YOUR MISSION

We are seeking a Mechanical Engineer, Tooling and MGSE (Senior - Staff) to serve as technical authority and team leader for tooling and ground support equipment across our Space Systems programs. The title and scope will be calibrated to your depth of experience — at the senior end you will operate as a highly autonomous individual contributor; at the staff and lead end you will own program tooling strategy, lead a team, define standards, and serve as the primary interface with program leadership and government stakeholders. Specific level will be determined based on candidate experience. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Serve as technical authority for spacecraft tooling and MGSE — from requirements definition through design, fabrication, qualification, configuration control, and sustained production support. 
• Lead design of complex tooling including precision assembly fixtures, spacecraft lifting and handling systems, gravity offload equipment, optical handling fixtures, transportation/environmental containers, and STE/ATP fixtures. 
• Define tooling engineering strategies, standards, and best practices; champion DFM/DFMA adoption and drive continuous improvement across the tooling lifecycle. 
• Lead or manage a team of tooling engineers and designers: assign work, perform design checker duties, manage deliverable quality, and support career development. 
• Own the full vendor relationship lifecycle: SOW/RFQ development, source selection, fabrication oversight, technical disposition of non-conformances, and supplier performance management. 
• Chair or co-chair tooling PDR/CDR; present tooling status, risk, and schedule posture to program management, customers, and government stakeholders. 
• Define and enforce cleanroom tooling protocols; collaborate with facilities to maintain cleanroom certification and AI&T readiness. 
• Lead root cause investigations on complex tooling anomalies; drive systemic CAPA across the portfolio. 
• Own configuration control discipline across the complete tooling data package: models, drawings, BOMs, work instructions, and proof test records. 
• Develop and maintain tooling schedules and budgets; provide accurate EAC inputs and proactively surface cost and schedule risks. 
• Represent tooling/MGSE at spacecraft hardware PDR/CDR; provide producibility and toolability guidance to design engineering teams. 
• Ensure compliance with ASME BTH-1, NASA SP-8077, JSC-65289, ASME Y14.5, ASME Y14.100, and applicable MIL-STDs across all team deliverables. 

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related STEM field. Graduate degree strongly preferred for staff and lead roles. 
• Minimum 8 years of professional experience in tooling, MGSE, or manufacturing engineering within aerospace or defense. Staff and lead roles typically require 12+ years with demonstrated team leadership. 
• Expert proficiency in 3D CAD (CREO, NX, or CATIA V5) and PLM/PDM (Windchill, Teamcenter). 
• Expert application of GD&T (ASME Y14.5) and advanced tolerance analysis; qualified to serve as technical checker for team and vendor designs. 
• Proven record of managing complex tooling programs from concept through sustained production. 
• Strong vendor management: SOW development, source selection, performance management, and disposition of non-conformances. 
• Demonstrated leadership: mentoring engineers, driving team performance, and influencing cross-functional partners. 
• Executive-level communication skills; experienced presenting to senior leadership, customers, and government stakeholders. 
• U.S. citizenship or equivalent ITAR eligibility; active Secret clearance required. TS/SCI eligibility preferred. 

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Extensive direct experience with spacecraft, satellite, or launch vehicle tooling and MGSE in a cleanroom AI&T environment. 
• Experience with optical instrument handling, precision alignment fixtures, and passive gravity offload systems for deployable structures. 
• Structural analysis expertise (ANSYS, FEMAP/NASTRAN) qualifying lifting equipment to ASME BTH-1 and NASA SP-8077. 
• Experience managing a tooling portfolio spanning 20+ active designs across concurrent programs. 
• Demonstrated expertise designing large structural weldments for aerospace GSE and tooling — welded steel frames, lifting structures, integration stands, and handling bases — with proficiency in weld joint design, weld symbol specification per AWS A2.4, pre- and post-weld distortion control, material selection for weldability, and vendor qualification of weld procedure specifications (WPS) and welder certifications. 
• Prior experience as configuration control authority for a major program's tooling design data package. 
• Prior experience or familiarity with launch site complications. 
• Active Secret or TS/SCI clearance. 

