Special Information

• This position is eligible for on-site, hybrid, or remote work.
  
  • On-site work requires the incumbent to complete their work primarily at an NAU site, campus, or facility with or without accommodation.  Opportunities for remote work are rare.
  • Hybrid work allows the incumbent to complete their work at both an NAU site, campus, or facility and at a non-centralized site with or without accommodation.
  • Remote work allows the incumbent to complete their work at a location other than an NAU site, campus, or facility with or without accommodation.  The incumbent may occasionally work in a shared site, but primarily will work elsewhere.
• This position is subject to the availability of funding. The incumbent is not eligible for Service Professional non-renewal notice, or Classified Staff layoff or recall status.
• This position is posted as Mechanical Engineer - Intermediate, Senior, or Lead, which is a working title.The NAU system title for this position is Instrument Engineer - Intermediate, Senior, or Lead.
• Required application materials:
  • Applicants must submit the following:
    • Curriculum vitae/resume
    • A one- to two-page cover letter
      • Cover letter must include the candidate’s level of experience supported by past employment, education, or project work.
    • Contact information for three professional references. References will be contacted only with the applicant’s prior permission.
• Export control requirements:
  • This position must comply with all U.S. laws and regulations governing the export of controlled technologies and information. Finalists will be asked to provide additional information to determine eligibility for any required export licenses or exemptions. Employment offer is contingent upon a satisfactory export control evaluation.
    
• Work schedule considerations:
  • Some duties may require work outside normal business hours, including travel, integration activities, or test campaigns.
• NAU is currently engaged in transitioning to a new employment category called University Staff, which aligns the current Classified Staff, Service Professional, and Administrator classifications into a single, unified employment group.  As a result, while the position of Mechanical Engineer, Lead is currently classified as Service Professional, effective July 1, 2026, this position will be automatically transitioned to the University Staff category.  

About the Department/College

NAU’s Radiant Center for Remote Sensing coalesces existing expertise in remote sensing and applications across the university to answer pressing scientific questions in multiple disciplines including planetary surfaces, atmospheres, ecology, forestry, wildfire science, environmental science, urban planning/geography, geoscience/volcanology, and anthropology/archeology. The Radiant Center is housed under the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) which promotes research, scholarship, and creative activity across Northern Arizona University.

About the Position

The Radiant Center seeks to hire at least one Mechanical Engineer who will support engineering activities across the full lifecycle of flight and ground systems for multiple currently funded NASA projects. Position responsibilities focus on mechanical and thermal design, analysis, integration, and testing of optical, electrical, and mechanical subsystems for instruments in laboratory, field, airborne (UAS), and spaceborne applications. Radiant is open to hiring one or more engineers at Intermediate, Senior, and/or Lead levels, depending on applicants’ experience and education.

Specific areas of focus include:

Mechanical Engineering (Primary)

• Mechanical design, CAD modeling, and assembly documentation of spaceflight hardware
• Mechanical assembly, integration, and test support
• Structural and vibration analysis for flight hardware
• Vibration and structural test planning, execution, and data review
• Mechanical ground support equipment (MGSE) design and fabrication oversight

Thermal Engineering (Secondary)

• Thermal modeling, analysis, and design for spaceflight systems and subsystems
• Thermal test planning, setup, and execution
• Thermal vacuum (TVAC) test support and data interpretation
• Development of thermal operations/testing procedures and associated documentation

Applicants should have experience supporting spacecraft or aerospace programs and be familiar with best practices in mechanical and thermal engineering. Candidates with multidisciplinary or overlapping technical expertise are encouraged to apply.

Depending upon candidates’ experience level & the level at which they are hired, responsibilities include:

Mechanical Engineer, Intermediate:

80% - Engineering

• Implements mechanical engineering design tasks for instrumentation development, with supporting thermal engineering responsibilities.
• Applies mechanical engineering principles in the design, fabrication, integration, and testing of mechanical subsystems.
• Supports thermal analysis, thermal testing, and associated documentation.
• Performs CAD modeling, mechanical drawings, and basic structural/thermal analyses to support integration and verification efforts.

10% - Technical Communication

• Develops engineering documentation and participates in design reviews.
• Supports proposal inputs, conceptual studies, and project reporting.

10% - Other

• Participates in meetings, reviews, and integration activities.
• May travel to support testing or program needs.

Mechanical Engineer, Senior:

75% - Engineering

• Oversees and implements mechanical engineering design activities, with secondary responsibility for thermal engineering and limited electrical/software coordination as needed.
• Applies mechanical engineering principles to support the design, fabrication, integration, and testing of instrumentation and subsystems.
• Performs and supports thermal modeling, analysis, and thermal test activities.
• Oversees procurement, fabrication, mechanical integration, and test efforts to ensure compliance with engineering requirements and standards.
• Performs advanced CAD modeling, structural and thermal analysis, and integration planning.

10% - Technical Communication

• Coordinates and prepares engineering documentation and contributes to design reviews.
• Supports proposal development, conceptual designs, preliminary analyses, and project reporting.

5% - Supervision

• May supervise other engineers, technical staff, and students.
• Provides technical guidance in mechanical and thermal engineering.
• Supports performance feedback and evaluation activities.

5% - Administrative Duties

• Assists in managing budgets, staffing coordination, and cost control activities.

