Spacecraft Mechanical Engineer Jobs

Mechanical engineers who design structures and mechanisms that survive launch and work in orbit. Mass, vibration and thermal limits shape every decision.

Open roles
4
Salary range
£38k – £76k
Hiring companies
4

Spacecraft Mechanical Engineers design satellite structures, deployable mechanisms, brackets and enclosures, and the mechanical parts of instruments. Every design has to survive the vibration and shock of launch, then work in vacuum and through large temperature swings.

UK roles come from satellite manufacturers, instrument builders, small-satellite start-ups and research organisations. Adverts ask for CAD, structural analysis, design for spaceflight standards, and experience of test campaigns.

What the role does

Inside the role of a Spacecraft Mechanical Engineer

A week combines CAD and analysis with reviews, and with hands-on support for integration and test.

  1. 01
    Design structures and mechanisms in CAD.
  2. 02
    Run structural and modal analysis for launch loads.
  3. 03
    Prepare drawings and manufacturing packs.
  4. 04
    Support vibration and thermal vacuum tests.
  5. 05
    Present designs at design reviews.
Salary on the board

£38k – £76k

Based on advertised midpoints across the 9 UK listings priced in pounds in the last 12 months. Base salary only.

Salary visibility
9% of listings advertise a salary — up from 0% the year before.
Skills & tools

What hiring managers ask for

% of 19 listings posted in the last 12 months that mention each skill, extracted from job descriptions.

GD&T
37%
Mechanical Engineering
37%
CAD
32%
FEA
32%
Structural Analysis
26%
3D CAD
21%
Mechanical Design
21%
Technical Documentation
21%
Manufacturing
16%
SolidWorks
16%
Change Management
16%
ANSYS
16%
Career ladder

From Junior to Principal

A typical UK progression for spacecraft mechanical engineers. Years are guidance — strong people move faster, and many senior folks sidestep into research, product or management.

  1. Level 1

    Graduate Mechanical Engineer

    0–2 yrs

    Designs parts and supports analysis under senior review.

  2. Level 2

    Spacecraft Mechanical Engineer

    2–5 yrs

    Owns the design of a sub-system or mechanism through test.

  3. Level 3

    Senior Mechanical Engineer

    5–10 yrs

    Leads mechanical design for a spacecraft or instrument.

  4. Level 4

    Principal Mechanical Engineer

    10+ yrs

    Sets mechanical architecture and standards across missions.

Pathway

How to become a Spacecraft Mechanical Engineer

There's no single route, but most people follow some version of these steps.

  1. 1

    Study mechanical or aerospace engineering

    An accredited degree is the standard starting point.

  2. 2

    Gain analysis skills

    Finite element analysis and an understanding of vibration are essential.

  3. 3

    Join a space programme

    Graduate schemes and small-satellite companies offer early hands-on roles.

  4. 4

    Own hardware through test

    Take a design through qualification testing and into flight.

  5. 5

    Lead mechanical design

    Become responsible for whole spacecraft or instrument structures.

Live jobs

4 live roles

NewOrbit Space

Spacecraft Mechanical Engineer

  • Reading
  • Hybrid
  • Mid-level
  • Permanent

Structural analysis of flight hardware for VLEO satellites, covering static, modal, vibration, shock and quasi-static load cases. Builds and validates finite element models, performs hand calculations, and runs vibration and shock qualification test campaigns end-to-end, including instrumentation and model correlation. Works closely with mechanical, thermal, propulsion, systems and AIT teams across the full development lifecycle.

NASTRAN · ANSYS · Abaqus +3

Visa sponsorship 6 months ago

Foundational

Opto-mechanical Engineer

  • London
  • On-site
  • Permanent

Designs mounts, benches and enclosures that keep telescope and bench optics aligned in unattended, remote stations. Owns alignment concepts, fixtures and procedures, runs thermal and structural FEA to set tolerances, and designs for manufacture, assembly and field servicing, working with the workshop and suppliers from drawing to finished part.

SolidWorks · Onshape

Last month

CesiumAstro

Principal Mechanical Engineer I

  • Cambridge
  • Lead

Owns mechanical design of satellite and aerospace electronics from concept through requirements, detailed design, simulation, manufacturing, testing, qualification and in-orbit support. Requires deep electronics packaging expertise across thermal, shock, vibration, EMI/EMC and FEA, plus mentoring junior engineers and presenting design reviews to customers and executives.

SolidWorks · Ansys · CAD +1

4 months ago

Rolls Royce · Public

Mechanical Integrity & Analysis Engineers

  • Bristol

Provides analytical expertise underpinning safe, reliable aerospace products across design, development and certification. Work spans structural and stress analysis, whole engine modelling, rotordynamics, vibration, lifing, durability and fatigue assessment for Defence programmes. Requires a mechanical or aerospace engineering background and operates in regulated engineering environments.

SC clearance Last week
Hiring locations

Where this role is hiring

The locations with the most live listings for this role today.

FAQs

Common questions

  • Not always. Aerospace, defence and automotive mechanical experience often transfers, especially at growing companies.

  • Finite element tools such as Nastran and Ansys appear most often, alongside CAD tools like Siemens NX, CATIA and SolidWorks.

  • Some programmes have nationality or clearance requirements. Adverts state these when they apply.

  • The salary section on this page is drawn from live adverts on the board.

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