Mechanical Engineer - Structures

About Us

Our mission is to safeguard critical space infrastructure by providing the first integrated security platform to see threats, decide fast and respond at scale. Where spacecraft have traditionally been costly, slow to produce and require extensive effort to coordinate, SMC is developing systems that are produced at scale and operated with human-on-the-loop autonomy to drastically reduce the cost and complexity of orbital operations. As space becomes more congested and contested, the satellites that underpin modern life, including communications, navigation, and financial systems, are increasingly exposed. We are developing the vehicles and software to protect them, working with commercial operators and government agencies across allied nations. Our approach is grounded in economics as much as engineering.

The Optimus Viper Rapid Response Vehicle delivers genuine mission capability at a fraction of conventional spacecraft cost, designed for high-volume production and rapid deployment across all orbital regimes. Solstice OS, our AI-driven command and control platform, fuses space domain awareness data and automates mission planning and vehicle coordination, allowing smaller teams to manage larger constellations and respond to emerging situations in seconds rather than hours. The future of space depends on assets that can be inspected, monitored, and protected in orbit. We are building the technology to make that possible.

Why Join Us

We’re a start-up - things move fast, resources are lean, and we’re building as we go. What we offer is opportunity: to learn at speed, grow with the company, and leave your fingerprints on something that’s never been done before. At Space Machines Company, engineers, innovators, and problem solvers join forces to push the limits of what’s possible. If you want to build technology designed to protect and power humanity’s future in space - and see your work make a visible impact - this is where you’ll do it.

How We Work

We are builders first. We approach every challenge through a cycle of design, build, test, and refine - making ideas real, learning from results, and improving with each iteration. We challenge assumptions to make sure we’re solving the right problems, and we strengthen our solutions through collaboration and feedback. We use process where it adds value and set it aside where it slows us down. There are a lot of firsts here, and we meet them with curiosity and courage. We win as one team.

As our Mechanical Engineer - Structures, you play a central role in the design, build, and testing of our Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO) capable spacecraft. You spend your time designing and analysing structural components at unit and system level, working on generative design projects, and interfacing with other spacecraft subsystems and external payload partners with a particular focus on optical payloads and assembly, integration, and testing. We aim to produce vehicles at production scale, so production-ready design and pragmatic solutions are critical.

This is an in-office role at our Sydney (Botany) facility. In this role, you own outcomes from end to end, including:

• Project Delivery - Deliver projects from conceptual design through to final integration.
• Structural Design & Analysis - Design and analyse structural components using Siemens NX and Ansys Mechanical, ensuring key components operate effectively in the harsh environment of space.
• Design Optimisation - Deliver optimised components while maintaining design requirements. Develop requirements for generative design and topology optimised components and structures.
• Verification & Validation - Verify and validate the performance of the spacecraft structural system.
• Compliance - Ensure compliance with vehicle and unit level requirements defined by regulation and mission objectives.
• Documentation & Communication - Document work to a standard presentable to external partners and regulators. Proactively develop workflows and communicate effectively across disciplines.
• Innovation & Iteration - Drive innovation, iteration and design of key components with limited information and supervision.

About You

You’ll thrive in this role if you bring:

• A builder's mindset - turning concepts into flight-ready hardware through hands-on design, analysis, and testing.
• An iterative approach - designing, building, testing, learning, and improving with each cycle.
• Collaboration and curiosity - working across disciplines and with external partners, and exploring beyond your own expertise.
• Adaptability and ownership - thriving in a fast-scaling, evolving environment and driving outcomes end to end without waiting for perfect specifications.

Proven experience:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in mechanical engineering or a related discipline.
• 3+ years of experience in aerospace or another highly technical engineering field.
• Design and analysis of structural components and systems, including vibration and acoustic analysis.
• Static, dynamic, and acoustic simulations using professional analysis tools.
• CAD design and drafting, taking designs from concept through to physical implementation.
• Algorithmic design and topology optimisation.
• A foundation in design for space applications.
• Working effectively both independently and in teams.

Bonus experience:

• Research degree in mechanical engineering.
• 5+ years of experience in aerospace or another highly technical engineering field.
• Experience in design for space applications.
• Strong competence in design and drafting with Siemens NX.
• Experience with Nastran and/or Ansys for structural, vibration, and acoustic analysis.
• Experience within start-up, scale-up, or small companies.

What You Actually Get

You won't get rich quickly. But you'll get:

• Competitive salary - Fair pay for hard work. Commensurate with experience and the impact you'll have.
• Meaningful equity (ESOP) - Real ownership stake. Stock options that matter because you're joining early enough for them to matter. If we win, you win.
• Actual leave - Annual leave plus personal/sick days. Because even warriors need to recover.
• Public holidays - All of them.
• Freedom - Real freedom to build, decide, and move without waiting for permission. That's not a benefit you'll find in a package description, but it's worth more than most perks on this list.