Flight Safety Analyst

stokespacetechnologies; Kent (WA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 328,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity in stock options

Comprehensive benefits package (health

401(k) with employer match

Paid time off

Parental leave

On-site gym

Dog friendly offices

Job summary

Stoke Space Technologies is developing Nova, a fully reusable launch vehicle designed for daily flight. The team values mission-driven collaboration and ownership, seeking engineers to advance simulations, reliability analyses, and safety assessments for next-generation spaceflight.

The role focuses on modeling failure modes, debris propagation, and casualty estimates, with coordination across FAA, Space Force, and launch customers to ensure safety limits are met.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering or equivalent field.
• 5+ years in an engineering role on a complex product requiring high reliability.
• Exceptional command of fundamentals of flight dynamics and statistics.
• Familiarity with orbital mechanics and orbital trajectory design.
• Experience with simulation and modeling of physical systems.
• Excellent written and verbal communication.
• Ability to lead and follow.

Responsibilities

• Develop models to simulate vehicle functional failure modes and integrate with the Nova GNC simulation.
• Perform Monte Carlo simulations to determine statistical probabilities of trajectory outcomes after failures.
• Model debris generation and debris propagation to ground impact.
• Model casualties from failures considering debris impact area and population distribution.
• Collaborate with Design Reliability and System Safety to assess probability of failures and casualties.
• Communicate results and refine analysis approaches with FAA, Space Force, customers, and others.

Skills

Flight dynamics

Statistics

Communication

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering

Master's degree in aerospace engineering

PhD in aerospace engineering

Tools

MATLAB/Simulink

Job description

Description

At Stoke, we believe a thriving space economy will enable a vibrant, sustainable, and equitable future here on Earth. That is why we're building Nova, our fully and rapidly reusable launch vehicle. Designed for daily flight, Nova tackles the core challenges of space transportation by reducing cost, increasing availability, and improving reliability. By radically lowering launch costs and increasing flight cadence, we're helping create a truly scalable space industry.

Our team is mission-driven, collaborative, and empowered to take ownership of their work. If you want to work alongside some of the most dedicated and talented people on Earth, we'd love to have you join us.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop models to simulate vehicle functional failure modes and integrate those models with the core Nova GNC simulation
• Perform Monte Carlo simulations to determine statistical probabilities of various trajectory outcomes after certain vehicle functional failures
• Develop a model of debris generated from various vehicle breakup scenarios and model the propagation of debris to impact with the ground
• Develop a model of expected casualties from various failure scenarios given the debris impact area and a model of the population distribution
• Partner with Design Reliability and System Safety engineers to determine the probability of certain vehicle functional failures, inform overall expected casualties for Nova flight operations, and ensure that expected casualties remain within acceptable limits
• Communicate analysis results, discuss feedback, and refine analysis approaches with external entities including FAA, Space Force, launch service customers, and others

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering or similar field
• 5+ years of experience in an engineering role on a complex product requiring high performance, high reliability, and a rapid development process
• Exceptional command of fundamentals of flight dynamics and statistics
• Familiarity with fundamentals of orbital mechanics and orbital trajectory design
• Experience with simulation and modeling of physical systems
• Excellent written and verbal communication
• Ability to lead and follow

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree or PhD in aerospace engineering or similar field
• Experience with launch and/or reentry licensing with the FAA per 14 CFR Part 450
• Experience with flight safety analysis with the Space Force per SSCMAN 91-710 Vol. 2
• Proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink

Benefits

• Equity - We are pleased to offer equity in the form of stock options to all full-time employees.
• Comprehensive benefits program including subsidized medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Company-paid life and disability insurance
• 401(k) plan with employer match
• 4 weeks' Paid Time Off
• Holidays - 10 days (including an end-of-year closure)
• Paid Parental Leave
• On-site gym or monthly wellness stipend (depending on location)
• Dog friendly offices!

Compensation

Target Levels:

• Level 3: $129,150 - $193,620
• Level 4: $151,305 - $252,105
• Level 5: $176,505 - $327,810

ITAR Requirements

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Equal Opportunity

The Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including with respect to disability and veteran status. It is committed to compliance with all equal opportunity laws, including the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and Title VII. It does not discriminate on the basis of nationality, race, citizenship, immigration status, or any other protected class when it comes to employment practices, including hiring.

Employment at the Compa

Employment at the Compa