Chief Engineer — Orbital Transfer Vehicle Propulsion

Digitailor; Colorado; Hybrid; USD 210,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

Gravitics seeks a Chief Engineer (Spacecraft) in a hybrid Denver, CO or Marysville, WA setting. You own architecture, drive propulsion system design, and lead all phases from concept to first flight while coordinating with customers, launch providers, and government partners.

You will manage system trades across subsystems, supervise design reviews, and oversee production hardware, test campaigns, and flight readiness, delivering a robust, high delta‑V vehicle.

Qualifications

• Direct experience with in-space bi-propellant propulsion from design through qualification and flight.
• Leadership of a spacecraft, stage, or major vehicle subsystem across its lifecycle.
• Experience managing external suppliers of engines, thrusters or complex flight hardware.
• Understanding structural, fluid, and thermal designs from first principles.
• Familiarity with CAD/FEA tools such as NX and NASTRAN.
• 14+ years of industry experience.

Responsibilities

• Own the vehicle's system architecture, baseline, and requirements from mission needs down to subsystems.
• Lead system trades across propulsion, structures, thermal, avionics, GNC, and software.
• Oversee design, development, integration, major design reviews, assembly, test, and flight readiness.
• Act as the vehicle's technical authority with customers, launch providers, and government partners.
• Own the technical risk register, schedule, and budget; lead anomaly investigations.
• Deliver the propulsion system architecture: high delta-v, bi-propellant, main engine and control hardware.

Skills

Bi-propellant propulsion

Technical leadership

Spacecraft systems engineering

Supplier management

CAD/FEA (NX/NASTRAN)

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

NX

NASTRAN

Job description

Gravitics seeks a Chief Engineer (Spacecraft) in a hybrid Denver, CO or Marysville, WA setting. You own architecture, drive propulsion system design, and lead all phases from concept to first flight while coordinating with customers, launch providers, and government partners.

You will manage system trades across subsystems, supervise design reviews, and oversee production hardware, test campaigns, and flight readiness, delivering a robust, high delta‑V vehicle.