• U.S. person status required for export regulations (U.S. citizen, permanent resident, refugee, or asylee)

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in an engineering discipline
• Hands-on experience designing rotary mechanisms for flight or high-reliability applications
• Proficiency selecting and integrating brushless DC motors, harmonic drives, planetary gearheads, and precision bearings
• Familiarity with space-rated tribology and life testing under vacuum and thermal cycling
• Experience with slip rings, twist capsules, or other rotary power/signal transfer devices
• Working knowledge of motor drive electronics, encoders/resolvers, and closed-loop control
• Experience executing mechanism qualification campaigns and correlating results to analysis

Benefits

• Competitive salary plus equity package
• PTO
• Health, dental, and vision coverage

About the Company

Starpath develops and manufactures the technologies that will enable humans to live on the Moon and Mars. We are building robotic systems that locally produce essential commodities like water, power, and oxygen to support a self-sustaining civilization.