Spacecraft Mechanisms Engineer

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 Mechanisms Engineer to own the design, analysis, and testing of satellite launch restraint and release systems, tile deployment from the stowed stack, and the load path from that stack into the bus, taking flight hardware from concept through qualification, production, and on-orbit operation. You will own preloaded joint design, release device selection and integration, deployment and separation behavior, the interface to the launch vehicle separation system, and the structural analysis that supports them. You will partner with systems, electrical, avionics, software, manufacturing, test, and outside suppliers. This is a full-time, on-site role in Golden, Colorado, in the Denver metro area.

Responsibilities

• Own launch restraint and release system design, including hold-down and release mechanisms (HDRMs), preload paths, hard point design, and preload retention through the launch environment.
• Select and integrate vendor-qualified non-explosive actuators (NEAs) and release devices, and qualify them as installed.
• Design deployment and release mechanisms, including kinematics, energy management, and end of travel behavior.
• Own tile deployment from the stowed stack, including separation energy.
• Own the load path from the stowed tile stack and its deployment mechanisms into bus primary structure.
• Characterize shock environments generated by release devices, including levels at mounted electronics.
• Perform structural analysis of stowed and deployed configurations, including modal, quasi-static, and random vibration.
• Develop torque and force margin analysis to a recognized standard.
• Develop test plans and support deployment, vibration, shock, and thermal vacuum (TVAC) test campaigns, including gravity offload and instrumentation.
• Engage suppliers, support fabrication processes, and produce and check detailed drawings with geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T).