Chief Engineer

InnoForge; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Job summary

InnoForge in El Segundo seeks a Chief Engineer to lead a complex spacecraft hardware system from prototype through integration, qualification, and flight readiness. The role blends hands-on technical leadership with system-level decision-making across mechanical, electrical, avionics, GNC, software, and thermal domains. You will drive architecture trades, hardware development, and readiness activities while maintaining rapid startup execution.

Qualifications

• Strong experience leading complex spacecraft or space hardware programs.
• Exposure to integration, qualification, and test.
• Ability to make engineering trade-offs across disciplines.
• Prior leadership of technical teams or major engineering workstreams.
• Eligible to work on ITAR-controlled programs.
• Willingness to obtain a security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Lead spacecraft/vehicle architecture and major design trades.
• Oversee hardware development across structures, electromechanical systems.
• Drive integration, environmental testing, and flight readiness.
• Guide SWaP-C, risk, performance, and design maturity decisions.
• Provide cross-functional technical leadership across mechanical, electrical, avionics, GNC, software, thermal, and payload teams.
• Move prototype-stage system toward operational deployment.

Skills

Spacecraft hardware

Systems engineering

Technical leadership

Integration testing

ITAR eligibility

Security clearance

Prototype to flight

Job description

I’m supporting a venture-backed space technology company in El Segundo that is hiring a Chief Engineer / Vehicle Engineering Leader to lead the development of a complex spacecraft hardware system from prototype maturity through integration, qualification, and flight readiness.

This is a well-funded, venture-backed company with multi-year runway, active government contracts, and a clear path from prototype through flight demonstration and operational deployment.

For the right person, it offers meaningful equity, direct technical ownership, and the chance to help shape a nationally important space capability while the company is still early enough for individual impact to matter.

This is not a pure requirements or architecture role.

The ideal profile is a hands-on technical leader with deep spacecraft / vehicle engineering experience. Someone who can operate at systems level, but who has also owned real hardware through development, manufacturing, integration, test, and qualification.

The role will sit across:

• Spacecraft / vehicle architecture and major design trades
• Structures, mechanisms, electromechanical systems, and hardware development
• Integration, test, environmental qualification, and flight readiness
• SWaP-C, risk, performance, and design maturity decisions
• Cross-functional technical leadership across mechanical, electrical, avionics, GNC, software, thermal, and payload teams
• Driving a prototype-stage system toward operational deployment

This would suit someone who has led complex spacecraft, payload, vehicle, or space hardware programs and still wants to stay close to the technical detail.

Relevant backgrounds could include:

• Vehicle Engineering Lead
• Lead / Principal Spacecraft Engineer
• Payload / Hardware Engineering Lead
• Senior technical leader from a satellite, spacecraft, launch vehicle, defense space, or complex aerospace hardware environment

You’ll need to be comfortable in a fast-moving startup environment where technical ownership, ambiguity, and hands-on execution matter.

Requirements include:

• Strong spacecraft, vehicle, payload, or complex space hardware development experience
• Meaningful exposure to integration, qualification, and test
• Ability to make engineering trade-offs across disciplines
• Prior leadership of technical teams or major engineering workstreams
• Eligibility to work on ITAR-controlled programs
• Ability and willingness to obtain a security clearance