Make an impact at leading deep tech and American Dynamism Startups

Senior Mechanical Design Engineer (Space Communications)

Northwood Space

Northwood Space

Marketing & Communications, Design
torrance, ca, usa
USD 129k-175k / year + Equity
Posted on Aug 28, 2025

Location

Torrance, CA

Employment Type

Full time

Department

Mechanical

Compensation

  • $129K – $175K • Offers Equity

Compensation at Northwood Space is based on role, level, location, and alignment with market data. Individual base pay is determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary depending on job-related skills, education, experience, and technical expertise. In addition to base salary, Northwood Space offers long-term incentives such as company stock options and discretionary performance bonuses. Benefits include equity, comprehensive health care, flexible vacation, retirement savings plans, and opportunities for professional development.

About Northwood:

Northwood is on a mission to transform connectivity between earth and space and bring the benefits of space to the masses through innovations in space communications technologies. If you like building quickly and seeing your work deployed in locations around the globe with real impact, we want you at Northwood.

Role:

Northwood is seeking a talented Mechanical Engineer to join our dynamic team, specializing in the design of structures, systems, tooling, and other products for our ground station antennas. This role will involve designing and developing hardware that will be deployed all over the world as well as fabrication and assembly tooling, test fixtures, and more. You will work closely with RF engineers, electrical engineers, manufacturing engineers, and software engineers.

Responsibilities:

  • Design multiple product lines, structures, mechanisms, environmental systems, and GSE for satellite ground stations ensuring performance, reliability, and manufacturability.

  • Design manufacturable, intricate RF waveguide filtering and feed structures for high performance antennas

  • Design tooling for fabrication and assembly processes, including test fixtures and weldments.

  • Collaborate with RF, electrical, and manufacturing to ensure reasonable system requirements and seamless integration of designs and hardware.

  • Ensure compliance with industry standards, regulations, and best practices in mechanical, thermal, and environmental design.

  • Participate in design reviews and provide feedback to ensure design objectives are met.

Basic Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field.

  • 5+ years of experience designing and building hardware.

  • Experience with taking a product from concept to production.

  • Knowledge of manufacturing processes and ability to design for manufacturability.

  • Strong understanding of mechanical design principles, including thermal management, materials selection, and structural analysis.

Preferred Skills:

  • Proficiency in Siemens NX for 3D modeling, assembly, and drafting

  • Understanding of environmental and reliability testing procedures for mechanical systems.

  • Experience with weldments, tooling, GSE, and fixture design and assembly.

  • Experience with mechanical/thermal simulation tools (e.g. ANSYS)

  • Basic understanding of electrical systems and components to ensure a holistic approach to system design

  • Basic understanding of RF systems and devices.

Additional Information:

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Northwood is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Northwood is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

Compensation Range: $129K - $175K