Head of Engineering - Flight Hardware & Propulsion Systems

Approach Venture LLC; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 170,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Approach Venture LLC in Long Beach, CA seeks a Head of Engineering to own design, analysis, qualification and delivery of flight hardware for aerospace programs. You will lead a multidisciplinary team, act as the senior responsible engineer on tanks and propulsion‑adjacent structures, and drive the roadmap for scalable hardware development.

The role demands hands-on leadership, deep technical expertise in structures, fluids and thermodynamics, and the ability to ship hardware to defense and

Qualifications

• 8+ years of aerospace or high-consequence hardware experience.
• Ownership of flight-critical hardware through design, qualification and delivery.
• Strong mechanical design across structures, fluids, thermal or propulsion.
• Experience as a responsible engineer or technical lead on complex hardware.
• Hands-on hardware build, integration, test and troubleshooting.
• Solid grounding in stress analysis, materials behavior and thermodynamics.
• Experience leading engineers or programs in a startup or fast-paced R&D.

Responsibilities

• Lead engineering for flight‑critical hardware from concept to production release.
• Serve as senior responsible engineer on tanks, vessels and large structures.
• Own design and analysis across structures, fluids and thermal domains.
• Translate customer requirements into manufacturable, testable hardware.
• Plan qualification campaigns with stress, burst, vibration and environmental tests.
• Collaborate with manufacturing, materials, controls and quality teams.
• Set up engineering standards, reviews and configuration control.
• Hire, mentor and lead a multidisciplinary team while remaining hands-on.
• Shape long-term product and technology roadmaps with leadership.

Skills

Aerospace experience

Technical leadership

Mechanical design

Hardware qualification

Hands-on build/test

Stress analysis

Startup/R&D leadership

Job description

Head of Engineering - Flight Hardware & Propulsion Systems | Lead the Engineering Team Behind a New Way to Build Aerospace Hardware

Long Beach, CA | On-site

Opportunity Summary

A seed-stage, venture-backed manufacturer is using high-rate metal additive production to deliver large aerospace structures and pressure-containing hardware in a fraction of the time conventional forging and machining supply chains require. The company is now hiring its Head of Engineering to own how that hardware is designed, analyzed, qualified and delivered to aerospace, space, defense and energy customers.

This is a hands‑on leadership role for an engineer who has personally carried flight‑critical hardware from concept through qualification. You will set technical direction alongside company leadership, act as the senior responsible engineer on customer programs such as tanks, pressure vessels and propulsion‑adjacent structures, and build the engineering team and processes the company will scale on.

About Us

We are a small, seed-stage engineering and manufacturing company in the Los Angeles area building next‑generation production technology for high‑performance metal hardware. The team brings experience from launch vehicles, propulsion, industrial automation and advanced manufacturing, and we are moving from development into customer hardware programs. We value technical depth, fast iteration and shipping real hardware.

Job Duties

• Lead engineering for flight‑critical and safety‑critical hardware, from concept and design through test, qualification and production release
• Serve as senior responsible engineer on customer programs involving tanks, pressure vessels, fluid hardware and large structural assemblies
• Own design and analysis across structures, fluids and thermal, including stress, fracture and fatigue considerations for additively produced metal parts
• Turn customer requirements into hardware that is manufacturable, testable and certifiable, working directly with customers on technical reviews
• Plan and run qualification campaigns including proof and burst pressure, vibration and environmental testing, and lead root cause investigations
• Partner with manufacturing, materials, controls and quality to close the loop between design intent and the production process
• Set up engineering standards, design reviews, documentation and configuration control appropriate for a growing hardware company
• Hire, mentor and lead a multidisciplinary engineering team while staying directly involved in technical work
• Shape the long‑term product and technology roadmap with company leadership

Qualifications

• 8+ years of engineering experience in aerospace, propulsion or other high‑consequence hardware environments
• Proven ownership of flight‑critical or safety‑critical hardware through design, qualification and delivery
• Strong mechanical design background across structures, fluids, thermal or propulsion systems
• Experience as a responsible engineer or technical lead for complex hardware systems or subsystems
• Hands‑on experience with hardware build, integration, test and troubleshooting
• Solid grounding in stress analysis, materials behavior, thermodynamics and system integration
• Experience leading engineers or technical programs in a startup or fast‑paced R&D setting
• U.S. person as defined by ITAR

Preferred Experience

• Design and qualification of pressure vessels, propellant tanks or fluid system hardware
• Background in launch vehicle, spacecraft, aircraft or other aerospace structures
• Familiarity with pressure vessel and qualification standards such as AIAA S-080, NASA-STD-5019 or SMC-S-016
• Experience designing for or qualifying additively manufactured, welded or other non‑traditional metal hardware
• Customer‑facing technical leadership on government or prime contractor programs
• Building engineering teams and processes at an early‑stage hardware company

Why Join Us

• Lead engineering at a seed‑stage company where you will define the team, the processes and the technical culture
• Own hardware programs end to end and see your designs built, tested and delivered to customers
• Work on a manufacturing approach that can shorten aerospace hardware lead times dramatically
• Problems spanning structures, propulsion, materials and production, with direct impact on aerospace, space, defense and energy programs
• Small, experienced team with backgrounds in launch, propulsion and advanced manufacturing
• Meaningful early‑stage equity and a leadership role that grows with the company

Compensation Details

$170,000 - $210,000 + equity

ITAR Requirement

This position requires access to technical data controlled under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). Applicants must be U.S. persons as defined by 22 CFR 120.62.