Lead Mechanical Engineer – Laser Communications

About the role

Cowboy Space Corp. is seeking a Lead Mechanical Engineer to own the mechanical design of its laser communications payloads. You will drive the concept, architecture, integration, and qualification of high‑reliability space hardware, working across opto‑mechanical, pointing, thermal, and structural domains.

Key responsibilities

• Define and own the mechanical architecture of laser‑comm payloads from concept through production.
• Lead and mentor a team of mechanical engineers, setting technical direction and review standards.
• Develop and maintain mechanical drawings, GD&T specifications, and interface control documents for internal and vendor manufacturing.
• Conduct structural and thermal analysis, validating designs against budgets and requirements.
• Plan and execute mechanical integration and environmental qualification tests (vibration, shock, thermal‑vacuum).
• Perform system‑level trade studies on packaging, mass, and structural performance.
• Represent the mechanical team in design reviews and cross‑functional discussions.

Required profile

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, or related engineering discipline.
• 5+ years of experience in mechanical design of high‑reliability space systems.
• Proven track record delivering complex electro‑mechanical or opto‑mechanical flight hardware.
• Experience leading a team of engineers in a fast‑paced environment.

Required skills

• Mechanical design and GD&T
• Opto‑mechanical packaging
• Pointing and tracking mechanism design
• Thermal management and thermal‑vacuum testing
• Structural and thermal analysis
• Environmental qualification (vibration, shock)
• Mechanical drawing creation and ICD development