Propulsion Engineer – Spacecraft Modules & Integration

apex-technology-inc; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Healthcare

PTO

401(k) plan

Parental leave

Lunch provided

Playa Vista office

Impactful work

Job summary

Apex Technology, Inc. is seeking a Propulsion Engineer with structures and hardware integration experience to design propulsion modules for scalable spacecraft.

You will own module structures, mounting interfaces, and integration with flow controllers, PPUs, thrusters, and related propulsion hardware, aligning mechanical design with vehicle ICDs and production needs. You will collaborate with in-house thruster and PPU teams, perform hand calculations and FEA, and ensure designs are buildable,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical, aerospace, or related engineering field.
• 3+ years of mechanical or aerospace engineering experience with structural design and hardware installation/integration.
• Strong understanding of structural design and analysis, including load paths, stiffness, fasteners, tolerance stack-ups, hand calculations, and FEA.
• Experience designing aerospace hardware to structural/environmental requirements (vibration, shock, thermal).
• Experience integrating discrete propulsion/avionics/flow hardware into structural assemblies.
• Proficiency with CAD, engineering drawings, and GD&T, with release/build/test experience.
• Experience collaborating with manufacturing to transition designs into hardware and resolve issues.
• Ability to balance performance, mass, cost, manufacturability, and schedule.
• Clear communication across engineering, manufacturing, and production teams.
• Must be a U.S. Person per ITAR (22 CFR §120.15).

Responsibilities

• Own mechanical designs for propulsion modules including structures and mounting interfaces.
• Design module structures to meet vehicle-level requirements (loads, vibration, thermal).
• Define interfaces between propulsion components and module/spacecraft.
• Partner with in-house propulsion teams to optimize mounting and interfaces.
• Perform structural analysis and hand calculations to verify strength and margins.
• Design for cost, mass, power budgets and trades across requirements.
• Design for manufacturing and assembly for repeatable builds.
• Collaborate with manufacturing during first builds to resolve issues.
• Incorporate manufacturing feedback to improve producibility.
• Create and own drawings, tolerances, and installation instructions.
• Support build, integration, and test of flight hardware; assist root-cause investigations.
• Contribute to design improvements as production scales.

Skills

Structural design

Hardware integration

FEA

CAD

GD&T

Manufacturing liaison

Trade studies

Documentation

Team communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering

Tools

CAD software

FEA tools

Engineering drawings

Job description

Apex Technology, Inc. is seeking a Propulsion Engineer with structures and hardware integration experience to design propulsion modules for scalable spacecraft.

You will own module structures, mounting interfaces, and integration with flow controllers, PPUs, thrusters, and related propulsion hardware, aligning mechanical design with vehicle ICDs and production needs. You will collaborate with in-house thruster and PPU teams, perform hand calculations and FEA, and ensure designs are buildable,