Job Description

Overview

Axiom Space is seeking a Senior Mechanical Engineer to support the design, development, test, and evaluation of structural and mechanical components for the first commercial space station. This role is based at the Space Station Development Facility in Webster, Texas.

Responsibilities

  • Own all aspects of the design, development, test, and evaluation of structural and mechanical components of the commercial space station systems.
  • Execute the engineering product lifecycle, holding regular design reviews.
  • Develop requirements and design criteria.
  • Perform preliminary analysis using free-body diagrams, hand calculations & FEA.
  • Deliver high-quality models and drawings in a fast-paced environment.
  • Oversee manufacturing and assembly of hardware.
  • Accountable for designs, calculations, analysis, and results.
  • Present findings and respond to questions from managers, clients, and customers.
  • Systematically document progress, capture knowledge, and maintain an engineering notebook.
  • Perform additional job duties as assigned.

Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree in aerospace, mechanical engineering, or related field required; Master’s degree preferred.
  • 5 to 8 years of relevant experience in mechanical engineering applied to mechanisms, mechatronics in aeronautical and space, automotive or robotics engineering field.
  • Strong knowledge of static & dynamics, structural analysis, fracture control, fatigue, thermal effects, materials & lubrication.
  • Demonstrated product development from initial concept to manufacturing, including requirements writing, risk reduction through verification and validation strategies.
  • Experience with SOLIDWORKS 3D modeling software or similar CAD tool.
  • Experience with FEA software packages (Ansys, Nastran preferred) and MathWorks MATLAB & Simulink products.
  • Experience creating engineering drawings and GD&T per ASME Y-14.5.
  • Experience with Design for manufacturing, qualification & acceptance testing.
  • Background with Spaceflight hardware design & NASA standards preferred.
  • Uses good judgement to problem-solve proactively.
  • Demonstrated organization skills to meet tight deadlines with high quality results.

Additional Information

  • Position requires access to export-controlled technical data or technology subject to NASA regulations, ITAR, or EAR.
  • Final candidates may be required to undergo additional export-control screening.
  • Must be willing to work evenings and weekends as needed to meet critical project milestones.
  • Generally, an office environment, but can involve inside or outside work depending on the task.

How this job compares in Houston, TX

Pay in context

This employer didn't publish a rate. For reference, welding jobs in Houston, TX currently run a median of $27/hr in our index, with the middle half of them falling between $22–$37/hr across 86 postings with published pay. That median is a reasonable floor to anchor on when a recruiter asks what you're looking for.

The local market in Houston, TX

We're tracking 341 other active welding openings in Houston, TX right now, from 193 different employers. 94 of them were added in the last week. Across Texas as a whole we're tracking 1,256 other active welding openings from 597 employers. A metro this active generally means you have real leverage — employers here are competing for the same welders. Browse every welding job in Houston, or widen the search to Texas.

Axiom Space currently has 3 other openings live in Texas, which is usually a sign of either steady growth or steady turnover — worth asking which in the interview.

The most active employers in Texas at the moment, by number of open welding reqs, are Austin Industries (29), Welding Shop in Austin, TX (27), and Zachry Group (23). Volume like that usually means either a genuine expansion or a staffing agency working several client sites — worth knowing which before you apply.

Within Texas, the best-paying metros we track by median hourly rate are Midlothian at $38/hr, Irving at $38/hr, and Pasadena at $37/hr. If you can relocate or commute, that spread is worth factoring in.

Certifications this posting mentions

  • ASME Section IX — the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code qualification. It covers welding on pressure-retaining equipment — boilers, vessels, and process piping — where a failed weld is a safety incident rather than a rework ticket.

Read straight from this posting's text. Confirm the exact qualification the employer wants before you test — requirements vary by shop even under the same code.

Similar openings near Houston, TX

Pay figures are medians computed from live postings in the Welding Pros index, not from survey data, and they move as employers post. Mechanical Engineer - Structures & Mechanisms figures were last recalculated when this page was built.