COMPENSATION

• Base Salary:  $125,000 - $255,000

• Equity + Benefits including Health, Dental, Vision, HRA/HSA options, PTO and paid holidays, 401K, Parental Leave 

Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, location, and experience. 

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Work Location—Successful candidates will be located near Denver or Long Beach. 
• Work environment—the work environment; temperature, noise level, inside or outside, or other factors that will affect the person's working conditions while performing the job.
• Physical demands—the physical demands of the job, including bending, sitting, lifting and driving.

This position will be open until it is successfully filled. To submit your application, please follow the directions below. #LI-Onsite 

YOUR MISSION

We are seeking a Senior or Staff Mechanical Engineer, Space Based Interceptors Tooling & MGSE Design to serve as technical authority and team leader for tooling and ground support equipment across our Space Based Interceptors programs. The title and scope will be calibrated to your depth of experience — at the senior end you will operate as a highly autonomous individual contributor with recognized domain expertise; at the staff and lead end you will own the full program tooling strategy, lead a team, set engineering standards, and serve as the primary interface with program leadership, MDA program offices, and government stakeholders. All candidates should bring 8+ years of tooling and MGSE experience within missile defense, missile systems, rocket propulsion, or closely related defense manufacturing domains. Specific level will be determined based on candidate experience.  

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Serve as technical authority for Space Based Interceptors tooling and MGSE — from requirements definition through design, fabrication, qualification, configuration control, and sustained production support. 
• Lead design of complex tooling including precision interceptor assembly fixtures, kill vehicle integration tooling, canister and launcher assembly GSE, STE/ATP fixtures, below-the-hook lifting devices, and missile transportation and environmental containers. 
• Define tooling engineering strategies, standards, and best practices; champion DFM/DFMA adoption and drive continuous improvement across the tooling lifecycle. 
• Lead or manage a team of tooling engineers and designers: assign work, perform design checker duties, manage deliverable quality, and support career development. 
• Own the full vendor relationship lifecycle: SOW/RFQ development, source selection, fabrication oversight, technical disposition of non-conformances, and supplier performance management. 
• Chair or co-chair tooling PDR/CDR; present tooling status, risk, and schedule posture to program management, MDA program offices, and government stakeholders. 
• Maintain and enforce DoD, MDA, and ATF safety and regulatory compliance across all tooling and GSE designs; serve as the program's tooling safety authority. 
• Lead root cause investigations on complex tooling anomalies; drive systemic CAPA to prevent recurrence across the portfolio. 
• Own configuration control discipline across the complete tooling data package: models, drawings, BOMs, work instructions, lift safety assessments, and proof test records. 
• Develop and maintain tooling program schedules and budgets; provide accurate EAC inputs and proactively surface and mitigate cost and schedule risks. 
• Represent tooling/MGSE at Space Based Interceptors hardware PDR/CDR; provide producibility and toolability guidance to hardware design teams. 
• Ensure compliance with ASME BTH-1, MIL-STD-882E, ASME Y14.5, ASME Y14.100, and applicable MDA and program-specific tooling standards across all team deliverables. 

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related STEM field. Graduate degree strongly preferred for staff and lead roles. 
• Minimum 8 years of professional experience in tooling, MGSE, or manufacturing engineering within Space Based Interceptors, missile systems, rocket propulsion, or munitions manufacturing. Staff and lead roles typically require 12+ years with demonstrated team leadership. 
• Expert proficiency in 3D CAD (CREO, NX, or CATIA V5) and PLM/PDM (Windchill, Teamcenter). 
• Expert application of GD&T (ASME Y14.5) and advanced tolerance analysis; qualified to serve as technical checker for team and vendor designs. 
• Proven record of managing complex missile defense tooling programs from concept through sustained production. 
• Deep experience directing fabrication vendors: SOW development, source selection, performance management, and disposition of non-conformances. 
• Demonstrated DoD/MDA regulatory knowledge: MIL-STD-882E system safety, ATF Employee Possessor requirements, and ordnance-adjacent manufacturing compliance. 
• Executive-level communication skills; experienced presenting to senior program leadership, MDA program offices, and government stakeholders. 
• U.S. citizenship required; active Secret clearance required. TS/SCI eligibility required for certain program assignments. 

