Chief Spacecraft Engineer & Systems Architect, Lead

Impulse Space; Redondo Beach (CA); On-site; USD 220,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Medical coverage

Vision & Dental

401(k) plan

Job summary

Impulse Space in Redondo Beach seeks a Chief Engineer (Spacecraft) to own the system architecture and technical direction from concept through launch and on‑orbit operations. You will lead the technical roadmap and coordinate with engineering, manufacturing, test, mission operations, and leadership to deliver reliable space systems.

This role requires 10+ years in spacecraft, 5+ years leading multidisciplinary teams, a Bachelor’s in Engineering or Aerospace, and the ability to obtain DoD TS/SCI

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in the spacecraft domain.
• 5+ years leading multidisciplinary engineering teams or managing large-scale technical programs.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Aerospace, or related field.
• Proven track record of managing hardware programs through the full lifecycle.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and decision‑making skills in fast‑moving technical environments.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD TS/SCI or TS/SAP security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Own the spacecraft system architecture and technical baseline across the full program lifecycle.
• Lead cross-functional technical trade studies and major design decisions to optimize performance, reliability, manufacturability, schedule, and cost.
• Maintain deep understanding of all spacecraft subsystems, interfaces, operational concepts, and mission objectives.
• Drive the program technical roadmap in partnership with subsystem leads and subject matter experts while balancing performance, reliability, schedule, risk, and cost.
• Establish and uphold a high standard of engineering rigor, technical discipline, and configuration control throughout development and operations.
• Identify technical, operational, and programmatic risks early and develop mitigation strategies to ensure mission success.
• Define and oversee vehicle-level readiness and certification processes, including major design reviews, test readiness reviews, and mission readiness activities.
• Serve as the primary technical authority for the program with customers, government stakeholders, launch providers, and external partners.
• Lead resolution of major anomalies and technical issues, driving root cause investigations and corrective actions through closure.
• Champion continuous improvement across vehicle design, production, testing, operations, and organizational processes.

Skills

Leadership

System architecture

Program management

Spacecraft integration

Decision making

Communication

Security clearance

Technical leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering/Aerospace

Job description

Impulse Space in Redondo Beach seeks a Chief Engineer (Spacecraft) to own the system architecture and technical direction from concept through launch and on‑orbit operations. You will lead the technical roadmap and coordinate with engineering, manufacturing, test, mission operations, and leadership to deliver reliable space systems.

This role requires 10+ years in spacecraft, 5+ years leading multidisciplinary teams, a Bachelor’s in Engineering or Aerospace, and the ability to obtain DoD TS/SCI