Sr. Mechanical Engineer - Ground Equipment, Leo

Description
Amazon Leo is Amazon’s low Earth orbit satellite network. Our mission is to deliver fast, reliable internet connectivity to customers beyond the reach of existing networks, from individual households to schools, hospitals, businesses, and government agencies operating in locations without reliable connectivity.

Export Control Requirement
Due to applicable export control laws and regulations, candidates must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (i.e., current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.

Role Overview
The Sr. Mechanical Engineer - Ground Support Equipment is the technical expert in design and operation of launch site ground support equipment (GSE). This role interfaces directly with launch site engineers and management to understand GSE needs for new and existing processing facilities. The engineer also develops cost estimations, leads procurement, manages vendors, runs design reviews, and establishes acceptance criteria for maintaining and commissioning hardware.

The position is responsible for designs and managing all phases for new and existing GSE in support of Amazon Leo launch operations.

• Design and manage GSE through development and build cycles to support launch operations.
• Coordinate with launch operations personnel to understand operational requirements and develop GSE to meet those requirements.
• Develop and approve specifications for performance, fabrication, acceptance test and maintenance.
• Manage external partners to ensure GSE meets specifications and timelines.
• Establish technical documentation for maintenance and payload requirements.
• Perform analysis (hand calculations and finite element analysis) to support design.
• Design and analyze concept CAD models using Siemens NX and Femap.
• Maintain and report on equipment schedule, budget, and technical status.
• Implement and continuously improve GSE operations.
• Assembly, integration, and test takt time and cost optimization planning.
• Shift schedule will vary depending on production/launch schedules.
• Must be willing and able to perform extended travel up to 25% annually, either domestically or internationally as business needs demand.

The Sr. Mechanical Engineer spends significant time collaborating with hardware engineering, quality, and manufacturing teams to determine GSE needs, maintaining hardware to support operations, leading GSE efforts at launch sites, addressing root causes of failures, and implementing corrective actions and hardware modifications.

• Experience in developing functional specifications, design verification plans, and functional test procedures.
• Bachelor’s degree in manufacturing, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, physics, material science, or related discipline, or relevant experience.
• 10+ years of technical expertise and application of engineering principles, concepts, theory, and practice with the ability to organize, plan, schedule, conduct, and coordinate workloads to meet established deadlines.
• 10+ years of experience with the design and integration of mechanical systems, electrical systems/components, and/or lifting fixtures.
• 10+ years experience in CAD modeling and drawings in programs such as Nastran, Solid Works, or CATIA.
• Able to obtain and maintain a U.S. passport and meet customs entry requirements (e.g., Yellow Fever vaccine and other immunizations as recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
• Able to pass Kennedy Space Center background checks.

• Experience working with interdisciplinary teams to execute product design from concept to production.
• Experience with the project management of technical projects.
• Finite Element Modeling (FEM) analysis of mechanical and structural components.
• Highly familiar with QTP/ATP and production test methods.
• Formal training/certification in Operational Excellence Systems (Lean, 5S, Six Sigma, etc.) is a plus.
• Strong organizational, analytical, root cause analysis, and problem‑solving skills.
• Able to stand for long periods of time and perform repetitive assembly operations.
• Able to…