Director of Mechanical Engineering

About TP

First Principle has been retained by a highly ambitious space technology company developing a next-generation satellite platform, tackling one of the more complex engineering challenges currently underway in the commercial space sector.

With first-of-a-kind technical demonstrations recently achieved and a clear path toward flight hardware, the company is now entering a critical phase of development: translating novel architectures into fully integrated spacecraft capable of operating reliably in orbit for years at a time.

Your Responsibilities

• Define and lead the mechanical architecture of a new class of spacecraft, spanning structural systems, mechanisms, deployment structures, and associated hardware.
• Own the development lifecycle of critical mechanical subsystems, from early concept through detailed design, prototype development, environmental testing, and launch readiness.
• Lead a multidisciplinary mechanical engineering team responsible for delivering flight hardware that meets demanding reliability, manufacturability, and mass constraints.
• Drive design-for-manufacturing and scalability across spacecraft mechanical systems, ensuring that early prototypes can evolve into hardware capable of serial production.
• Work closely with systems, electrical, and manufacturing teams to integrate mechanical subsystems into a coherent spacecraft platform.
• Oversee structural analysis and verification activities, ensuring designs meet the environmental and operational demands of the space environment.
• Act as a senior technical leader, setting the engineering bar for mechanical development across the organization.

Success Criteria

• We expect candidates to bring deep experience designing and delivering complex mechanical systems operating in demanding environments, with senior engineering leadership experience in aerospace, space systems, defense hardware, or similarly complex engineered platforms.
• A track record of delivering mechanical systems from concept through integration and operational deployment. Ideally, this person will have deep expertise in spacecraft structures and mechanisms.
• Experience working within highly multidisciplinary engineering organizations where mechanical systems must integrate seamlessly with electrical, optical, and software-driven subsystems.
• Comfort operating within a fast-moving startup environment where engineering leaders are expected to combine technical depth with hands-on problem-solving.

Opportunity

This role represents the chance to work on one of the more ambitious engineering programs currently underway in the commercial space sector, with a rare opportunity to define the mechanical foundations for a new generation of orbital infrastructure.

You will shape system architecture, build and lead a high-performing engineering team, and directly influence the design of spacecraft, which will ultimately operate at a globe-spanning constellation scale.