Design Engineer II

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Full Time Professional Mukilteo, Mukilteo, WA, US

30+ days ago Requisition

Salary Range: $ To $ Annually

Karman Space & Defense is a leader in the rapid design, development, and production of critical, next-generation system solutions that align with the U.S. Department of War and its allies’ core mission priorities and meet the accelerating demand for access to space. Building on nearly 50 years of success, we deliver Payload & Protection Systems, Aero/Hydrodynamic Interstage Systems, and Propulsion & Launch Systems to more than 80 prime contractors supporting over 130 space and defense programs.

This role is part of our Space and Launch business, which has contributed to the nation’s space programs for decades by delivering complete solutions from concept to flight. We enable successful space operations with mission-critical technology supporting every step from first launch to final landing, including launch vehicle subsystems, propulsion systems, aerodynamic and interstage systems, and payload protection and deployment. Our high-performance solutions are engineered to operate in the most extreme environments and meet precise mission requirements.

The Design Engineer II supports the conceptualization, design, development, testing, and deployment of aerospace and flight-worthy structures, mechanisms, mechanical products, and systems. This includes the design and development of bespoke, high-energy actuation systems, including pyrotechnic, high-pressure gas, and electrical mechanisms, requiring advanced engineering design, analytical justification, and thorough validation through testing. The primary focus of this position is design support, with an emphasis on developing existing technologies into new systems for the Space Systems Integrated Product Team and supporting new business development efforts.

Successful candidates take ownership of their work, communicate technical concepts clearly, translate complex customer requirements and poorly defined problems into actionable solutions, and work collaboratively with customers and cross-functional teams. Candidates should also bring a hands‑on approach to assembling, testing, and demonstrating hardware and a curious, persistent mindset when solving challenging engineering problems.

• A strong desire to take ownership of your products, actively assembling, testing, and demonstrating hands‑on excellence that rivals our technicians.
• Proactively securing engineering concurrence on key decisions.
• Communicating clearly and succinctly, especially when explaining complex engineering concepts and generating graphics.
• Able to distill complex customer requirements and poorly defined problems into actionable scope.
• Supports all aspects of mechanical design within the engineering group.
• Supports bench and field testing of mechanical elements and systems through hands‑on fabrication, assembly, integration, instrumentation, data processing, and other activities to support design development and validation.
• Conceptualizes, designs, and develops structures, mechanisms, and mechanical systems that meet customer requirements and industry standards.
• Identifies off‑the‑shelf components, evaluates suppliers, and requests purchases to meet delivery timelines.
• Produces two‑dimensional layout drawings and three‑dimensional solid model concepts.
• Performs basic engineering calculations and analyses to ensure safe and compliant design performance.
• Assists in system design efforts and owns subsystem‑and‑component‑level design tasks.
• Documents performance requirements, compliance data, test procedures, test…