{"id":747517,"url":"https://alion.io/job/spacekinetic-senior-machine-design-engineer","title":"Senior Machine Design Engineer","company":{"id":685289,"name":"Space Kinetic","domain":"spacekinetic.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/spacekinetic","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":93,"open_postings":36,"ghost_share":0.028,"stale_share":0,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":145,"computed_at":"2026-10-21T05:46:15Z"}},"role":"Industrial Engineering","role_family":"Industrial Engineering","seniority":"senior","employment_type":null,"work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["El Segundo, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":120000,"max":160000,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":160000},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":5,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"MATLAB","optional":false},{"name":"Python","optional":false},{"name":"SolidWorks","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-08-13T17:53:28Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-12","last_verified_at":"2026-10-21T07:44:14Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":68,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":0,"flags":["company_stale"],"days_open":68},"description":"A New Paradigm For Space Operations. \nWho We Are: \nSpace Kinetic is a dual use space technology startup building a completely new architecture for space operations - one that brings the advantages of proliferated drone technology (low-cost, operationally flexible, attainable, distributed) to space missions while reducing the ecosystem's reliance on consumable fuel. In a world where many companies are focused on incrementally improving the status quo, we are focused on creating something entirely different - an architecture underpinned by new first principles to meet the opportunities and challenges of the third space age head-on. Our goal is to move away from one-to-one space architectures - where each satellite in a constellation has one (or a small # of) primary payloads attached to the bus -- and unlock a ‘one-to-many’ system, where each satellite has a large number of payloads which can be deployed from their host spacecraft at high velocities without firing a thruster.\nThis is not a role for someone looking for a traditional 40-hour work week. Space Kinetic is building ambitious, first-of-its-kind technology, and that requires urgency, ownership, and a high level of commitment to changing the foundational assumptions for everything we do in space.\nWhat You’ll Do: \nWe are seeking a Senior Machine Design Engineer to design, analyze, prototype, and validatecomplex machines, precision mechanisms, and electromechanical systems. This individual will apply first-principles engineering and practical machine-design experience to develop robust, manufacturable hardware for demanding aerospace environments. The role will work closely with engineering, manufacturing, test, suppliers, and program leadership to deliver flight-ready systems.\nJob Responsibilities:\nDevelop mechanical architectures and concepts for complex machines, precision mechanisms, structures, and assemblies. \nOwn hardware from initial requirements and trade studies through detailed design, prototyping, qualification, and production. \nPerform engineering calculations covering stress, fatigue, deflection, thermal expansion, and tolerance stack-ups. \nSelect and integrate bearings, motors, gearboxes, ball screws, linear guides, springs, clutches, fasteners, and related components. \nCreate production-ready SolidWorks models, detailed manufacturing drawings, interfaces, and GD&T specifications. \nApply Design for Manufacturing and Design for Assembly principles while working with suppliers and manufacturing teams. \nBuild and test prototypes, root-cause hardware failures, and implement corrective design actions. \nSupport qualification and environmental testing, including vibration, shock, and thermal-vacuum testing. \nWhat It Takes: \nBachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related technical field. \n5+ years of professional experience designing complex machines, mechanical systems, or precision mechanisms. \nAdvanced proficiency in SolidWorks and experience creating detailed manufacturing drawings. \nStrong knowledge of machine design, mechanical component selection, GD&T, and tolerance analysis. \nExperience using hand calculations and FEA to guide and validate mechanical designs. \nWorking knowledge of CNC machining, sheet metal fabrication, welding, additive manufacturing, and related production processes. \nDemonstrated experience taking hardware from concept through prototype, test, qualification, and production. \nAbility to maintain a U.S. Goverment security clearance. \n What We’d Love:\nExperience designing aerospace, spacecraft, defense, robotics, industrial automation, or other high-performance electromechanical systems. \nExperience with gear trains, linkages, cams, bearings, belt and chain drives, linear-motion systems, and direct-drive motors. \nExperience designing springs, dampers, or other energy-storage and motion-control mechanisms. \nExperience developing hardware for vibration, shock, thermal-vacuum, and other demanding environments. \nFamiliarity with MATLAB or Python for engineering calculations and analysis. \nExperience supporting flight hardware qualification, configuration control, and production. \nWhere You’ll Be: \nThe position will be on site at our headquarters in El Segundo, CA. \n\nWhat We Offer: \nEquity-Based Compensation\n401(k) retirement plan with a 3.5% company match\nHighly Competitive PTO\nPaid company holidays + winter break\nComprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance\nUnique Performance-based bonus opportunities\nITAR Requirements: \nTo conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about ITAR here \nEqual Employment Opportunity: \nSpace Kinetic provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, veteran status, disabilityor any other legally protected status. \nThe annual base salary for this role is below. Pay Grades are determined by role, level, location, and alignment with market data. Individual pay will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: interviews and an assessment of several factors that are unique to each candidate, job-related skills, relevant education/experience, certifications, abilities of the candidate and internal equity. \nPay Range\n$120,000—$160,000 USD","description_format":"text","description_chars":5617,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":5,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":true,"languages":[]},"benefits":["Equity","Retirement plans","Vision insurance"],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Missiles","Space Services"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-09-11T14:41:29Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":60,"band":"ok","label":"Likely open","p_open":1,"p_active":0.83,"p_room":0.72,"age_days":68,"expected_fill_days":145,"reasons":["conf:2","win:mid","crowd:"],"computed_at":"2026-10-21T05:46:15Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":160000,"is_top_pay":true},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/spacekinetic-senior-machine-design-engineer","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/spacekinetic-senior-machine-design-engineer.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-21T11:53:31Z","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":16772,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-10-22T00:00:00Z"}},"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":685289},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=685289"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fspacekinetic-senior-machine-design-engineer"},{"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%2Fspacekinetic-senior-machine-design-engineer"},{"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%2Fspacekinetic-senior-machine-design-engineer"},{"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/spacekinetic-senior-machine-design-engineer\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fspacekinetic-senior-machine-design-engineer"}]}