In-Space Propulsion Lead

stokespacetechnologies; Kent (WA); On-site; USD 170,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity in stock options

Comprehensive medical, dental, vision

Life insurance

Job summary

Stoke Space Technologies seeks an In-Space Propulsion Lead to own propulsion for the new Nova-era products. You will define propulsion architecture, lead build-versus-acquire decisions, and steward design through flight, with ownership of test plans, budgets, and supplier diligence.

You will drive propellant management, establish test capabilities, and collaborate with mission design to shape full-system propulsion, ensuring fast, reliable progress in a dynamic, ownership-driven environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical, aerospace or chemical engineering, physics or a related field.
• 10+ years of propulsion experience, including in-space propulsion flight hardware you were accountable for from design through qualification and flight.
• Hands-on experience with at least one class of in-space propulsion (chemical or electric) carried through qualification, and working knowledge of the others.
• Experience leading a propulsion team or program, with accountability for its technical output, schedule and budget.
• Strong fundamentals in combustion, heat transfer, fluid flow, and pressurization and propellant management systems.
• Experience owning test campaigns, from test plans through hot fire and anomaly resolution.
• Demonstrated ability to make rapid, well-reasoned propulsion architecture decisions with incomplete information.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to lead and to follow.

Responsibilities

• Define the propulsion architecture for the group's products: thrust, Isp and mass trades, propellant and propulsion-class selection, feed system approach, dwell and refuelability.
• Lead build-versus-acquire-versus-partner decisions for propulsion: technical and production diligence on suppliers and acquisition targets, cost and schedule models, and a recommendation to the leadership team.
• Own the design, analysis, manufacturing plan, test plan and qualification of the selected propulsion systems, from thrusters through feed system, tanks and pressurization.
• Own propellant management over the mission life: thermal control, pressurization, leakage and propellant budgets.
• Establish propulsion test capability, from component to system-level hot fire, using existing Stoke infrastructure where it fits and specifying new capability where it does not.
• Provide propulsion inputs to mission design and vehicle architecture trades partnering with various leads to develop the full system.
• Lead root-cause investigations, risk mitigation, schedules and budgets for propulsion development.
• Help grow the propulsion team as the product matures.

Skills

Propulsion architecture decisions

In-space propulsion

Leadership/Team management

Propulsion test campaigns

Thermal control & propellant mgmt

Design through qualification & flight

Strong written/verbal communication

Decision making under uncertainty

Education

Bachelor's in mechanical/ aerospace/ chemical engineering, physics

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.

This is a new organization within Stoke, with a goal to develop products on a 3-10 year horizon that grow Stoke beyond launch. Nova moves mass to orbit. This group takes on what comes next: spacecraft and on-orbit mobility that move mass to any orbit, downmass that returns it to Earth, and the satellites, platforms and factories that put mass to work once it is there. The organization is small by design, and everyone here carries a second hat.

As In-Space Propulsion Lead you own in-space propulsion for everything the new organization flies. The products this group builds will draw on the full range of in-space propulsion, from storable and cryogenic chemical systems to electric propulsion and the architectures that follow them. You will define the propulsion architecture for the group's products, lead the build-versus-acquire-versus-partner decision with real supplier and acquisition diligence, and carry the selected systems through design, qualification and flight. You take extreme ownership over design, analysis, manufacturing, test and validation, and you will help grow a propulsion capability the rest of the portfolio draws on. You must be ready to stay focused, move fast, self-direct, and learn on the fly.

Key responsibilities

• Define the propulsion architecture for the group's products: thrust, Isp and mass trades, propellant and propulsion-class selection, feed system approach, dwell and refuelability.
• Lead build-versus-acquire-versus-partner decisions for propulsion: technical and production diligence on suppliers and acquisition targets, cost and schedule models, and a recommendation to the leadership team.
• Own the design, analysis, manufacturing plan, test plan and qualification of the selected propulsion systems, from thrusters through feed system, tanks and pressurization.
• Own propellant management over the mission life: thermal control, pressurization, leakage and propellant budgets.
• Establish propulsion test capability, from component to system-level hot fire, using existing Stoke infrastructure where it fits and specifying new capability where it does not.
• Provide propulsion inputs to mission design and vehicle architecture trades partnering with various leads to develop the full system.
• Lead root-cause investigations, risk mitigation, schedules and budgets for propulsion development.
• Help grow the propulsion team as the product matures.

Minimum qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical, aerospace or chemical engineering, physics or a related field.
• 10+ years of propulsion experience, including in-space propulsion flight hardware you were accountable for from design through qualification and flight.
• Hands-on experience with at least one class of in-space propulsion (chemical or electric) carried through qualification, and working knowledge of the others.
• Experience leading a propulsion team or program, with accountability for its technical output, schedule and budget.
• Strong fundamentals in combustion, heat transfer, fluid flow, and pressurization and propellant management systems.
• Experience owning test campaigns, from test plans through hot fire and anomaly resolution.
• Demonstrated ability to make rapid, well-reasoned propulsion architecture decisions with incomplete information.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to lead and to follow.

Preferred qualifications

• Experience across more than one propulsion class or thrust regime: high-thrust chemical (storable, green or cryogenic), electric, or multi-mode combinations.
• Propulsion for long-duration spacecraft (GEO, cislunar, multi-year LEO) where propellant management over the mission life drove the design.
• Experience with refueling interfaces, propellant transfer or depot concepts.
• Experience building and managing a propulsion engineering team, including hiring and standing up test and manufacturing capability.
• Master's degree or PhD in aerospace or mechanical engineering or a related field.

Benefits

• Equity - We know that our employees are the reason we succeed. To give everyone a stake in our future, we are pleased to offer equity in the form of stock options to all regular, full-time employees.
• Comprehensive benefits program including subsidized medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Company-paid life an