Wanna join the adventure?

Loft Orbital's mission is to make space simple for organizations that need to collect information about the Earth. We provide space infrastructure as a service where multiple customer payloads are flown on a single spacecraft platform through Loft's in-house Payload Accommodation Module.

We are looking for a Principal Mechanical Engineer, based out of our Golden office, to help support Loft programs & products through the entire lifecycle - from initial concept through production.

* Research shows that while men apply to jobs where they meet an average of 60% of the criteria, women and other marginalized people tend to only apply when they meet 100% of the qualifications. At Loft, we value respectful debate and people who aren't afraid to challenge assumptions. We strongly encourage you to apply, even if you don't 'check all the boxes.

About this role:

* You will be the technical lead of their area on a federal program
* Be a mechanical lead on one of Loft's programs
* Aide in the oversight and development of Loft's products
* Develop, maintain, and own mechanical analysis budgets
* Create, maintain, and alter CAD models
* Perform structural and thermal analysis of payload components
* Oversight of spacecraft level structural and thermal analysis
* Develop, in collaboration with team members/customers, interface specifications, control documents and other design documents
* Generate test plans and procedures for structural and thermal verification activities
* Review and approve environmental test reports Support the Assembly, Integration and Testing (AIT) of all stages of a space missions, including identification and procurement of appropriate MGSE.
* Work with suppliers, customers, and sub-contractors as mechanical point of contact to ensure successful mission execution.
* Work with a multi-disciplinary team to ensure successful mission execution

Must Haves:

* US Citizenship required
* Preferred: Current in-scope DoD SECRET background investigation with at least 3 years of eligibility remaining, or Continuous Evaluation (CE) status, with willingness and ability to obtain a Top Secret clearance
* Preferred: DoD or Intelligence Community Top Secret background investigation with at least 3 years of eligibility remaining or CE status; and SCI eligibility with current experience in SCI programs, other control systems, and/or Special Access Programs
* 7+ years' experience as a Mechanical Engineer in the space industry
* Demonstrated experience as a Mechanical Engineer on spacecraft subsystems/payloads as well as the overall space vehicle
* Demonstrated experience in small satellite assembly, integration, and test campaigns with an emphasis on vibration and/or thermal testing
* End-to-end satellite program experience
* Knowledge of space industry
* Experience in a fast-paced development environment
* Proficient with Solidworks or similar
* Scrappy and inventive: what you will be building has never been done before
* Prepared to be challenged and sometimes work out of your comfort zone
* Willingness to be accountable, autonomous, and take full ownership of projects

Nice to Haves:

* Experience performing thermal design and analysis (system and/or unit level)
* Experience performing structural FEA, including model reductions (CB model)Understanding of force-limited vibration and transfer functions
* Experience working with launch providers/brokers

Some of Our Awesome Benefits:

* Comprehensive dental, medical and vision insurance
* 401(k) plan and equity
* Daily catered lunches
* Cross office travel opportunities between San Francisco, Colorado, and Toulouse, France
* Generous maternity and paternity leave
* Off-sites and many happy hours
* Foreign language classes
* We offer relocation assistance when applicable

Who We Are

Loft Orbital builds "shareable" satellites, providing a fast & simple path to orbit for organizations that require access to space. Powered by our hardware & software products, we operate satellites, fly customer payloads onboard, and handle entire missions from end to end - significantly reducing the lead-time and risk of a traditional space mission.

Our standard interface enables us to fly multiple customer payloads on the same satellite, with capabilities such as earth imagery, weather & climate /science data collection, IoT connectivity, in-orbit demonstrations, and national security missions. Our customers trust us to manage their space infrastructure, so they can focus on what matters most to them: operating their mission and collecting their data.

At Loft, you'll be given the autonomy and ownership to solve significant challenges, but with a close-knit and supportive team at your back. We believe that diversity and community are the foundation of an open culture. We are committed to hiring the best people regardless of background and make their time at Loft the most fulfilling period of their career.

We value kind, supportive and team-oriented collaborators. It is also crucial for us that you are a problem solver and a great communicator. As our team is international, you will need strong English skills to better collaborate, easily communicate complex ideas and convey important messages.

With 3 satellites on-orbit and a wave of exciting missions launching soon, we are scaling up quickly across our offices in San Francisco, CA | Golden, CO | and Toulouse, France.

As an international company your resume will be reviewed by people across our offices so please attach a copy in English.