Build Engineer
At Reflect, you will be expected to move fast, have a lot of ownership and, most importantly, be able to effect change. If this excites you, we are interested in hearing about your best work and accomplishments across any domain and from any points in your life.
About the Role
As a Build Engineer, you’ll be responsible for creating the physical infrastructure that enables Reflect to build, test, and iterate at maximum velocity. You’ll design and fabricate tools, fixtures, test rigs, alignment systems, and assembly support hardware that directly accelerate engineering. When the satellite needs a jig, rig, bracket, stand, alignment tool, or measurement fixture, you will design it, build it, and iterate quickly.
This role is highly hands-on and deeply practical. You won’t need to run FEA or design flight-critical structures. Instead, you’ll focus on delivering clean, reliable, well-thought-out build solutions that improve speed, accuracy, repeatability, and ease of use across the entire development process.
Responsibilities
• Design, prototype, and build tooling, assembly aids, and fixtures for mechanical, optical, thermal, and deployment tests
• Create reliable alignment jigs, holding fixtures, mounting hardware, and shop infrastructure to support high-velocity assembly
• Develop test rigs—mechanical or electromechanical—including sensors, motors, pneumatics, load cells, and data acquisition
• Rapidly prototype parts via CNC, 3D printing (SLA/FDM), machining, sheet metal, woodworking, or simple composites
• Build ergonomic workstations, carts, racks, and organization systems to streamline hardware development
• Maintain and improve shop equipment (CNCs, printers, hand tools, torque tools, metrology tools)
• Diagnose and fix issues in the lab or on the shop floor—mechanical, electrical, or process related
• Work directly with design and manufacturing to translate vague requirements into practical physical solutions
• Iterate quickly on tooling and test setups to improve usability, safety, and reliability
• Document fixtures and test setups with simple drawings, instructions, or photos so they can be reused
Ideal Qualifications
• Strong hands-on mechanical build experience: machining, fabrication, assembly, metrology
• Experience designing or building test rigs, jigs, or tooling in an engineering or R&D environment
• Familiarity with CNC machining, 3D printing (SLA/FDM), sheet metal, or other rapid-fab processes
• Comfortable integrating off-the-shelf hardware: actuators, sensors, pneumatics, bearings, linear rails, etc.
• Ability to take ambiguous needs and deliver clean, practical, reliable solutions quickly
• Strong shop instincts: how to build safely, simply, and in ways that are hard to break
• Experience in hardware startups, aerospace test labs, robotics labs, or similar fast-paced environments
• Bonus: experience with basic wiring, DAQ systems, microcontrollers, or simple automation
Even if you don’t meet 100% of the above qualifications, we are likely still interested in hearing from you. Hiring exceptional individuals is our #1 priority, and we believe that exceptional people often have highly unusual backgrounds.
We are also interested in carving out unique roles for unconventional people that we are excited about working with.
Benefits
Reflect Orbital’s success will hinge on our team, which is why our compensation and benefits plan is designed to reward our employees and support their families as generously as we’re able.
Broad choice of medical/dental/vision coverage, Reflect covers 100% of each base-policy
Access to HSA, FSA, and 401K
Unlimited paid time off, two-weeks per year encouraged
Healthy lunches provided daily
Equal Opportunity
Reflect Orbital is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Reflect Orbital 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.
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