Principal Engineering Manager, Off-Planet Robotic Systems

Job Description

ICON is seeking a Principal Engineering Manager, Off-Planet Robotic Systems to lead the robotics function for our advanced off-planet construction and site preparation platform. Reporting to the Director, Off-Planet Systems, you will own the strategic direction, technical execution, and continuous improvement of all robotic system design across laboratory, ground support equipment, and flight-critical hardware domains. This role combines full functional authority over robotic systems engineering strategy with hands-on technical leadership and accountability for mission success.

Role Scope & Authority

As Director, you will:

• Own the robotics system function for the off-planet program, setting technical standards, design philosophy, and integration strategy across all disciplines.

• Direct and develop a multidisciplinary engineering team spanning mechanical, robotics, and embedded software engineering along with thermal and structural analysis and design - building capability, mentoring career progression, and establishing performance expectations aligned with company OKRs.

• Make final design decisions on all robotic systems - laboratory prototypes, ground support equipment, and flight-qualified hardware - exercising independent judgment on trade-offs between performance, schedule, cost, and risk.

• Participate in mission-level strategy by providing mechanical engineering perspective on Concept of Operations development, site preparation architecture, and long-term platform roadmap. Your insights directly inform business development and go/no-go decisions.

• Represent ICON at industry events, customer reviews, and stakeholder engagements as the authoritative voice on mechanical engineering capability and direction.

Key Responsibilities

Functional Leadership & Strategy

• Establish robotic system standards, design processes, and quality practices for the program.

• Define the team structure, capability gaps, and hiring strategy needed to support mission objectives.

• Mentor engineers in technical depth and career development; establish individual goals aligned with company strategy.

• Evaluate and recommend process improvements, tools adoption, and organizational changes to senior leadership.

Design & Technical Execution

• Own robotic system designs across Laboratory, GSE, and Flight hardware - leading conceptual and detailed design efforts, conducting trade studies and ideation exercises with cross-functional teams, and ensuring design integrity, manufacturability, and compliance with aerospace standards.

• Specify robotic servo-driven actuators and large-format actuators with attention to reliability, thermal performance, and operational constraints (mobile rovers, long-reach manipulators).

• Execute and oversee FEA and CFD analyses to validate safe, reliable engineered solutions for space environments. Set acceptance criteria and interpret results independently.

• Lead project planning efforts including design strategy sessions, work breakdown structures, and cost/schedule alignment; identify and manage programmatic risks and drive mitigation efforts.

• Support systems engineering in requirements capture and definition, system architecture, and product concept of operations for robotic systems.

Build, Test & Integration

• Design and direct prototyping activities using in-house and external fabrication; ensure prototype validation feeds back into flight design.

• Provide hands-on troubleshooting, build support, and integration leadership in a rapid, AGILE development cycle.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to procure, fabricate, test, and ultimately fly the hardware you have designed.

• Lead design review and systems engineering processes; participate in requirement flowdown and verification/validation planning.

External Engagement & Business Support

• Interface with mission planning and operations teams to refine Conops and support requirement development.

• Support business development by articulating robotic systems capability, timeline feasibility, and technical risk to customers and partners.

• Attend industry conferences, customer events, and technical reviews representing ICON's off-planet engineering capability.

Minimum Qualifications

• B.S. degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering (or equivalent technical degree with demonstrated aerospace mechanical design experience)

• 12+ years of recent, hands-on experience designing aerospace or equivalent mechanical system elements within aircraft, spacecraft, or launch vehicles

• Strong mechanical design and integration skills using 3D modeling tools; ability to drive design from concept through production

• Demonstrated ability to lead technical teams, earn trust, maintain positive relationships, and contribute to a culture of inclusion

Preferred Qualifications

• M.S. or Ph.D. in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

• Deep thermal analysis skills and experience in extreme thermal environments

• Extensive design experience with serial robotic manipulators and robotic system constraints

• Formal systems engineering experience: requirements development, implementation verification, system integration, qualification, and release

• Aerospace actuation design and specification (servo-driven, hydraulic, or pneumatic systems)

• Spacecraft systems design and flight heritage

• Proficiency in Solidworks or equivalent CAD platforms

• Advanced FEA and CFD analysis using ANSYS, Abaqus, or equivalent tools

• Leadership experience: managing engineers across multiple disciplines, mentoring, and building high-performing technical teams

ICON is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an innovative, inclusive, diverse and discrimination-free work environment. Employment with ICON is based on merit, competence, and qualifications. It is our policy to administer all personnel actions, including recruiting, hiring, training, and promoting employees, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin or ancestry, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other legally protected classification in accordance with applicable federal and state laws. Consistent with the obligations of these laws, ICON will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.

Furthermore, as a federal government contractor, the Company maintains an affirmative action program which furthers its commitment and complies with recordkeeping and reporting requirements under certain federal civil rights laws and regulations, including Executive Order 11246, Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (as amended) and the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 (as amended).

Headhunters and recruitment agencies may not submit candidates through this application. ICON does not accept unsolicited headhunter and agency submissions for candidates and will not pay fees to any third-party agency without a prior agreement with ICON.

As part of our compliance with these obligations, the Company invites you to voluntarily self-identify as set forth below. Provision of such information is entirely voluntary and a decision to provide or not provide such information will not have any effect on your employment or subject you to any adverse treatment. Any and all information provided will be considered confidential, will be kept separate from your application and/or personnel file, and will only be used in accordance with applicable laws, orders and regulations, including those that require the information to be summarized and reported to the federal government for civil rights enforcement purposes.

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