Founding Mechanical Engineer

About the Role

General Astronautics is building autonomous dexterous robotic arms for orbital inspection, repair, and assembly. Our systems enable spacecraft to autonomously manipulate, replace, and upgrade hardware in microgravity, without astronaut intervention.

We're looking for a Founding Mechanical Engineer to own the design and development of our robotic hardware from concept through flight-ready systems. This role encompasses the architecture, detailed design, analysis, prototyping, testing, and qualification of precision mechanisms, robotic joints, end effectors, structures, and electromechanical assemblies.

This is a high-ownership, high-accountability role. You will be one of the first engineers at the company, with direct responsibility for major elements of our robotic platform. You will move quickly between CAD, analysis, manufacturing, assembly, and testing. The hardware you build will fly.

Responsibilities

• Lead architecture, design, development, and testing of robotic hardware for autonomous microgravity operations

• Own hardware from concept through detailed design, prototyping, qualification, integration, and deployment

• Design precision mechanisms, joints, end effectors, actuator interfaces, and electromechanical assemblies optimized for vacuum, vibration, thermal cycling, and microgravity

• Perform hand calculations, tolerance analyses, and FEA to validate component and subsystem designs

• Define requirements, loads, interfaces, error budgets, and verification plans at component, subsystem, and system levels

• Work with vendors and manufacturing partners to source components, fabricate parts, and assemble flight hardware

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related discipline.

• 2+ years of experience designing, building, analyzing, and testing complex mechanical or electromechanical hardware

• Proficiency in professional CAD software (NX, CATIA, Creo, SolidWorks, or equivalent)

• Strong fundamentals in machine design, structural sizing, mechanism design, and electromechanical integration

• Experience with hand calculations, tolerance analysis, and FEA

• Proficiency with GD&T and engineering drawing standards (ASME Y14.5)

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Experience with robotic arms, manipulators, precision mechanisms, deployables, or other articulated hardware

• Experience designing mechanisms for space, vacuum, or other harsh environments, including thermal qualification, vibration, and contamination control

• Experience integrating motors, encoders, controllers, PCBAs, and harnessing into mechanical assemblies

ITAR / Citizenship Requirements

• Must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or eligible for authorization under U.S. export regulations.