Vehicle Design Principal (Aerospace)

TL;DR

Vehicle Design Principal (Aerospace): Leading the development of next-generation reusable space vehicles for crewed flight with an accent on mechanical design, structural architecture, and system integration. Focus on designing high-performance hardware, optimizing system layouts through CAD and FEA, and managing the full product lifecycle from concept to flight readiness.

Location: Houston, TX. Must be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident (Green Card holder)

Company

Developing Nyx, a modular and reusable space orbital vehicle designed for cargo and potentially human transport.

What you will do

• Lead the creation of detailed CAD models, assemblies, and technical drawings for vehicle structures and mechanical systems.
• Develop overall system layouts and drive key design decisions using a top-down approach.
• Perform mechanical analysis, including first-order sizing and structural Finite Element Analysis (FEA).
• Oversee development activities to ensure technical, schedule, and budget objectives are met.
• Build, lead, and mentor a high-performing multidisciplinary mechanical engineering team.
• Manage technical interactions with suppliers and external stakeholders, including NASA, AFRL, and DARPA.

Requirements

• B.S. in Mechanical Design, Aerospace Engineering, or a related discipline.
• 10+ years of relevant engineering experience.
• Demonstrated experience designing, integrating, and testing space systems or vehicles.
• Proficiency with CAD, lifecycle management tools, and FEA software.
• Understanding of environmental testing, such as vibration, shock, acoustic, and thermal vacuum (TVAC).
• U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent residency (Green Card) required due to ITAR/EAR regulations.

Culture & Benefits

• Agile environment with fast decision-making processes.
• Open and collaborative culture with transparency regarding risks and obstacles.
• Opportunity to contribute to the democratization of space.
• Relocation assistance provided for eligible candidates.