Mechanical Technician

Summary

Space Tango is an innovative space technology small business based in Lexington, Ky. Space Tango’s mission is to manufacture health and technology products in space that create value and transformational solutions. Space Tango provides space-based automated facilities and payloads to support research and development and small-scale manufacturing needs of our partners and customers on the International Space Station. As a leader in automated systems, Space Tango pursues pathways to on-orbit production. Our vision is to inspire, innovate and create a better future for humanity by utilizing the environment of space.

The Mechanical Technician position is responsible for the fabrication, integration, and testing of mechanical components and systems to execute the intended goals of specific spaceflight projects and technical products. Responsibilities of the position include but are not limited to ensuring the highest quality and reliability of both externally- and internally-manufactured mechanical systems and ensuring that work adheres to the ST mechanical architecture and processes.

Objectives

• Take ownership in assignments.
• Demonstrate extraordinary attention to detail and organization.
• Deliver high-quality and reliable mechanical systems.
• Provide technical leadership within your specialized skill sets.
• Identify areas within existing systems that could be standardized or improved to advance the company’s mechanical system products.
• Maintain consistent communication with functional team members.
• Maintain highest standards of excellence, never settle for status quo.

Specific Responsibilities

• Ensure the highest quality and reliability of all mechanical products.
• Build subsystems and systems according to detailed build instructions.
• Test functionality of manufactured components for accuracy and completeness.
• Assist project teams with troubleshooting and repairing mechanical systems within a payload.
• Assist with adjustments to mechanical systems within a payload when they arise.
• Build test platforms and conduct experiments to investigate performance of a component or system.
• Collect technical data, summarize results in technical reports, and present findings to the team.
• Assist with the maintenance of mechanical manufacturing and test equipment.
• Adhere to functional team quality assurance practices to ensure high quality products.
• Utilize other functional team members to provide feedback and guidance for project troubleshooting activities.
• Identify improvements in standard project mechanical systems to improve reliability, usability, and scalability.
• Gain familiarity in applicable NASA safety requirements and regulations that apply tomechanical technical work for spaceflight projects.
• Gain and maintain sterile assembly certification.
• Research existing industry mechanical technical platforms that could positively impact currentor future company designs.
• Work closely with the Mechanical Engineering functional team and project team(s) to ensure success of assigned projects.
• Travel to support customer or partner projects and launches.

Qualifications, Skills, and Experience

Required:

• High school degree or equivalent
• Familiarity with:
• Complex, small form hardware assembly including electronics
• Testing and troubleshooting automated systems
• CAD drawings and GD&T
• Basic equipment maintenance
• Technical writing

Preferred:

• 1+ years professional mechanical technician experience
• Familiarity with one or more of the following:
• Sterile assembly experience
• Thermal systems experience
• Microfluidic systems experience
• Mechanical manufacturing and machining
• Prototyping equipment (i.e., 3d printer, laser cutter)
• Environmental testing (i.e., mass, cg, vibration)
• Gage repeatability and reproducibility
• 5s System Lean Manufacturing
• Quality assurance

Interpersonal Skills

• Manage and track multiple priorities while maintaining a focus towards common team goals
• Attention to detail and creative and innovative problem-solving skills
• Ability to work effectively in a dynamic environment that includes working with changing needs and requirements
• Ability to own multiple technical assignments and work with others to determine urgency of a given task
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for both a technical and non-technical audience
• Motivated for self, functional team, and company success
• Willingness to learn new skills and techniques from both external and internal sources
• Strive to meet any agreed-upon deadlines and communicate and deviations

Benefits

• Health, Dental and Vision Insurance
• Potential to earn equity
• IRA Match up to 3% of Salary
• Short and Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Group Life Insurance
• Paid Time Off and Sick Pay
• Casual Atmosphere
• Highly creative and flexible work environment

Space Tango is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Space Tango is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.