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Portal Space Systems is building spacecraft for the next era of orbital operations, with a mission to expand humanity's freedom of movement in space. As a Senior Mechanisms Engineer, you will own mission-critical spacecraft mechanisms throughout their complete lifecycle—from requirements and conceptual design through detailed design, manufacturing, assembly, integration, verification, qualification, and flight support.
You will design and develop electromechanical actuators, hold-down and release mechanisms, separation systems, deployment hinges, dampers, latches, locking devices, and other precision mechanical assemblies that directly affect mission success. Your responsibilities include establishing mechanism architectures that provide accurate positioning, repeatable alignment, controlled motion, positive locking, and reliable operation throughout the mission.
Key technical responsibilities:
- Translate spacecraft-level functional requirements into mechanism-level performance specifications (deployment accuracy, release force, stiffness, torque, preload, backlash, positional tolerance, life, and reliability)
- Perform kinematic, dynamic, structural, and tolerance analyses to evaluate mechanism performance
- Conduct trade studies and select optimal architectures, materials, and manufacturing approaches
- Develop detailed designs, drawings, and specifications for manufacturing and assembly
- Support manufacturing, assembly, integration, and test phases
- Lead verification and qualification testing to demonstrate flight readiness
- Provide flight support and troubleshooting during mission operations
This is a hands-on hardware development role requiring close collaboration with structures, avionics, guidance/navigation/control, thermal, propulsion, manufacturing, integration, test, systems engineering teams, and external suppliers. You will move quickly, make sound engineering decisions, and take full ownership of mechanisms whose successful operation is critical to mission success. The role is based at Portal's Bothell, WA headquarters.
