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Salary: USD 95,000 - 130,000 / annual
Cowboy Space Corp., founded in 2024 by Baiju Bhatt (Robinhood co-founder), is building satellite infrastructure for the orbital economy. The company operates Low Earth Orbit satellites that collect sunlight, enable on-orbit compute, transmit energy via infrared lasers, and deliver secure optical data. Backed by leading investors and staffed by aerospace and defense veterans, Cowboy Space is solving complex technical challenges in space infrastructure.
As Senior Loads and Dynamics Engineer, you will serve as the technical authority and discipline lead for loads and dynamic environments across the vehicle lifecycle. You own all load cases and dynamic models—from ground handling through ascent, stage separation, entry, landing, and reuse—that drive structural sizing decisions. You establish methodology, tools, and standards for the loads and dynamics discipline, making judgment calls on where to add modeling fidelity and where to move fast.
Key responsibilities include: owning quasi-static, transient, and dynamic load cases across all mission phases; building and maintaining structural dynamic models (FEM, modal, coupled loads) and reconciling them with test and flight data; defining vibration, shock, acoustic, and random-vibe environments for components and payloads; performing coupled loads analysis integrating propulsion, aero, GNC, and structural inputs; assessing flutter, buffet, slosh, and aeroelastic phenomena; supporting test planning and modal surveys; investigating anomalies and reconstructing flight loads from telemetry; and mentoring junior engineers across structures and mechanisms teams.
Required: Bachelor's in Aerospace, Mechanical, or related engineering; 8+ years in loads, structural dynamics, or vibration analysis for flight hardware; deep FEM and dynamic analysis proficiency; demonstrated ownership of load cases driving flight vehicle structural design; proven ability to correlate models against test/flight data.
Preferred: Advanced degree; launch vehicle or reusable flight systems experience; coupled loads analysis campaign ownership; aeroelasticity knowledge; vibration/shock/acoustic environment definition; Adams, LS-DYNA, or equivalent tools plus Python/MATLAB scripting; structural test campaign support; track record mentoring engineers and setting technical direction.
