Staff Mechanical Engineer - Solar Mechanisms & Deployables
Muon Space · San Jose, CA
Posted about 3 months ago
or apply directly on Muon Space's site. We never take the application ourselves.
Is this posting real?
- This role has been open
- 82 days Muon Space's roles stay open a median of 78 days
- Reposted
- No
- Salary listed
- No 88% of Muon Space's roles list one
- Ghost-job risk at Muon Space
- high 113 stale, 2 reposted of 115 open
- Hiring momentum
- 131 roles opened in the last 90 days ↑ up vs. the prior 90 days
- Last confirmed on the employer's board
- 2026-10-24
Measured from postings appearing on and disappearing from Muon Space's own greenhouse board since 2026-08-03. Full hiring picture for Muon Space.
About this role
The Staff Mechanical Engineer will be responsible for the design, qualification, and sustainment of critical deployable and actuated mechanical systems for spacecraft, including solar array deployables and release mechanisms. This role involves leading the design and analysis processes, managing single-point-failure mechanisms, and mentoring other engineers. The position is hybrid, requiring on-site work in San Jose three days a week.
- benefits
- 5/5
- freshness
- 1/5
- career value
- 5/5
- role clarity
- 5/5
- pay transparency
- 0/5
Scored from the posting itself — how clearly the role is described, how much it says about pay and benefits, and how recently it was listed. Not a judgement of Muon Space as an employer.
What you need
- B.S. in Mechanical Engineering or a related technical field
- 10+ years of experience designing, building, and testing mechanisms or deployable hardware, including 5+ within the space industry
- Deep expertise in one or more of: solar array deployables, SADA, HDRMs/release devices, hinges, dampers, or precision mechanisms
- Strong command of mechanism analysis: torque/force margin, kinematics, bearings/tribology, preload, and stiffness
- Proven track record of qualifying single-point-failure mechanisms, including deployment, life, and environmental testing
- Expert-level command of CAD (SolidWorks preferred), GD&T, drawings, BOMs, and tolerance/mass/torque budgets
Nice to have
- Flight heritage — deployable or actuated hardware you designed that has operated successfully in space
- Direct SADA design experience (motor/actuator selection, bearings, slip rings, power/signal transfer across a rotating joint)
- Experience qualifying mechanisms to NASA-STD-5017, ECSS, or equivalent mechanism standards
- Experience establishing engineering standards and best practices at an organizational level
- Experience managing external vendors and contract manufacturers for flight hardware
What you get
- Salary range of $190,000 - $216,000
- Competitive equity grant
- Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision insurance
- 401k retirement plan
- Short & long term disability and life insurance
- Three weeks paid vacation for new employees
Worth weighing
- Hybrid position requiring three days on-site in San Jose, CA
- No specific mention of remote work flexibility
- Salary range provided, but final compensation is based on skills and experience
- Requires access to export controlled information, limiting applicant eligibility
Summarised from Muon Space's posting. Read the full original.
Listed by Muon Space on their greenhouse job board, last confirmed open on 2026-10-24. PitchMeAI is not the employer.
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