{"id":1503216,"url":"https://alion.io/job/gravitics-principal-mechanical-engineer-cargo-systems","title":"Principal Mechanical Engineer, Cargo Systems","company":{"id":10245,"name":"Gravitics","domain":"gravitics.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/gravitics","size_band":"51-200","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Greenhouse","truth_index":{"grade":"A","score":95,"open_postings":10,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":0,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":131,"computed_at":"2026-10-31T05:58:55Z"}},"role":"Industrial Engineering","role_family":"Industrial Engineering","seniority":"lead","employment_type":null,"work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Denver, United States","Washington, United States","Seattle, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":150000,"max":205000,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":205000},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":14,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"CATIA","optional":false},{"name":"SolidWorks","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-09-29T22:08:55Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-14","last_verified_at":"2026-10-31T14:25:35Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":31,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":0,"flags":[],"days_open":31},"description":"About Gravitics \nAt Gravitics, we're not just exploring space-we're building it. We're creating the infrastructure for a thriving space economy, enabling humanity to flourish beyond Earth. Our vision is bold, but we're not just dreamers; we're doers. We design and manufacture the large-scale structures and systems that will power human and robotic activity in Earth orbit and beyond. If you're ready to lay the foundations for a new era in space, embrace a culture of relentless learning and innovation, and contribute to a future where humanity's reach extends farther, Gravitics is the place for you. Let's build the future, together. \nAbout the Role \nTo build our space systems, we need an exceptional mechanical engineer to own the top-level mechanical design, CAD configuration, and physical integration of a clean-sheet cargo vehicle. \nYou will be responsible for developing and maintaining the integrated vehicle CAD model, establishing the mechanical configuration, and ensuring that structures, cargo, avionics, thermal systems, mechanisms, propulsion, and other subsystems come together into a coherent and manufacturable vehicle. \nThis is a highly cross-functional role at the center of the vehicle design. You will work with subsystem responsible engineers to establish interfaces, drive packaging trades, identify and resolve integration conflicts, and mature the vehicle from early concepts through detailed design, build, integration, test, and flight operations. \nResponsibilities: \nOwn and maintain the top-level integrated CAD model and mechanical configuration of a clean-sheet cargo vehicle. \nDevelop vehicle-level layouts and packaging concepts that satisfy mission, structural, cargo, subsystem, manufacturing, integration, and operational requirements. \nEstablish and maintain the vehicle CAD architecture, including assembly structure, coordinate systems, interface geometry, envelopes, keep-out zones, and other configuration-critical features. \nLead vehicle-level mechanical integration across primary and secondary structures, cargo, avionics, thermal systems, propulsion, mechanisms, harnessing, fluid systems, and other vehicle subsystems. \nWork with subsystem responsible engineers to define and manage mechanical interfaces and ensure their designs integrate into the overall vehicle configuration. \nLead packaging and configuration trades involving vehicle geometry, cargo volume, mass properties, accessibility, serviceability, assembly sequence, subsystem routing, and structural load paths. \nIdentify integration conflicts early and drive cross-functional teams to resolution. \nOwn vehicle-level clearance and interference management and ensure the integrated configuration remains internally consistent as designs mature. \nDrive configuration maturity from conceptual layouts through preliminary and critical design, released hardware, vehicle assembly, and integration. \nSupport vehicle mass properties development by maintaining accurate configuration, component location, and orientation within the integrated model. \nEnsure the vehicle configuration accounts for manufacturing, assembly, integration, test, transportation, ground handling, and operational constraints. \nDevelop and maintain interface definition products and other documentation necessary to communicate and control the vehicle's mechanical configuration. \nSupport design reviews by clearly communicating vehicle configuration, major trades, integration risks, open interfaces, and design maturity to engineering teams and leadership. \nCreate detailed mechanical designs and drawings where needed, applying sound engineering fundamentals, GD&T, and tolerance analysis. \nWork directly with manufacturing, integration, and test teams to resolve vehicle-level issues as hardware moves from CAD into reality. \nServe as the technical authority for the integrated mechanical configuration of the vehicle, from initial concept through mission operations. \nAbout You \nYou are a systems-minded mechanical engineer who understands that a vehicle is more than a collection of independently optimized subsystems. You naturally think about interfaces, packaging, assembly, accessibility, load paths, configuration, and how changes in one part of the vehicle propagate through the rest of the design. \nYou are equally comfortable working in a top-level CAD assembly, leading a cross-functional packaging trade, reviewing a detailed mechanical interface, or walking the floor with manufacturing and integration teams to resolve a hardware issue. \nYou thrive in clean-sheet design environments where interfaces are still being defined and the answer is not already captured in an ICD. You can create order from ambiguity, make sound technical decisions with incomplete information, and drive a diverse engineering team toward an integrated vehicle solution. \nYou are a giver, not a taker. You help the broader team succeed, take ownership of problems that