Mechanical Engineer, Space Based Interceptors (Senior - Staff)

Space is a warfighting domain. True Anomaly seeks those with the talent and ambition to build the technology that secures it. OUR MISSION True Anomaly delivers decisive capabilities for space superiority. We build autonomous spacecraft, advanced payloads, mission software, and space-based interceptors — enabling the U.S. and its Allies to secure the space environment and counter threats from the ultimate high ground. OUR VALUES Be the offset.   We create asymmetric advantages with creativity and ingenuity. What would it take?  We challenge assumptions to deliver ambitious results. It’s the people.  Our team is our competitive advantage and we are better together. YOUR MISSION The next generation of Space Based Interceptors demands hardware that performs flawlessly at hypersonic speeds, survives extreme thermal and aerodynamic environments, and delivers precision intercept against the most advanced threats ever fielded. True Anomaly is building that hardware — and we are looking for engineers who want to be part of it.   As a Mechanical Engineer at True Anomaly, you will play a critical role in designing and developing flight hardware for some of the most technically demanding programs in the defense aerospace industry. From interceptor systems and kill vehicles to hypersonic flight vehicles, you will engineer mechanical systems that must perform flawlessly in extreme thermal, aerodynamic, and high-g environments — building the hardware that matters most when it counts.   RESPONSIBILITIES Serve as technical authority and subject matter expert in Space Based Interceptors and hypersonic vehicle mechanical design, providing engineering leadership across interceptor, kill vehicle, and hypersonic flight vehicle programs.   Own and drive the full mechanical architecture of flight vehicle structures and systems — from system-level requirements definition and concept development through qualification, flight certification, and lessons learned capture.    Define structural design philosophy, sizing criteria, and margins of safety for flight vehicle primary and secondary structures across high-dynamic-pressure, high-g maneuver, and thermally coupled hypersonic flight environments.    Lead the design and development of guidance, navigation, and control (GN&C) hardware and seeker packaging architectures, establishing integration standards for precision optical and RF sensor assemblies within highly constrained kill vehicle and interceptor envelopes.    Own the thermal protection system (TPS) design strategy for hypersonic and re-entry flight vehicles, including material selection, panel and tile integration architecture, aeroheating-driven structural trades, and qualification approach for ablative, ceramic, and composite TPS systems.    Lead mechanical integration of propulsion subsystems, including solid rocket motor structural interfaces, divert and attitude control system (DACS) packaging, nozzle and TVC structural design, and cross-discipline coordination with propulsion engineers to ensure system-level compliance.    Define and maintain vehicle-level mechanical interface control documents (ICDs), mass properties reports, and configuration baselines across program milestones.    Chair and lead formal vehicle design reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, FRR) and drive closure of technical risks, RFIs, and subsystem interface actions across the engineering team.    Establish and enforce GD&T standards, drawing conventions, and CAD model management practices across the mechanical engineering team.    Collaborate with systems engineering, aerodynamics, thermal, GN&C, and propulsion teams to derive and flow down mechanical requirements, perform requirements verification, and support IV&V activities.    Develop and approve structural and environmental qualification and acceptance test plans, witness testing, and resolve anomalies and non-conformances against program requirements.    Leverage spacecraft and space environment design expertise — including precision mechanisms, electronics packaging, and launch load structural design — to inform cross-domain solutions and bring asymmetric technical advantage to Space Based Interceptors and hypersonic programs.    Provide technical mentorship and career development guidance to junior and mid-level mechanical engineers, building team capability and domain expertise in Space Based Interceptors and hypersonic systems.    Partner with program management and business development to support proposal efforts, schedule and resource planning, and new program captures in Space Based Interceptors and hypersonic domains.   QUALIFICATIONS Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.    7–15+ years of professional experience in mechanical design, with the majority spent on Space Based Interceptors , hypersonic vehicle, or high-performance flight system programs.   Demonstrated expertise in flight vehicle structural design for high-dynamic-pressure, thermally coupled, and high-g flight environments, including experience across multiple interceptor, kill vehicle, or re-entry system programs.    Extensive hands-on experience with guidance and seeker packaging architecture, including precision optical or RF sensor integration, alignment and retention design, vibration isolation, and EMI management within kill vehicle or interceptor envelopes.    Deep experience with TPS design and high-temperature materials, including ablative, ceramic, and composite systems, and ownership of TPS qualification approaches for hypersonic or re-entry applications.    Proven experience leading mechanical integration of propulsion subsystems, including solid rocket motor interfaces, DACS packaging, and TVC structural design, with full cross-discipline coordination responsibility.    Expert-level proficiency in NX (Siemens) and/or SolidWorks, including compl