5% - Other

• Participates in team meetings, reviews, and Center activities.
• May travel in support of program objectives.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Mechanical Engineer, Lead:

70% - Engineering

• Directs and implements mechanical engineering design for instrumentation systems, with secondary responsibility for thermal engineering and supporting roles in electrical, software, and SMA as required.
• Directs and implements application of mechanical engineering principles in the development of flight and ground instrumentation, ensuring structural integrity, environmental compatibility, and manufacturability.
• Oversees thermal engineering design and analysis to ensure thermal performance across mission environments.
• Directs procurement, fabrication, mechanical assembly, integration, and testing activities to ensure conformance to engineering design, specifications, and quality standards.
• Directs and performs advanced CAD modeling, structural and thermal analysis, and integration planning to produce drawings, analysis results, and verification artifacts.

10% - Technical Communication

• Directs and implements development of engineering documentation, mechanical and thermal design review materials, and test reports; presents designs and results at reviews.
• Leads and implements conceptual design efforts, preliminary analyses, and technical writing in support of proposals and project reporting.

10% - Supervision

• Directs and supervises professional staff, technical staff, and graduate students.
• Provides technical leadership in mechanical and thermal engineering practices.
• Monitors staff performance related to productivity, technical rigor, procedural compliance, and safety.

5% - Administrative Duties

• Coordinates budgets, staffing, and cost control for mechanical and thermal engineering activities with project management staff.

5% - Other

• Participates in team meetings, reviews, and Center activities.
• May travel in support of program objectives.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Mechanical Engineer, Intermediate:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field.
• 2 years of professional Mechanical and/or Thermal Engineering experience with spaceborne applications.

Mechanical Engineer, Senior:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field.
• 3 years of professional Mechanical and/or Thermal Engineering experience with spaceborne applications.

Mechanical Engineer, Lead:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field.
• 5 years of professional Mechanical and/or Thermal Engineering experience with spaceborne applications.

*A combination of related education, experience, and training may be used as an equivalent to the above Minimum Qualifications.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in engineering or related field.
• Prior involvement in mechanical and/or thermal engineering-focused roles.
• Broad technical background spanning mechanical and thermal design, manufacturing, and analysis of spaceflight hardware or other high‑reliability systems.
• Experience with carrying out assembly, integration, and test programs for airborne and/or spaceborne applications.
• Experience with working on projects that adhere to NASA Safety and Mission Assurance (SMA) best practices, NASA Procedural Requirements (NPR), and environmental standards (e.g., General Environmental Verification Standards - GEVS).

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

Knowledge

• Knowledge of engineering design principles and procedures.
• Knowledge of advanced techniques and the modification of theories.
• Knowledge of best practices in Mechanical and/or Thermal Engineering.
• Senior Level: Knowledge of supervisory practices and principles.
• Note: Lead level requires advanced knowledge of principles listed above.

Skills

• Skilled in engineering design applications.
• Skilled in applying engineering principles and procedures.
• Skilled in both verbal and written communication.

Abilities

• Stages and coordinates a number of projects.
• Sustains complex teams.
• Facilitates communication across individuals and teams.
• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships.
• Communicates effectively.
• Possesses strong problem solving, organizational, and analytical capabilities.

Compensation

• Mechanical Engineer, Intermediate: Anticipated salary range is $85,000 to $106,829.
• Mechanical Engineer, Senior: Anticipated salary range is $102,000 to $122,853.
• Mechanical Engineer, Lead: Anticipated salary range is $110,000 $141,281.

Annual salary commensurate with candidate's qualifications and related experience.

Pre-Employment Check

Northern Arizona University requires satisfactory results for the following: a criminal background investigation, an employment history verification and a degree verification (in some cases) prior to employment. You may also be required to complete a fingerprint background check. Also, as an employer in the state of Arizona, NAU is required to participate in the federal E-Verify program that assists employers with verifying new employees' right to work in the United States.

This position has been identified as a safety/security sensitive position. Therefore, per AZ Revised Statute, Northern Arizona University requires satisfactory results for the following: a criminal background investigation, employment history investigation, degree verification (in some cases) and fingerprinting. If you are applying for a job that requires a CDL, you will be required to register with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse and adhere to the clearinghouse requirements.

Notice of Availability of the Annual Fire and Security Report

Each year Northern Arizona University releases an Annual Security Report. The report is a result of a federal law known as the Clery Act. The report includes Clery reportable crime statistics for the three most recent completed calendar years and discloses procedures, practices and programs NAU uses to keep students and employees safe including how to report crimes or other emergencies occurring on campus. In addition, the Fire Safety Report is combined with the Annual Security Report for the NAU Flagstaff Mountain Campus as this campus has on-campus student housing. This report discloses fire safety policies and procedures related to on-campus student housing and statistics for fires that occurred in those facilities. If you would like a free paper copy of the report, please contact the NAUPD Records Department at (928) 523-8884 or by visiting the department at 525 E. Pine Knoll Drive in Flagstaff.

Immigration Support/Sponsorship

Northern Arizona University will not provide any U.S. immigration support or sponsorship for this position.

Submit your Application

To apply for this position, please click on the "Apply" button on this page. You must submit your application by midnight of the application deadline.

If you are an individual with a disability and need reasonable accommodation to participate in the hiring process, please contact the Disability Resources Office at 928-523-8773, DR@nau.edu, or PO Box 5633, Flagstaff AZ 86011.