Outpost · 14 hours ago
Senior Mechanical Engineer (Structures)
Los Angeles, CA
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level, Lead/Staff
$160K/yr - $210K/yr
10+ years expOutpost is pioneering Earth return logistics for space, building vehicles that can return payloads from orbit. The Sr. Mechanical Engineer (Structures) will serve as the technical authority for the primary structures and deployment mechanisms, leading the mechanical design and ensuring the structural integrity of the vehicle throughout its mission.
Advanced MaterialsAerospaceLogisticsManufacturing
No H1B
Security Clearance Required
Responsibilities
Structural Architect: Lead the mechanical design of the entire vehicle structure, including the deployable aerobrake ribs, pressure vessels, nose cone assembly, and payload interfaces
High-Fidelity Analysis: Perform and sign off on detailed hand calculations and Finite Element Analysis (ANSYS/FEMAP/NASTRAN). You will be the final check on stiffness, buckling, and thermal expansion compatibility before metal is cut
Mechanism Design: Architect complex, high-reliability deployment mechanisms that must actuate after months in orbit, including hinges, latches, and release devices
Drawing & GD&T: Create and approve high-quality manufacturing drawings with appropriate geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (ASME Y14.5) to ensure parts fit the first time
Build & Test Leadership: "Get your hands dirty" leading the assembly of your designs. Own the structural test campaign (static load, random vibration, shock, and deployment testing) to qualify hardware for flight
Vendor & Partner Management: Work directly with machine shops, composite vendors, and external partners to resolve fabrication conflicts and ensure on-time delivery of precision parts
Mentorship: Elevate the team's standard of engineering rigor. Mentor junior engineers in design best practices, analysis methods, and First Principles thinking
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree or higher in Mechanical, Aerospace, or Structural Engineering
10+ years of experience (15+ preferred) in the design and analysis of complex aerospace structures and mechanisms
Full-Vehicle Heritage: Proven track record working on full space vehicles or rockets (not just subsystems). You should have experience taking a primary structure from concept through PDR/CDR to flight
CAD Proficiency: Expert-level skill in Siemens NX, SolidWorks, or similar parametric modeling software
Analysis Expertise: Deep background in structural analysis (FEA) and classical hand calculations. You must trust your hand calcs before you trust the solver
Materials Knowledge: Extensive understanding of aerospace materials (aluminum, titanium, Inconel, composites) and their behavior in extreme thermal environments
Manufacturing Fluency: You understand the limits of manufacturing, CNC machining, sheet metal, welding, and composite layup, and you design for them
Preferred
Active U.S. Government Security Clearance (Secret or Top Secret)
Master's degree in a relevant engineering discipline
Experience with deployable space structures (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) for structural margins and testing
Benefits
Incentive Stock Options
Annual Performance-Based Bonus
Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
Short- and Long-Term Disability Insurance
Life Insurance
PTO
401k with Company match
Subsidized daily catered lunch, snacks and coffee
Company
Outpost
Outpost is a logistics company that uses a platform that launches on commercial rockets and glides back from orbit to deliver tons of cargo.
11-50 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Early StageTotal Funding
$32.5MKey Investors
Moonshots Capital
2024-12-01Grant· $18.5M
2024-09-15Seed· $6.9M
2022-08-30Seed· $7.1M
Leadership Team
Amir Blachman
President
Jason Dunn
Founder
Recent News
2025-11-25
2025-11-01
2025-09-17
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