Principal Spacecraft Design Engineer

Company Description

Astroscale U.S. is dedicated to the global Astroscale vision of ensuring the safe and sustainable development of space for future generations.  Astroscale U.S. Inc. is a leading provider of on-orbit servicing solutions — including inspection, transportation, life extension, debris removal and refueling — for the U.S. government and commercial operators around the world. Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Astroscale U.S. applies world-class rendezvous, proximity operations and docking capabilities, mission design, policy, and economics expertise to solve the complex challenges our customers face. 

Astroscale U.S. Inc. is currently seeking a Principal Spacecraft Design Engineer to join our team in our Denver, Colorado location. In this role, you will work on systems design of a variety of programs for Astroscale service missions. You will be integral to developing the on-orbit servicing solutions that will deliver our vision of a sustainable space environment.

Job Description

• Deliver an integrated technical solution for a satellite system that meets the prime’s expectations, mission requirements and concept of operations.
• Responsible for the system level design of space systems across all phases of the project, including requirement analysis, sensitivity analysis, mission analysis, and design trade-offs.
• Lead architectural trades and interface definition for deployment and hosting of on-orbit servicing payloads.
• Leverage technical knowledge to analyze, investigate and resolve technical risks and exploit opportunities. 
• Define, create, and management of necessary systems engineering artifacts and management of the satellite technical baseline.
• Act as the primary technical liaison to the prime contractor.
• Support the project’s cost and schedule budget through risk management and regular design reviews.
• Administer relevant standards and requirement compliance including for flight safety, launch, and licensing enforce
• International travel (<25%) will be expected to support meetings with the customer

Qualifications

• Thorough understanding of all aspects of the satellite system life cycle, including designing and analyzing space and ground segments to the subsystem level.
• Demonstrated experience with on-time satellite delivery, including management of CONOPS, requirements, ICDs and technical budgets through operations.
• On-orbit rendezvous and proximity operations experience is highly desired.
• Familiarity with spacecraft level environmental testing, launch, and commissioning.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, dynamic work environment; self-driven and motivated.
• Must possess the ability to understand new concepts quickly and apply them accurately and organize work assignments to meet established timetables.
• Strong communication, computer, documentation, presentation, and interpersonal skills are required, as well as the ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Experienced professional with 15+ years’ experience in engineering and operations with at least 3 years in engineering leadership role.
• Bachelor’s degree minimum, Master’s degree or PhD preferred in science, technology, engineering or math, or equivalent experience.

Additional Information

If you’re passionate about our mission and believe you’d be an outstanding addition to our team, don’t worry about checking every single box—or having a background solely in aerospace or defense. At Astroscale U.S., we’re committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and open-minded environment. We embrace a wide range of perspectives, experiences, and ways of thinking. If you’re excited about contributing to our work and think you’d thrive in this role, we encourage you to apply.

Salary range: $165,000 – $205,000. The salary range represents the low and high end of the Astroscale U.S. Inc. salary range for this position. Actual salaries will vary and may be above or below the range based on various factors including but not limited to experience, knowledge, and ability as applicable to the role.

The application deadline is August 7, 2025.

Please note Astroscale U.S. is a U.S. Government registered, export control compliant company, as such applicants should be a U.S. person or U.S. citizen.

Astroscale U.S. Inc. is an E-Verify employer.