Senior Mechanical Engineer (Rotary Actuators)

Location: Los Angeles (Hawthorne), California, United States; occasional travel required

Salary: $165,000–$200,000 annually

Company

hirify.global develops and manufactures robotic and space technologies intended to produce water, power, and oxygen for future lunar and Martian settlements. The Starlight Solar department develops space solar power systems for satellites and planetary equipment.

What you will do

• Own rotary actuator and spacecraft mechanism designs from architecture and detailed design through analysis, build, qualification, and flight.
• Define mechanism requirements and lead trade studies covering performance, mass, reliability, manufacturability, cost, and schedule.
• Select and integrate motors, gearheads, bearings, slip rings, brakes, dampers, and position sensors; size drivetrains for torque, speed, stiffness, backlash, pointing accuracy, jitter, duty cycle, and mission life.
• Perform and review mechanical, structural, thermal, friction, life, torque-margin, and tolerance analyses using hand calculations and FEA.
• Define qualification and acceptance testing for functional performance, life, vibration, shock, thermal vacuum, and torque margin.
• Lead design reviews, failure investigations, risk-reduction testing, supplier and manufacturing integration, and corrective actions while mentoring engineers.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, or a related discipline.
• 6+ years of professional experience designing mechanisms, actuators, or precision mechanical systems.
• Experience owning complex mechanical hardware from concept through build and test, including rotary mechanisms such as actuators, gearboxes, gimbals, hinges, deployment systems, or drive assemblies.
• Proficiency with 3D CAD, detailed engineering drawings, GD&T, hand calculations, and FEA.
• Hands-on experience building, testing, troubleshooting, and improving mechanical hardware.
• Must meet U.S. export-control eligibility requirements: U.S. citizenship or nationality, U.S. lawful permanent residence, refugee or asylee status, or eligibility to obtain the required U.S. authorizations.

Nice to have

• Advanced degree and experience with spacecraft mechanisms or other high-reliability flight hardware.
• Experience integrating brushless DC motors, harmonic drives, planetary gearheads, precision bearings, position sensors, slip rings, or twist capsules.
• Expertise in space-rated tribology, vacuum lubrication, bearing preload, wear, cold welding, and life testing.
• Experience leading mechanism qualification campaigns and transitioning precision mechanisms into repeatable production.
• Knowledge of spacecraft mechanism standards, including NASA-STD-5017 or applicable AIAA guidance.

Culture & Benefits

• Health, dental, vision, and retirement plans.
• Paid time off and holidays with flexible policies supporting work-life balance.
• Professional growth through training and development opportunities.
• Collaborative, mission-driven work focused on robotics and space technology.