Spacecraft Structures Engineer (Bus Structures and Packaging)

Golden, CO (Denver Metro) | On-Site | Full-Time

About Rendezvous Robotics

Today, everything we send to space is constrained by what fits inside a rocket fairing. That’s a fundamental bottleneck to building more capable spacecraft. Rendezvous Robotics is solving this problem with electromagnetic self-assembling tiles that enable spacecraft that are bigger and more powerful than anything that can be folded to fit into a rocket. We’re a small team based in Golden, Colorado, executing on a clear path from flight demonstration to our first operational systems. Our work spans hardware, software, and systems engineering, and we’re always looking for people who want to build things that matter.

The Role

We are looking for a Mid to Senior Level Spacecraft Structures Engineer to own the design, analysis, and packaging of satellite bus and tile primary structure, including the hardware mounted to it, taking flight structures from concept through qualification, production, and on-orbit operation. You will own structural design, component enclosures and mounting, thermal conduction paths, detailed layout, and the structural and thermal analysis that supports them. You will partner with systems, electrical, avionics, software, manufacturing, test, outside suppliers, and fabricators. This is a full-time, on-site role in Golden, Colorado, in the Denver metro area.

Responsibilities

• Own spacecraft primary and secondary structure from concept through detailed design, qualification, production, and on-orbit operation, including requirements definition, detailed CAD modeling, tolerance stack-ups, and design reviews.
• Design component mounting and local stiffening, including mounting patterns, fastener and insert schemes, and the dynamic response of mounted hardware.
• Design conduction paths and thermal interfaces, including doublers, thermal interface materials, heat pipe integration, and component placement.
• Design solar cell mechanical mounting, including substrate preparation, bonding, CTE compatibility, and coverglass handling.
• Execute detailed structural layout and packaging, balancing structural, thermal, power, and avionics requirements.
• Perform component and assembly level structural analysis, including modal, quasi-static, and random vibration.
• Define harness routing and accommodation.
• Engage suppliers and fabricators, support fabrication processes, and produce and check detailed drawings with geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T).
• Support prototype builds and oversee structural verification and validation, including environmental and vibration testing.
• Support vibroacoustic and detailed thermal analysis, and incorporate the results into the design.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering or a related field; advanced degree is a plus.
• 4+ years of spacecraft or satellite structural and mechanical design experience.
• Demonstrated experience designing spaceflight hardware that has flown.
• Experience owning a flight structure or subsystem from concept through qualification test.
• Experience mounting components to primary structure, including responsibility for the dynamic environment of the mounted hardware.
• Thermal-mechanical design experience, including conduction path design, doublers, heat pipe integration, thermal interface materials, and CTE-driven failure modes.
• Proficiency with structural finite element analysis (FEA) for modal, quasi-static, and random vibration analysis.
• Strong first-principles approach to structural design, analysis, and test, including hand calculations to size hardware and check FEA results.
• Strong command of 3D CAD, detailed drawings, tolerance stack-ups, and GD&T (ASME Y14.5).
• Solid understanding of spaceflight materials, hardware, fabrication techniques, and design for manufacturability.
• Strong ability to communicate across engineering disciplines to make program-critical decisions.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with electronics packaging and enclosure design for space flight, including chassis and covers, connector selection, PCB mounting, grounding, and bonding.
• Familiarity with grounding and EMI considerations for electronics mounting.
• Experience with solar array substrates, cell mounting, or bonding.
• Experience with honeycomb sandwich panel design for flight, including facesheet and core selection, potted insert design and location, edge close-outs, doublers, and load paths.
• Experience with insert pull-out and core crush testing, coupon programs, or bonded joint qualification.
• Experience with thermal analysis tools (e.g., Thermal Desktop, SINDA/FLUINT, Sherlock, or a comparable node-based solver).
• Familiarity with NASA verification standards, including NASA-STD-5020 and the General Environmental Verification Standard (GEVS), and/or SMC-S-016.
• Working knowledge of launch and on-orbit load and thermal environments, material behavior, and margin of safety reporting.
• Proficiency with Onshape (SolidWorks, NX, or Creo also valued).
• Experience with industry-standard FEA tools (e.g., Nastran/Femap, ANSYS, Abaqus).
• Proficiency with Python or MATLAB for analysis and data processing.
• Experience with design lifecycle and configuration management systems.
• Hands-on R&D background, including prototyping, testing, and iterating on novel mechanical concepts.
• Experience in a startup or fast-iteration hardware environment.

Compensation and Benefits

Engineer: $110,000 to $140,000

Senior Engineer: $140,000 to $170,000

Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience. In addition to the base salary, you may also be eligible for long-term incentives in the form of stock options. You will receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, short- and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, and paid parental leave. You may also receive 3 weeks of paid vacation and will be eligible for 10 or more paid holidays per year.

ITAR Requirements

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Equal Opportunity

Rendezvous Robotics is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment is based on merit, competence, and qualifications, and will not be influenced by race, color, religion, gender, national origin, ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, or any other legally protected status.