Senior/Lead Mechanical Engineer

Come join us in shaping the future! Get in on the ground floor as an early member of our Mechanical team as a Senior Mechanical Engineer developing a revolutionary satellite communications system. This role offers the chance to combine hands-on engineering with in-depth structural analysis to ensure our spacecraft thrive in the extreme space environment. Connect the vision to the hardware, build it, test it and fly it.

AscendArc is a seed stage startup founded to revolutionize the satellite communications industry. We are looking for doers who want to work in a ground-breaking and fast-paced environment. Our success will depend on your energy, skill, and creativity.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to the design, development, and validation of spacecraft mechanical systems, including structures, mechanisms, and thermal hardware
• Perform structural analysis using FEA to evaluate stiffness, strength, vibration modes, and margins of safety.
• Collaborate with immediate and cross-functional teams to define mechanical interfaces and support system integration
• Develop CAD models, detailed drawings, and documentation to support manufacturing, assembly, and testing
• Support environmental and functional testing efforts (e.g., vibration, thermal, deployment), including test setup and data collection
• Participate in design reviews and help identify and mitigate technical risks early in the development cycle
• Assist in hands-on prototyping, hardware builds, and integration activities

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field
• 5+ years of experience designing and testing complex mechanical systems in the aerospace industry
• Proficient in 3D CAD (e.g., NX, SolidWorks) and engineering analysis tools (FEA, thermal, tolerance analysis)
• Demonstrated experience with full product lifecycle: from early prototyping through flight hardware delivery
• Hands-on experience with mechanical assembly, integration, and testing
• Strong collaboration and communication skills across disciplines and with external partners

Who We’re Looking For We’re searching for exceptional talent. We value high-caliber individuals with the drive and creativity to help launch Oregon’s first commercial communications satellite.

We’re Looking For People Who

• Thrive in a cradle-to-grave design environment and take ownership from concept through launch.
• Bring energy, curiosity, and a responsible engineering mindset.
• Want to work alongside other exceptional people in an environment where great ideas rise to the top.

Base Salary The base salary range for this position is $120,000-190,000/year. When determining an individual’s compensation, we consider several factors including skillset, experience, job scope, and current market data, so pay for this role may vary from the amounts listed.

Legal Eligibility to Work Due to U.S. export control regulations, this position is only open to “U.S. persons.” That means you must be a U.S. citizen, a lawful permanent resident (green card holder), or have refugee/asylee status. Unfortunately, we cannot consider applicants on temporary work visas (such as H-1B, TN, O-1, etc.) for this role.

Equal Employment Opportunity AscendArc is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor or legally protected status.