cross organizational boundaries, and build trust by consistently driving issues to closure. \nRequired Attributes \n14+ years of industry experience in mechanical, aerospace, or a related engineering discipline. \nDemonstrated ownership of complex mechanical systems or vehicle-level integration efforts. \nExpert-level proficiency with 3D CAD and large assembly management using NX, SolidWorks, CATIA, Creo, or similar tools. \nExperience developing and maintaining top-level vehicle, aircraft, spacecraft, or other complex mechanical assemblies. \nStrong understanding of mechanical packaging, interfaces, tolerance management, assembly architecture, and configuration control. \nAbility to develop integrated vehicle layouts while balancing competing structural, thermal, electrical, operational, manufacturing, and subsystem requirements. \nStrong mechanical engineering fundamentals and working knowledge of primary structures, secondary structures, mechanisms, pressure systems, and other vehicle hardware. \nKnowledge of vehicle environments including acceleration, vibration, shock, pressure, and thermal loading and an understanding of how these environments influence mechanical design. \nStrong understanding and application of engineering drawing practices, GD&T, and ASME Y14.5. \nDemonstrated ability to lead cross-functional technical discussions and drive interface and integration issues to closure. \nAbility to clearly communicate complex technical concepts and configuration decisions to subsystem engineers, program leadership, manufacturing teams, and customers. \nBachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, or a related technical field. \nBonus Points for \nOwnership of the top-level CAD model or mechanical configuration for a spacecraft, launch vehicle, aircraft, or similarly complex system. \nExperience taking a clean-sheet vehicle from conceptual configuration through detailed design, manufacturing, integration, test, and operations. \nExperience establishing CAD architecture and configuration-management practices for a new vehicle program. \nExperience with spacecraft cargo or payload accommodation, including internal and external cargo interfaces. \nExperience performing vehicle-level packaging and configuration trades across multiple engineering disciplines. \nExperience with vehicle mass properties, including component location management, center-of-gravity trades, and configuration-dependent mass properties. \nExperience defining and managing mechanical Interface Control Documents (ICDs), interface geometry, keep-out zones, and subsystem envelopes. \nExperience integrating harnessing, fluid lines, avionics, thermal hardware, and other distributed systems within a constrained vehicle envelope. \nExperience with design-for-assembly, vehicle integration sequencing, ground support equipment, transportation, lifting, and handling. \nExperience supporting spacecraft or launch vehicle integration and test activities through flight. \nCompensation and Benefits\nYour level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary\nbased on the considerations of job-related knowledge and skills, education, and direct\nexperience. Salary is just one component of the total employee package, which also\nincludes company equity at an exciting time of company growth, as well\nas comprehensive medical, 401(k) retirement plan, a generous PTO policy, employee\ndiscounts, and more.\nAbout Compliance\nTo conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the\nInternational Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful\npermanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3),\nor eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.\nGravitics is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are based on merit,\nqualifications, and business needs, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender\nidentity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin or ethnicity, age, disability,\nveteran status, marital status, or any other legally protected status.\nSalary Range\n$150,000—$205,000 USD","description_format":"text","description_chars":9111,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":14,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":["Equity","Retirement plans"],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Space & Aerospace","Launch Services"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-09-30T04:45:00Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":86,"band":"hot","label":"Hiring now","p_open":1,"p_active":0.86,"p_room":1,"age_days":31,"expected_fill_days":131,"reasons":["conf:2","win:early"],"computed_at":"2026-10-31T05:58:55Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":205000,"is_top_pay":true},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/gravitics-principal-mechanical-engineer-cargo-systems","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/gravitics-principal-mechanical-engineer-cargo-systems.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-31T15:48:36Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":24676,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-11-01T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":10245},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=10245"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fgravitics-principal-mechanical-engineer-cargo-systems"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fgravitics-principal-mechanical-engineer-cargo-systems"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fgravitics-principal-mechanical-engineer-cargo-systems"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/gravitics-principal-mechanical-engineer-cargo-systems\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fgravitics-principal-mechanical-engineer-cargo-systems"}],"agent":{"mcp":"https://alion.io/mcp/jobs","mcp_open":"https://alion.io/mcp/open","next":[{"tool":"get_job","arguments":{"id":1503216}},{"tool":"search_jobs","arguments":{"company":"gravitics.com","detail":"compact"}},{"tool":"match_people","arguments":{"job_id":1503216},"note":"people open to offers who fit this vacancy"}],"note":"The same data through MCP tools: https://alion.io/mcp/open needs no sign-in (compact searches, postings, people); https://alion.io/mcp with an Alion account has everything. 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