Engineering Jobs at Viasat with Visa Sponsorship
Viasat engineering roles span satellite communications, RF systems, embedded software, and hardware design, with the company regularly hiring across these disciplines. Viasat has an established track record of supporting international engineers through the sponsorship process, making it a genuine option for candidates who need visa support.
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One team. Global challenges. Infinite opportunities. At Viasat, we’re on a mission to deliver connections with the capacity to change the world. For more than 35 years, Viasat has helped shape how consumers, businesses, governments and militaries around the globe communicate. We’re looking for people who think big, act fearlessly, and create an inclusive environment that drives positive impact to join our team.
Viasat is shaping the future of global connectivity through advanced satellite systems that deliver high capacity, resilient communications across the globe. As satellite architecture continues to evolve toward higher throughput, greater complexity, and faster development cycles, robust mechanical and thermal engineering is critical to mission success.
From payload instruments and antenna systems to spacecraft structures and thermal control, mechanical and thermal systems form the backbone that enables performance, reliability, and manufacturability at scale.
Viasat is seeking a Director of Mechanical & Thermal Engineering to lead the teams responsible for mechanical and thermal design across both spacecraft bus and payload systems. This role sets technical direction, drives execution on flight critical hardware, and ensures tight integration across disciplines, programs, and production environments.
You will play a key leadership role in delivering reliable, high performance satellite systems - from early architecture through on orbit operations - while building a strong engineering culture focused on rigor, accountability, and execution.
Mechanical and Thermal Engineering is central to delivering Viasat’s next generation space systems with speed, reliability, and scalability. As Director, you will lead a multidisciplinary organization responsible for the mechanical and thermal aspects of spacecraft and payload development across multiple programs.
Your leadership will help teams navigate complex trades between performance, mass, cost, schedule, and producibility, while ensuring designs are robust from initial concept through qualification and flight.
The day-to-day
Lead and manage the Mechanical and Thermal Engineering organization supporting spacecraft buses and payload systems, including:
- Spacecraft structures and mechanisms
- Payload mechanical design and packaging
- Passive and active thermal control systems
- Mechanical electrical integration and interfaces
- Structural, thermal, and coupled analysis
Set the technical vision and strategy for mechanical and thermal architectures across current and future satellite programs.
Drive execution from concept development through design, analysis, fabrication, integration, test, and on orbit support.
Partner closely with systems engineering, payload, RF, avionics, propulsion, manufacturing, supply chain, and program management to ensure seamless integration and delivery.
Own mechanical and thermal requirements flow down, trade studies, design margins, and verification approaches.
Guide and chair design reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR), anomaly reviews, and configuration control boards.
Ensure designs meet environmental qualification requirements, including vibration, shock, thermal vacuum, and launch vehicle compatibility.
Oversee design for manufacture and design for assembly (DFM/DFA) efforts to support production rate, cost, and quality objectives.
Support hardware bring up, integration, environmental test, and on orbit anomaly resolution.
Develop and mentor engineering leaders and individual contributors, building a high performing and collaborative organization.
Establish and maintain engineering standards, best practices, and lifecycle processes across mechanical and thermal domains.
Serve as a technical representative to customers, partners, and internal leadership for mechanical and thermal engineering topics.
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field (M.S. or Ph.D. preferred).
10+ years of experience in mechanical and/or thermal engineering for spacecraft or complex aerospace systems.
5+ years of engineering leadership experience managing and developing high performing teams.
Demonstrated ownership of mechanical and/or thermal subsystems through qualification, flight, or production.
Strong background in:
- Structural design and analysis
- Thermal control design and modeling
- Mechanisms and deployables
- GD&T and tolerance analysis
- Materials and manufacturing processes
Proficiency with CAD and analysis tools (e.g., NX, Creo, ANSYS, NASTRAN, Thermal Desktop, SINDA/FLUINT, or equivalent).
Hands on experience with integration, environmental testing, and failure/anomaly investigation.
Experience with engineering documentation, configuration management, and change control.
Ability to drive clarity in complex, cross disciplinary engineering environments.
Strong communication skills with both technical teams and executive stakeholders.
25% travel.
What will help you on the job
Experience leading mechanical and thermal engineering across both payload and spacecraft bus.
Familiarity with high power payloads, antennas, RF structures, and thermal challenges.
Experience supporting high rate or multi program development environments.
Comfort operating in environments where system maturity evolves through iterative design, test, and flight learning.
A leadership style that balances technical rigor with pragmatic execution.
Passion for mentoring engineers and building scalable organizations.
Why Join Viasat?
At Viasat, you’ll work on some of the most ambitious space systems in the industry alongside engineers, scientists, and leaders who are passionate about solving hard problems that matter. You’ll have the opportunity to influence the architecture and execution of next generation satellite systems that enable global connectivity, resilience, and impact.