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Extensive direct experience as tooling technical lead on major Space Based Interceptors programs: THAAD, PAC-3/MSE, SM-3 Block IIA, GMD/GBI, Next Generation Interceptor (NGI), JASSM, LRASM, or equivalent MDA/Army/Navy programs. 
• Deep experience with kill vehicle integration tooling, canister and launcher assembly tooling, and precision interceptor handling GSE. 
• Experience managing ATF Employee Possessor status programs and associated tooling and handling safety regimes. 
• Structural analysis expertise (ANSYS, FEMAP/NASTRAN) qualifying lifting and handling equipment to ASME BTH-1 and MIL-STD-882E. 
• Experience managing a tooling portfolio spanning 20+ active designs across multiple concurrent MDA or service-funded programs. 
• Prior experience authoring missile handling safety assessments, ordnance tooling qualification plans, and ATF compliance documentation. 
• Deep knowledge of solid rocket motor handling, assembly, and storage tooling requirements. 
• Demonstrated expertise designing large structural weldments for aerospace GSE and tooling — welded steel frames, launcher support structures, integration stands, and handling bases — with proficiency in weld joint design, weld symbol specification per AWS A2.4, pre- and post-weld distortion control, material selection for weldability, and vendor qualification of WPS and welder certifications. 
• Active Secret or TS/SCI clearance. 

COMPENSATION

• Base Salary:  
  • $125,000 - $255,000

• Equity + Benefits including Health, Dental, Vision, HRA/HSA options, PTO and paid holidays, 401K, Parental Leave 

Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, location, and experience. 

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Work Location—Successful candidates will be located near Denver or Long Beach. 
• Work environment—the work environment; temperature, noise level, inside or outside, or other factors that will affect the person's working conditions while performing the job.
• Physical demands—the physical demands of the job, including bending, sitting, lifting and driving.

This position will be open until it is successfully filled. To submit your application, please follow the directions below. #LI-Onsite

YOUR MISSION

We are seeking a Manager of Tooling & mechanical ground support equipment (MGSE) Engineering to build, lead, and develop a high-performing team of tooling and MGSE engineers across our Space Systems and Missile Defense programs. This is a people leadership role that also maintains your connection to the work through executing scope. You will own the organizational health, develop department best practices, standard process, requirements, technical direction, hiring, and career development of a team spanning entry-level through staff-level engineers working on spacecraft AI&T tooling, mechanical GSE, special test equipment, and missile defense integration tooling. You will partner closely with program management, flight engineering, as well as manufacturing and test to ensure the tooling function delivers with speed, precision, and quality across all active programs and balance stakeholder needs. If you are a seasoned tooling engineer who is ready to lead a team doing some of the most consequential manufacturing engineering work in the defense space industry, this is your mission.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Team Leadership & People Management

• Build, lead, and develop a team of Tooling & MGSE Design Engineers across Spacecraft and Missile Defense programs at GravityWorks Denver and Long Beach facilities.
• Own all people management responsibilities: hiring, onboarding, performance management, compensation reviews, career development, and succession planning.
• Partner with recruiting to define roles, calibrate levels, and close top talent; actively contribute to technical screens and hiring decisions.
• Set clear performance expectations and individual development plans; identify and grow future technical leads and staff engineers.
• Foster an inclusive, high-trust team culture grounded in True Anomaly's values of relentless ownership, intellectual curiosity, and first-principles thinking.

