Spacecraft Mechanisms Build Engineer

Spacecraft represent the most pressing unmet need across the entire aerospace industry. As more launch vehicles come online and the cost to orbit decreases, more companies launching payloads to space continue to emerge. For the first time in history, this influx of payload companies combined with reduced launch costs has resulted in a massive increase in need for commercial spacecraft platforms, known as satellite buses. These buses hold the payloads of our customers and are flown on launch vehicles. Apex manufactures these satellite buses at scale using a combination of software, vertical integration, and hardware that is designed for manufacturing. Our spacecraft enable the future of society: ranging from earth observation to communications and more. We’d love for you to join us on our mission of providing humankind access to the galaxy beyond our planet.

Apex is seeking a Mechanisms Build Engineer to support the development, integration, scaling, and qualification of spacecraft electromechanical hardware, with a primary focus on long-life rotating assemblies and electrically driven mechanism systems. This role will support the build and test of critical spacecraft components including actuator systems, motor-driven mechanisms, reaction wheel-related hardware, deployables, and other precision electromechanical assemblies. You’ll work closely with mechanisms, avionics, controls, manufacturing, and test teams to develop scalable production and validation approaches for flight hardware that must survive demanding environments and long mission lifetimes. We’re looking for someone who is deeply practical, electromechanically minded, and excited about building, testing, troubleshooting, and scaling complex hardware systems.

Support the build, integration, and qualification of spacecraft electromechanical hardware and long-life rotating assemblies. Develop and execute component-level and system-level test campaigns for motor-driven spacecraft hardware and mechanisms. Support manufacturing scaling efforts for actuator systems and precision electromechanical components. Design and implement test setups, fixtures, instrumentation, and validation approaches for rotating assemblies and actuator hardware. Work closely with controls, avionics, and software teams to integrate and validate motor drive systems and mechanism telemetry interfaces. Support implementation and testing of Hall effect sensors, rotary encoders, resolvers, microswitches, potentiometers, and other electromechanical feedback devices. Troubleshoot hardware and system-level issues across motors, mechanisms, sensors, controls interfaces, and electrical integration. Support environmental testing including vibration, thermal vacuum, shock, lifetime, and functional performance testing. Develop manufacturing and test procedures, work instructions, assembly documentation, and production validation processes. Drive root cause investigations and corrective actions during development, qualification, and production activities. Partner with design engineering and production teams to improve manufacturability, reliability, and scalability of mechanism systems.

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, Robotics, or related technical discipline. 5+ years of hands-on experience building, integrating, testing, or qualifying electromechanical systems or rotating hardware. Experience delivering and testing flight hardware or high-reliability electromechanical systems. Strong understanding of electric motor-driven systems, rotating assemblies, actuator hardware, and electromechanical integration. Experience working with motor feedback and telemetry systems including Hall effect sensors, rotary encoders, resolvers, microswitches, and potentiometers. Hands-on experience with hardware bring-up, integration, troubleshooting, and test execution. Strong mechanical and electrical