Launch Vehicle Design Engineer

Please Note: To conform with the United States Government Space Technology Export Regulations, the applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., conditional resident, asylee or refugee (protected individuals as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.
At CesiumAstro, we are developers and pioneers of out-of-the-box communication systems for satellites, UAVs, launch vehicles, and other space and airborne platforms. We take pride in our dynamic and cross-functional work environment, which allows us to learn, develop, and engage across our organization. If you are looking for hands-on, interactive, and autonomous work, CesiumAstro is the place for you. We are actively seeking passionate, collaborative, energetic, and forward-thinking individuals to join our team.

We are seeking a Senior Launch Vehicle Design Engineer I to our team. In this role, you will work across multidisciplinary engineering teams to solve complex technical challenges, drive system-level design trades, and ensure mission success through rigorous analysis, testing, and validation.

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead the design, analysis, and development of primary and secondary launch vehicle structures, stage interfaces, and payload accommodations.
• Perform static and transient structural and thermal analysis of LV components and systems to ensure mechanical integrity under operational loads.
• Develop and execute test programs, analyze experimental data, and apply findings to optimize designs.
• Prepare CAD models for FEA analysis and manufacturing.
• Generate technical documentation, including reports, specifications, and contributions to PDRs and CDRs.
• Collaborate across mechanical, aerospace, and controls engineering teams to deliver flight-ready systems.
• Mentor junior and senior engineers to build technical understanding and professional development.
• Participate in mission operations, anomaly investigations, and continuous improvement initiatives.

JOB REQUIREMENTS AND MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field.
• 4+ years of industry experience in aerospace design and analysis.
• Proficiency in CAD tools (SolidWorks, NX).
• Strong foundation in systems engineering principles, requirements flowdown, and integration.
• Expertise in Ansys tools: Mechanical, Explicit Dynamics (LS-Dyna), Linear and Nonlinear Eigenvalue Buckling, Harmonic Response, and Random Vibrations.