Salary range
$201,500.00 - $318,000.00 / annually. For specific work locations within San Jose, the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, the base pay range for this role is $250,000.00 - $375,000.00/ annually.
At Viasat, we consider many factors when it comes to compensation, including the scope of the position as well as your background and experience. Base pay may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Additional cash or stock incentives may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to a range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the position offered. Learn more about Viasat’s comprehensive benefit offerings that are focused on your holistic health and wellness.
EEO Statement
Viasat is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, seeking to create a welcoming and diverse environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, genetics, age, or veteran status or any other applicable legally protected status or characteristic. If you would like to request an accommodation on the basis of disability for completing this online application, please click here.
About us
One team. Global challenges. Infinite opportunities. At Viasat, we’re on a mission to deliver connections with the capacity to change the world. For more than 35 years, Viasat has helped shape how consumers, businesses, governments and militaries around the globe communicate. We’re looking for people who think big, act fearlessly, and create an inclusive environment that drives positive impact to join our team.
Viasat is shaping the future of global connectivity through advanced satellite systems that deliver high capacity, resilient communications across the globe. As satellite architecture continues to evolve toward higher throughput, greater complexity, and faster development cycles, robust mechanical and thermal engineering is critical to mission success.
From payload instruments and antenna systems to spacecraft structures and thermal control, mechanical and thermal systems form the backbone that enables performance, reliability, and manufacturability at scale.
Viasat is seeking a Director of Mechanical & Thermal Engineering to lead the teams responsible for mechanical and thermal design across both spacecraft bus and payload systems. This role sets technical direction, drives execution on flight critical hardware, and ensures tight integration across disciplines, programs, and production environments.
You will play a key leadership role in delivering reliable, high performance satellite systems - from early architecture through on orbit operations - while building a strong engineering culture focused on rigor, accountability, and execution.
Mechanical and Thermal Engineering is central to delivering Viasat’s next generation space systems with speed, reliability, and scalability. As Director, you will lead a multidisciplinary organization responsible for the mechanical and thermal aspects of spacecraft and payload development across multiple programs.
Your leadership will help teams navigate complex trades between performance, mass, cost, schedule, and producibility, while ensuring designs are robust from initial concept through qualification and flight.
The day-to-day
Lead and manage the Mechanical and Thermal Engineering organization supporting spacecraft buses and payload systems, including:
- Spacecraft structures and mechanisms
- Payload mechanical design and packaging
- Passive and active thermal control systems
- Mechanical electrical integration and interfaces
- Structural, thermal, and coupled analysis
Set the technical vision and strategy for mechanical and thermal architectures across current and future satellite programs.
Drive execution from concept development through design, analysis, fabrication, integration, test, and on orbit support.
Partner closely with systems engineering, payload, RF, avionics, propulsion, manufacturing, supply chain, and program management to ensure seamless integration and delivery.
Own mechanical and thermal requirements flow down, trade studies, design margins, and verification approaches.
Guide and chair design reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR), anomaly reviews, and configuration control boards.
Ensure designs meet environmental qualification requirements, including vibration, shock, thermal vacuum, and launch vehicle compatibility.
Oversee design for manufacture and design for assembly (DFM/DFA) efforts to support production rate, cost, and quality objectives.
Support hardware bring up, integration, environmental test, and on orbit anomaly resolution.
Develop and mentor engineering leaders and individual contributors, building a high performing and collaborative organization.
Establish and maintain engineering standards, best practices, and lifecycle processes across mechanical and thermal domains.
Serve as a technical representative to customers, partners, and internal leadership for mechanical and thermal engineering topics.
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field (M.S. or Ph.D. preferred).
10+ years of experience in mechanical and/or thermal engineering for spacecraft or complex aerospace systems.
5+ years of engineering leadership experience managing and developing high performing teams.
Demonstrated ownership of mechanical and/or thermal subsystems through qualification, flight, or production.
Strong background in:
- Structural design and analysis
- Thermal control design and modeling
- Mechanisms and deployables
- GD&T and tolerance analysis
- Materials and manufacturing processes
Proficiency with CAD and analysis tools (e.g., NX, Creo, ANSYS, NASTRAN, Thermal Desktop, SINDA/FLUINT, or equivalent).
Hands on experience with integration, environmental testing, and failure/anomaly investigation.
Experience with engineering documentation, configuration management, and change control.
Ability to drive clarity in complex, cross disciplinary engineering environments.
Strong communication skills with both technical teams and executive stakeholders.
25% travel.
What will help you on the job
Experience leading mechanical and thermal engineering across both payload and spacecraft bus.
