Principal Mechanical Engineer

Responsibilities

• Lead the mechanical design of the entire vehicle structure, including primary structure, interfaces to the deployable heatshield, secondary structures, and payload bay
• Perform and sign off on detailed hand calculations and Finite Element Analysis (ANSYS/FEMAP/NASTRAN)
• Create and approve high-quality manufacturing drawings with appropriate geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (ASME Y14.5)
• Lead the assembly of designs and own the structural test campaign (static load, random vibration, shock, and deployment testing)
• Work directly with machine shops, composite vendors, and external partners to resolve fabrication conflicts
• Mentor junior engineers in design best practices, analysis methods, and First Principles thinking

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Mechanical, Aerospace, or Structural Engineering
• 10+ years of experience in the design and analysis of complex aerospace structures and mechanisms
• Proven track record working on space vehicles or rockets
• Experience taking a primary structure from concept through PDR/CDR to flight
• Expert-level skill in Siemens NX, SolidWorks, or similar parametric modeling software
• Experience in structural analysis (FEA) and classical hand calculations
• Working knowledge of aerospace materials (aluminum, titanium, Inconel, composites)
• Experience in designing for manufacturing, CNC machining, sheet metal, welding, and composite layup

Preferred Qualifications

• Active U.S. Government Security Clearance
• Experience with deployable space structures and mechanisms (booms, solar arrays, antennas, or aerobrakes)
• Experience designing for high-heat environments or integrating with Thermal Protection Systems (TPS)
• Proficiency in scripting (Python/MATLAB) for design automation or data post-processing
• Deep knowledge of aerospace standards (NASA-STD-5000 series, SMC-S-016)

Benefits

• Competitive compensation: $225,000– $245,000
• Annual performance-based bonuses
• Meaningful equity in Outpost
• Comprehensive healthcare (Medical, dental, and vision)
• Short- and long-term disability and life insurance
• Paid time off and 9 days of paid holidays
• 401(k) with company match
• Daily DoorDash lunch stipend and unlimited snacks
• Pet-friendly office

About the Company

Outpost is building the missing infrastructure between orbit and Earth: reusable vehicles that can bring payloads back from space and deliver them to a precise location within hours.