Senior Mechanical Engineer - Mechanisms

Senior Mechanical Engineer – Mechanisms

Houston Texas

About Intuitive Machines

Intuitive Machines is an innovative and cutting-edge space company making cislunar space accessible to both public and private customers. Our mission is to further science and exploration, communications, and economic progress from the Earth to the Moon and beyond. With the first commercial lunar landing in history, multiple NASA lunar missions in development, and additional private missions on our manifest, we pride ourselves in supporting our customers and the nation in paving the way to return humans to the surface of the Moon. Our world-class team includes experts in all aspects of spacecraft subsystems design, development, and test, on-orbit operations, and safety.

About The Position

We are seeking a Mid-Level / Senior Space Mechanisms Engineer to join our team. This position will be located on-site at the IM Mechanisms Annex in Hanover, Maryland. The Mechanisms Engineer will work in a cross-functional team on the design, development, manufacture and test of space flight and ground support mechanisms, such as motor-driven actuators, deployable systems, optical adjustment mechanisms, robotic manipulators and tools, and fluid couplings for cryogenic and rocket propellant systems.

The engineer will assist in the concept development, design, build and test of a variety of articulation and deployment mechanisms associated with Intuitive Machines’ vehicles and landers.

Responsibilities:

• Own the design and development of mechanisms associated with IM’s Nova landers and their payloads.
• Own the design and development of mechanical ground support equipment, test equipment, and tooling
• Assist in the development of Concept of Operations (ConOps) for mechanism on-orbit use
• Support Mission Operations planning, procedure development, console simulation sessions and ultimately in-flight operations
• Perform mechanism analyses including bearing and gear calculations, force and torque margins, lubricant life analysis, rigid and flexible body dynamic simulations
• Generate CAD and drawings of mechanical hardware; perform optimization studies, interference checks, tolerance analysis
• Devise test programs to demonstrate key mission activities; design test apparatus and data collection systems
• Identify key technical risks/gaps and rapidly prototype and evaluate hardware to drive risks to closure
• Own the design and implementation of integrated subsystem performance tests
• Perform environmental testing to include test plans, test execution, and test results evaluation
• Set up and use test data collection devices including sensors and data acquisition systems
• Generate work orders and test procedures
• Devise ways to automate and otherwise improve test procedures for efficiency and repeatability

Requirements:

• B.S degree in Mechanical Engineering or related discipline and minimum of 5 years of experience in mechanical engineering with a competency in moving mechanisms and electromechancial systems; or M.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering or related discipline and a minimum of 3 years of experience in mechanisms engineering
• Proficiency with component design and assembly management using 3D CAD software, preferably Solidworks and Creo
• Proficiency with ASME Y14.5 geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T)
• Familiarity with performance requirements development for mechanical and electromechanical systems
• Experience with the generation of work orders, assembly procedures and test plans for mechanisms functional, vibration, thermal vacuum and life testing
• Familiarity with standard practices for assembly and environmental testing of space flight mechanisms as well as the tooling and ground support equipment associated with these tests

Preferred:

• Experience with robotic manipulators and robotic control systems is a plus
• Specific competency in electromechanical manipulators, robotics highly desired
• Experience in devising and performing validation tests of autonomous, semi-autonomous and tele-operated robotic systems, especially for space flight
• Prior experience in related fields requiring working with tools, machines, electronics, 3D printers, etc.
• Familiarity with spaceflight mechanisms topics including motors, bearings and lubricants, geared systems, release mechanisms and robotic systems, and the integration of electrical components such as wire harnesses into these systems
• Familiarity with commonly used space and commercial specifications for materials, processes, fasteners, mechanical components, connectors, wiring, etc.
• Familiarity with common space industry additive and conventional metallic and composite manufacturing processes
• Familiarity with motion simulation software and finite element analysis tools
• Experience with Atlassian suite (e.g. Confluence, Jira)

US EEO Statement

Intuitive Machines is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion,

creed, color, national origin, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding), age, medical condition, marital or domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression and transgender status, mental disability or physical disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, citizenship, low-income status or any other status or characteristic protected by applicable law.