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Salary: USD 109,725 - 193,620 / annual
STOKE Space is building Nova, a fully reusable launch vehicle designed for daily flight to radically lower space launch costs and increase flight cadence. This role is part of a new organization within Stoke focused on developing spacecraft and on-orbit mobility products on a 3–10 year horizon—moving mass to any orbit, returning it to Earth, and deploying satellites and platforms that put mass to work in space.
You will join as one of the first hands-on mechanical engineers in this small, mission-driven team. You will own spacecraft hardware end-to-end, from blank sheet through flight operations. Your responsibilities span structures, mechanisms, propellant and fluid component packaging, avionics packaging, thermal hardware, and interfaces to the Nova launch vehicle. The team is deliberately small; everyone carries multiple hats and is expected to solve problems independently and collaboratively.
Key responsibilities include:
- Own mechanical and structural hardware from concept through flight operations
- Design and analyze spacecraft primary and secondary structures, mechanisms, fluid and avionics component packaging, and launch-vehicle interface hardware
- Perform structural and thermal analysis using hand calculations and finite element analysis (FEA), selecting the appropriate tool for each problem
- Write margin summaries and develop loads and load cases for launch, deployment, and on-orbit environments
- Create CAD models and manufacturing drawings with proper geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T)
- Work directly with machinists, welders, and technicians to build and test hardware
- Procure parts, manage suppliers, and keep hardware on schedule and budget
- Troubleshoot failures, disposition non-conformances, and drive root cause corrective action
- Test and improve hardware through vibration, thermal, thermal-vacuum, structural, and pressure testing
- Support design reviews and communicate technical decisions clearly
- Continuously improve designs to reduce cost, increase reliability, and improve manufacturability
This is an ideal role if you want to see hardware you designed operate in orbit and thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment where ownership and technical excellence are paramount.
REQUIREMENTS:
Minimum qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related technical field
- 2+ years of hands-on engineering experience designing, building, and testing hardware (internships and major university projects count)
- Exceptional command of mechanical engineering fundamentals: statics, dynamics, mechanics of materials, heat transfer, fluid mechanics
- Proficiency with 3D CAD (NX preferred) and creating detailed manufacturing drawings
- Working knowledge of GD&T per ASME Y14.5
- Experience with structural analysis, both hand calculations and FEA
- Strong understanding of manufacturing processes: machining, sheet metal, welding, additive manufacturing
- Proven ability to take ownership, work independently, and deliver results
- Strong communication skills; ability to explain complex problems simply
Preferred qualifications:
- Experience with NX and ANSYS or similar tools
- Spacecraft or launch vehicle hardware background, including designing for launch loads, deployment, thermal cycling, vibration, shock, and vacuum
- Experience with mechanisms, deployables, or separation systems
- Experience with thermal control hardware (radiators, heaters, MLI, heat pipes) or propellant tank and fluid line packaging
- Hands-on experience with test campaigns: test plans, instrumentation, running tests, analyzing data
- Exposure to avionics integration, harness routing, or electronics packaging
- Experience in fast-paced startup or rapid development environments