Familiarity with high power payloads, antennas, RF structures, and thermal challenges.
Experience supporting high rate or multi program development environments.
Comfort operating in environments where system maturity evolves through iterative design, test, and flight learning.
A leadership style that balances technical rigor with pragmatic execution.
Passion for mentoring engineers and building scalable organizations.
Why Join Viasat?
At Viasat, you’ll work on some of the most ambitious space systems in the industry alongside engineers, scientists, and leaders who are passionate about solving hard problems that matter. You’ll have the opportunity to influence the architecture and execution of next generation satellite systems that enable global connectivity, resilience, and impact.
Salary range
$201,500.00 - $318,000.00 / annually. For specific work locations within San Jose, the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, the base pay range for this role is $250,000.00 - $375,000.00/ annually.
At Viasat, we consider many factors when it comes to compensation, including the scope of the position as well as your background and experience. Base pay may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Additional cash or stock incentives may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to a range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the position offered. Learn more about Viasat’s comprehensive benefit offerings that are focused on your holistic health and wellness.
EEO Statement
Viasat is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, seeking to create a welcoming and diverse environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, genetics, age, or veteran status or any other applicable legally protected status or characteristic. If you would like to request an accommodation on the basis of disability for completing this online application, please click here.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Engineering Jobs at Viasat Jobs
Align your credentials to defense clearance norms
Viasat works extensively on government and defense contracts, so engineering candidates on H-1B or OPT should understand that certain roles may require security clearances that non-citizens cannot hold. Target positions in commercial satellite or broadband divisions where clearance requirements are less common.
Frame your degree field precisely on applications
H-1B specialty occupation requires a direct tie between your degree and the role. For Viasat engineering positions, a degree in electrical engineering, systems engineering, or computer engineering strengthens your petition far more than a general STEM degree.
Use Migrate Mate to identify open sponsorship-eligible roles
Not every Viasat engineering posting is cleared for visa sponsorship. Use Migrate Mate to filter specifically for roles where Viasat has indicated sponsorship availability, so you're not wasting applications on positions that won't move forward.
Negotiate offer timing around H-1B cap deadlines
If you need a new H-1B, USCIS registration opens in March with an October 1 start date. When receiving a Viasat offer, confirm with HR that they'll file in the next cap cycle and clarify whether premium processing is available to accelerate your I-129 adjudication.
Prepare a portfolio of hardware or systems project outputs
Viasat engineering interviews frequently involve technical depth on RF, FPGA, or satellite link design. Having documented project deliverables, not just job titles, gives hiring managers concrete evidence of specialty occupation qualifications that also supports your USCIS petition later.
Engineering at Viasat jobs are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Engineering at Viasat JobsFrequently Asked Questions
Does Viasat sponsor H-1B visas for Engineers?
Yes, Viasat sponsors H-1B visas for qualifying engineering roles. The company has a history of filing H-1B petitions across engineering disciplines including RF, systems, and software engineering. Sponsorship is role-dependent, so you'll want to confirm eligibility during the offer stage. Not every open position will be approved for sponsorship, particularly roles tied to defense contracts that require security clearances.
How do I apply for Engineering jobs at Viasat?
Apply directly through Viasat's careers portal, where engineering roles are listed by division and location. Tailor your resume to the specific technical discipline, whether that's satellite systems, embedded software, or hardware design. You can also browse Viasat's sponsorship-eligible engineering openings through Migrate Mate, which filters listings specifically for candidates who need visa support.
Which visa types does Viasat commonly sponsor for Engineering roles?
Viasat supports several visa categories for engineering hires, including H-1B for specialty occupation workers, F-1 OPT and CPT for students and recent graduates, TN visas for Canadian and Mexican nationals in qualifying engineering roles, and J-1 for exchange visitors. For candidates seeking permanent residence, Viasat has sponsored EB-2 and EB-3 Green Card pathways through the PERM labor certification process.
What qualifications does Viasat expect for sponsored Engineering positions?
Viasat typically hires engineers with a bachelor's degree or higher in electrical engineering, computer engineering, systems engineering, or a closely related field. For H-1B eligibility, your degree must directly relate to the role's duties. Candidates with hands-on experience in RF systems, satellite communications, FPGA development, or embedded software tend to be competitive. Advanced degrees strengthen both your candidacy and your immigration petition.
How long does the visa sponsorship process take when joining Viasat?
Timeline depends on the visa type. F-1 OPT authorization through USCIS takes up to 90 days, so apply early if you're transitioning from a student visa. H-1B cap-subject petitions have an October 1 start date, meaning offers made after the March lottery may involve a waiting period of several months. Premium processing is available for H-1B petitions and cuts the adjudication window to 15 business days.
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