Senior Avionics Mechanical Engineer Verified today

About AnySignal

AnySignal is developing the next generation of RF products and services for space and defense missions. We are building a flexible, high-performance platform for advanced radio technologies.

The Role

Senior Avionics Mechanical Engineer, hands-on design first. You will own the mechanical design of space radios: housings, thermal paths, and structures that enable high-performance RF hardware to survive launch and operate reliably on orbit.

You will personally own enclosure designs from concept through drawings, fabrication, and qualification. You will sign off on structural integrity and thermal performance. Mechanical design is currently distributed across a small hardware team; you will be the senior technical voice for the discipline, establish how mechanical work gets done, and shape the team as it grows.

What You Will Do

• Own mechanical design of space radio enclosures and chassis end to end: concept, CAD, detailed drawings, fabrication, assembly, and qualification.
• Design the thermal path (conduction, interface materials, heat straps and radiators) and run hot- and cold-case analysis for vacuum operation, then correlate your models against test data.
• Perform structural analysis including static, modal, and random vibration FEA; own margins of safety, fastener and joint analysis, and mass and CG budgets.
• Plan and run environmental qualification campaigns (vibration, shock, thermal vacuum, thermal cycling), including test plans, fixture design, and time on the floor at the test house.
• Select materials and processes for the space environment: alloys and finishes, low-outgassing materials, venting, contamination control, and galvanic compatibility.
• Produce manufacturing-ready drawing packages with GD&T to ASME Y14.5 and work directly with machine shops and contract manufacturers on DFM, quoting, and first-article inspection.
• Partner with RF and PCB engineers on SWaP trades, board mounting and standoffs, connector and waveguide placement, shielding, and grounding.
• Own mechanical interface control documents with customers, bus providers, and integrators.
• Lead mechanical content at design reviews and hold the line on documentation and configuration control.
• Establish the mechanical engineering practice: CAD and drawing standards, PDM structure, review cadence, and analysis conventions; mentor engineers into them and help hire as the team grows.

Required Skills

• 6+ years of mechanical design experience, including hardware that has flown or been qualified for flight.
• Expert-level CAD (SolidWorks preferred; NX or Creo equivalent) and detailed drawings with GD&T to ASME Y14.5.
• Demonstrated ownership of thermal design for vacuum environments, including analysis and correlation to thermal vacuum test results.
• Structural analysis and FEA experience covering random vibration and shock, with judgment to know when analysis is sufficient and when to test.
• Direct, hands-on ownership of at least one environmental qualification campaign from test plan through report.
• Strong DFM instincts for precision machining and sheet metal, with a track record of working shops effectively.
• Comfortable being the only mechanical engineer in the room: able to make defensible calls on incomplete requirements and explain them to electrical, RF, and program stakeholders.

Desired Skills

• Mechanical design specifically for RF payloads or space radios (shielding, gasketing, EMI containment, waveguide and connector interfaces).
• Proficiency with thermal tools such as Thermal Desktop, Ansys Icepak, or FloTHERM.
• Familiarity with radiation environments and shielding mass trades.
• Experience with smallsat form factors, ESPA-class payloads, or common bus mechanical interfaces.
• Hands-on integration and test experience: builds, harnessing, torque control, and mechanical I&T.
• Prior technical leadership or mentorship of other mechanical engineers, formal or informal.

Compensation and Location

Base salary $170,000-$205,000 per year, plus equity and full benefits package (Medical, Dental, Vision, HSA, 401K). Los Angeles, CA.

US Person Requirement

To comply with ITAR and U.S. space technology export rules, you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, protected individual under 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to secure necessary authorization from the U.S. Department of State.