Lead Mechanical Engineer - Space Systems with Security Clearance

Position Title: Lead Mechanical Engineer - Space Systems Work Location: Albuquerque, NM • Clearance Requirement: Active Top-Secret security clearance is required. • Employment Type: Full-time About Us: BlackVe, Inc. is a mission-first, dynamic, and innovative national security-focused company focused on emerging space and advanced technologies dedicated to pushing the boundaries of engineering excellence in support of our government customers.

Job Description: BlackVe is seeking a highly experienced Mechanical Engineer to lead a team in the design, analysis, integration, and testing of spacecraft and space-related hardware. This position will be responsible for complex mechanical and structural engineering activities throughout the product lifecycle-from requirements definition and preliminary design through fabrication, integration, qualification, and delivery. The ideal candidate brings a mastery of structural analysis, mechanical design, materials selection, and environmental testing.

This individual will work closely with systems, electrical, manufacturing, quality, and program teams to develop reliable, high-performance solutions that meet demanding mission requirements. This is a fully on-site position based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This is a fully on-site position based in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Key Responsibilities and Essential Job Functions: Structural Analysis • Perform detailed static, modal, vibration, and thermal analyses of spacecraft structures, fasteners, sub-systems, components, and moving mechanical assemblies. • Conduct finite element analysis to evaluate stress, stiffness, deformation, vibration response, thermal effects, and structural margins. • Assess on-orbit hardware performance and launch survivability under random vibration, static loads, and thermally-induced loading conditions. • Document analysis methods, assumptions, results, margins of safety, and reduction models for launch vehicle payload data packages. • Oversee the work product quality of other mechanical engineers.

Mechanical Design and Integration • Lead the design and integration of spacecraft mechanical subsystems, structures, mechanisms, and associated hardware. • Develop designs that satisfy performance, mass, envelope, manufacturability, reliability, and mission requirements. • Create and review engineering drawings, CAD models, interface definitions, bills of materials, and configuration-controlled documentation. • Ensure mechanical designs are compatible with electrical, thermal, optical, propulsion, and other spacecraft systems. • Support design reviews, including preliminary design reviews, critical design reviews, test readiness reviews, and production readiness reviews. • Identify technical risks and recommend practical mitigation strategies.

Requirements Interpretation and Verification • Translate customer, system, and mission requirements into clear mechanical and structural engineering specifications. • Develop verification approaches and ensure requirements are traceable through analysis, inspection, demonstration, or testing. • Evaluate proposed design changes for technical, schedule, cost, and system-level impacts. • Prepare and maintain verification documentation, compliance evidence, and engineering rationale. • Support customer discussions and technical reviews related to mechanical performance and verification.

Material and Process Selection • Evaluate and recommend materials for structural and mechanical components based on strength, stiffness, fatigue life, thermal performance, durability, mass, manufacturability, and environmental compatibility. • Consider space-environment factors such as vacuum, thermal cycling, radiation, contamination, corrosion, and outgassing. • Collaborate with manufacturing and quality teams to define appropriate fabrication, finishing, inspection, and assembly processes. • Support material review boards, nonconformance investigations, and disposition of mechanical hardware issues.

Test Planning and Execution • Develop qualifications, acceptance, and development test plans for spacecraft structures and mechanical hardware. • Define test objectives, instrumentation, configurations, procedures, success criteria, and data requirements. • Oversee vibration, shock, thermal, structural load, and other environmental testing. • Analyze test data and correlate results with analytical models. • Investigate anomalies, identify root causes, and recommend corrective actions. • Prepare test reports and present results to internal teams, customers, and program leadership.

Technical Leadership and Collaboration • Provide technical direction and mentorship to mechanical engineers, designers, and technicians. • Coordinate engineering activities with systems engineering, manufacturing, integration and test, quality, supply chain, and program management. • Work directly with suppliers and external partners to resolve technical and manufacturing issues. • Support proposal development, technical estimates, schedules, trade studies, and program planning. • Promote disciplined engineering practices, configuration control, documentation, and continuous improvement. • Foster a culture of collaboration, personal ownership, accountability, and self-learning.

Required Qualifications: • Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical discipline. • At least 10 years of relevant mechanical, structural, aerospace, or space-systems engineering experience; an advanced degree may substitute for a portion of the experience. • Experience designing full spacecraft systems and seeing those designs through manufacturing, launch, and operations • Experience performing static, modal, launch vibration, and radiation thermal analyses. • Proficiency with finite element analysis tools such as ANSYS, NASTRAN, Abaqus, or comparable software.

ANSYS is preferred. • Proficiency with 3D CAD and mechanical design tools such as Creo, SolidWorks, CATIA, or comparable software.

SolidWorks is preferred. • Independently develops engineering drawings, properly performing GD&T • Experience planning and supporting modal, vibration, shock, thermal, and static loads testing. • Ability to interpret technical requirements and develop documented verification approaches. • Strong technical writing, problem-solving, and communication skills. • Ability to lead engineering activities and collaborate across multidisciplinary teams. • Active Top Secret security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications: • Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related discipline. • Active Top Secret or TS/SCI security clearance. • Experience supporting spacecraft development, satellite production, payload integration, and launch integration. • Experience with composite structures in aerospace applications. • Familiarity with NASA, Department of Defense, or other government space-system standards and requirements. • Experience correlating analytical models with environmental test results. • Familiarity with engineering automation tools, configuration management, and engineering change-control systems. • Demonstrated experience and success as a technical lead, supervising other engineers with responsibility for quality of their work product Work Environment: • Work is performed primarily in office, laboratory, clean-room, and manufacturing environments. • The position may require occasional travel to customers, supplier, or testing locations. • Some activities may require working outside normal business hours to support critical integration or test events. • The employee must be able to work safely around spacecraft hardware, laboratory equipment, and manufacturing operations.

Location and Travel Requirements: • This position is based in Albuquerque, NM, with occasional travel to other company locations or partner facilities as needed.

Why Join Us: • Mission first-Always.

We prioritize delivering results that directly support space and intelligence community programs and national security objectives. • We operate as one team, grounded in trust, accountability, and open collaboration, where individuals actively support one another to achieve shared mission success. • Work on high-impact programs across space, ISR, and advanced technology domains supporting DoD and IC customers. • Ownership-driven culture is founded in teamwork where every employee is an owner, with equity participation and a direct stake in our success. • Competitive compensation and benefits package, including flexible time off; 401(k) with company contribution • Constant opportunities for program and professional impact.

ITAR / EAR Requirements: This position may include access to technology and/or data that is subject to U.S. export controls pursuant to ITAR and EAR. To comply with federal export controls, all persons hired must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, U.S. lawful permanent resident, refugee or asylee as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(A)(3), or must otherwise be eligible to obtain the required authorization from the U.S. Department of State and/or U.S. Department of Commerce as applicable.

How to Apply: Please submit your resume and brief cover letter outlining your qualifications and interest on the form below. If there are any issues with applying or inquiries, please email to .