Technical Authority & Engineering Standards

• Serve as the engineering authority and escalation point for tooling and MGSE design decisions across all active programs.
• Develop and maintain tooling engineering standards, design practices, and configuration control disciplines; own the process from requirements definition through fabrication, acceptance, and production use.
• Establish design review cadence, perform technical checker duties on high-criticality deliverables, and ensure quality and completeness of all tooling data packages.
• Ensure the MGSE function is effectively represented at program-level design reviews (PDR/CDR); interface with program managers, chief engineers, and government customers on tooling status, risk, and schedule.

Program Execution & Vendor Management

• Lead resource planning and capacity management; balance engineer assignments across concurrent Spacecraft and Missile Defense programs and flag resourcing gaps to leadership.
• Own the vendor management framework: guide SOW/RFQ development, support source selection, and provide executive oversight of supplier performance across the fabrication portfolio.
• Drive DFM/DFMA culture across the team and into upstream hardware design organizations; establish formal touchpoints between tooling engineers and external stakeholders.
• Champion continuous improvement in tooling design efficiency, fabrication cycle time, and manufacturing repeatability.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related STEM field. Graduate degree strongly preferred.
• Minimum 8 years of professional experience in tooling, MGSE, or manufacturing engineering within aerospace or defense, with at least 3 years in a formal people management role leading a team of engineers.
• Clear understanding of product life cycles and program execution – ability to develop execution plans with little information provided
• Demonstrated success hiring, developing, and retaining engineering talent across multiple experience levels (entry through staff).
• Expert proficiency in 3D CAD (CREO, NX, or CATIA V5) and PLM/PDM configuration management (Windchill or Teamcenter).
• Strong application of GD&T (ASME Y14.5) and advanced tolerance analysis; qualified to serve as technical checker for team and vendor designs.
• Proven track record managing a complex tooling portfolio across multiple concurrent programs from concept through sustained production.
• Deep vendor management experience: SOW development, source selection, performance management, and disposition of non-conformances.
• Strong cross-functional leadership; ability to influence program management, flight engineering, manufacturing, and quality organizations without direct authority.
• Executive-level communication skills; experienced presenting to senior leadership, customers, and government stakeholders.
• U.S. citizenship required; active Secret clearance required. TS/SCI eligibility required for certain program assignments.

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Direct management experience leading tooling or manufacturing engineering teams of 5 or more engineers in an aerospace or defense environment.
• Hands-on experience in both spacecraft/satellite AI&T tooling and missile defense tooling or GSE; depth in one domain or the other is preferred - meaningful exposure to the other is a added bonus.
• Experience building tooling engineering functions from the ground up at a high-growth defense or new space company, including role ladders, hiring processes, and team standards.
• Structural weldment design for aerospace GSE: weld joint design, AWS A2.4 symbol specification, distortion control, material weldability, and WPS/welder certification vendor qualification.
• Structural analysis capability (ANSYS, FEMAP/NASTRAN); experience qualifying lifting and handling equipment to ASME BTH-1, NASA SP-8077, and MIL-STD-882E.
• Familiarity with MDA program office requirements and DoD/MDA acquisition processes for tooling and GSE on classified or sensitive programs.
• Experience managing ATF Employee Possessor status programs and ordnance-adjacent manufacturing safety regimes.
• Active Secret or TS/SCI clearance.

COMPENSATION

• Base Salary: $140,000-$225,000
• Equity + Benefits including Health, Dental, Vision, HRA/HSA options, PTO and paid holidays, 401K, Parental Leave 

Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, location, and experience. 

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to maintain or obtain TS//SCI clearance
• Work Location: this role will be onsite at either our Centennial, CO or Long Beach, CA location, with travel to other sites as needed.
• Work environment is in a standard office, working at a desk or in a production factory.
• Physical demands may include frequent standing, sitting, walking, bending, and lifting or carrying items up to 20lbs.

This position will be open until it is successfully filled. To submit your application, please follow the directions below. #LI-Onsite