Our mission is to build a future full of life, on Earth and beyond. Our vision: a future where technology is enabling humans to live in harmony with their environment. A future where biodiversity thrives on Earth and life expands in space. To do so we design and build environment-controlled modules able to create ideal conditions for plants to grow efficiently everywhere – making possible durable farming and biodiversity conservation on Earth, and optimized life-support in space.

THIS POSITION REQUIRES LOCATION FLEXIBILITY AND TRAVELLING BETWEEN LOS ANGELES – PARIS – CAP CANAVERAL SITES.

YOUR ROLE

As a Mechanical Engineer, you will have the unique opportunity to work with a cross functional team of engineers that consolidates execution between product analysis, design, and production extending through product system verification and operations. You will be equally anchored in all disciplines giving you the ability to spearhead change at the inception of product development, through production, to product system validation.

The Mechanical Engineer will be part of product development team and responsible for the design, implementation and maintenance for all mechanical systems supporting the production and operations of Interstellar Lab. This role will be responsible for providing technical support for the design, operation, and troubleshooting of products’ mechanical components, parts and systems, while overseeing mechanical installations and maintenance activities.

Your creativity and relentless commitment to quality will be expected to analyze, create and maintain mechanical systems designs, define and improve processes, and develop product validation techniques in order to ultimately build a state-of-the-art and fully reusable mechanical system capable of safely and reliably meeting required performances and allowing for user operations. You will also put your engineering knowledge to the test by performing real-time troubleshooting on the products as it goes from the integration phase through operations. Our fundamental goal is to allow life to grow anywhere; with it comes extreme responsibility to ensure the safety of plants materials and users in charge of growing them.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Own hardware from conceptual design through production and operation for Interstellar Lab products
• Design and develop mechanical and fluid systems for various products, scales and maturity levels
• Develop design criteria, collaborate on requirements, drive system architecture definition and system-level optimization
• Perform analysis on designs of components and systems including hand calculations, FEA, and CAD in a rapidly changing environment
• Rapidly iterate on designs and analysis to inform high level systems trades and steer overall product direction
• Drive DFMA to create elegant designs with a focus on piece part and process count reductions, error proofing at every step of fabrication and integration, and consistent performance and production metrics
• Develop functional specifications, procedures, and documentation required for integrating modules, subsystems, and assemblies into larger systems
• Use your well-rounded technical knowledge to display proficiency in basic structural sizing, mechanisms, thermal and power dissipation and design while making development decisions based on cost and schedule considerations
• Establish an efficient product lifecycle starting in the supply chain all the way through final integration that balances cost, complexity, and quality; work closely with partner teams to design and realize an efficient in-house production line
• Perform environmental and performance testing on hardware to validate analysis and demonstrate compliance to design criteria
• Support and perform reliability testing, hardware verification, and validation.
• Own product delivery timeline through conception, design, fabrication and assembly
• Demonstrate complete end to end project ownership in support of successful testing and implementation of the hardware you design
• Demonstrate extreme ownership of product outcomes at every stage of development and production 
• Coordinate with engineers from other disciplines to establish a complete system design
• Lead design reviews internally and externally with suppliers and customers
• Interface with our OEM partners, suppliers, and component suppliers.
• Travel to remote offices, engineering partners, and manufacturing partners.
• Exemplify technical excellence and be accountable for your work

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

• High school diploma or equivalency certificate
• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, aerospace or equivalent engineering or STEM discipline
• 7+ years of experience with mechanical systems design, development, analysis, testing, manufacturing and project execution

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Strong mechanical engineering fundamentals with extensive hands-on hardware development experience
• Experience using a CAD software design package (preferred CATIA / 3DExperience)
• Previous experience managing large CAD assembly models and drawings
• Experience using FEM/FEA software to perform structural analysis (preferred SIMULIA / 3DExperience)
• Demonstrated understanding of structural analysis and failure modes of complex mechanical systems
• Systems-level thinker also able to perform detailed work
• Prior ownership of a complex component or assembly from initial design through delivery of complex mechanical systems
• Experience with detailed drawing documentation
• Solid understanding and application of GD&T (Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing)
• Familiarity with welded structures, welding processes and fluid systems
• Familiarity with standard process equipment (piping, piping components, valves, pumps)
• Familiarity with various manufacturing techniques and machine tools (e.g. welding, mill, lathe, waterjet, plasma)
• Ability to work well in an integrated collaborative team environment including daily interactions with technicians, engineers, and managers
• Acute attention to detail, ability to see interactions with other systems to avoid problems
• Able to quickly assess an issue and assist technicians with troubleshooting and repair
• Ability to prioritize and execute tasks in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
• Passion for hands on work when needed to enable project completion
• Self-motivated with strong organizational, written, and oral communication skills

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to perform job duties that require standing, kneeling, crouching, twisting upper body, working in cramped positions in small opening and climbing hand over hand, lifting 25 lbs., and working on ladders/lifts at elevated heights
• Ability to work in indoor/outdoor environments requiring exposure to heat and cold  
• Ability to rapidly change roles/responsibilities while working in a high-paced, challenging work environment

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at Interstellar Lab. You may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of company stock, stock options, or long-term cash awards. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, paid parental leave, and various other discounts and perks.

Interstellar Lab is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.  Interstellar Lab does not discriminate on the basis of race, regional color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.