Satellite Mechanical Design Engineer
Posted 4 Sep 2026
BranchFactor Summary
The original posting with the fluff stripped out
- Expected experience
- 3+ yrs
- Management level
- Individual contributor
- Employment
- Hybrid
- Contract
- Full-time
- Visa sponsorship
- Offered
No salary listed for this role.
Field of studyAerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering (or related)
Study levelBachelor's
Company
NewOrbit builds satellites that fly in very low Earth orbit, below 300 km, along with the electric propulsion that keeps them there.
Flying closer to Earth means sharper imagery from smaller optics, and an orbit that cleans itself: our satellites de-orbit within a month at end of life, leaving no debris.
Our AURA family of RF gridded ion thrusters powers our own NEO-1 satellite, with first flight planned for Q3 2028, and is also offered to other operators.
Electric propulsion is what lets our satellites hold very low orbits, and our AURA RF gridded ion thruster is at the centre of it.
Role Overview
You will design satellite structure and hardware, and help keep the satellite's full CAD assembly organised and under control as the design matures. Working within a small, multidisciplinary team, you will translate requirements into manufacturable designs and support their validation through prototyping and environmental testing.
Key Responsibilities
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Design and develop mechanical hardware for the satellite, including secondary structures (panels, brackets and component mounts), thermal-control hardware, cable and harness routing, and mechanisms. Primary structure experience is welcome.
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Work in the satellite's large 3D CAD assembly alongside the wider design team, using top-down design and skeleton models to keep interfaces, configurations and revisions in step as several designers work in the same model.
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Manage assembly configuration, PLM data (3DEXPERIENCE ('3DX') or similar), bills of materials and engineering change control (ECO/ECR/ECN), so that models, drawings and interfaces stay consistent as changes are released.
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Run interference and clash checks and maintain the digital mock-up, working with each subsystem owner to allocate space and resolve conflicts.
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Produce fully dimensioned, manufacturing-ready drawings and interface control documents using GD&T.
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Support design reviews (PDR and CDR) and qualification, working with structural and thermal engineers on analysis and verification planning.
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Optimise designs for manufacturability, cost, mass and reliability, working directly with manufacturers and suppliers.
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Support prototype builds, integration and environmental test campaigns, iterating designs based on results.
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Collaborate with electrical, software, systems and thermal engineers to integrate mechanical components into the satellite platform.