Senior Electric Propulsion Engineering Lead

Apex Technology, Inc.; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity in Apex

Healthcare coverage

Paid time off

401(k) with match

Parental leave

Job summary

Apex Technology, Inc. seeks a Lead Electric Propulsion Engineer to build and lead the EP subsystem end to end, including Hall-effect thrusters, cathodes, flow controllers, and PPUs.

You’ll own technical direction, qualification, and production readiness of the EP subsystem across Apex spacecraft. You’ll manage a team of propulsion engineers and specialists, set the EP roadmap, and drive cross‑component trades to meet performance, reliability, schedule, and cost goals in a high‑rate production

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in aerospace, mechanical, electrical, plasma/propulsion engineering, or related field.
• 10+ years of propulsion engineering experience with deep electric propulsion experience.
• Strong experience with electric propulsion systems including Hall-effect thrusters and related interfaces.
• Demonstrated experience leading engineers and complex technical development.
• Proven track record delivering flight propulsion hardware from design to production and orbit.
• Strong understanding of EP subsystem architecture, interfaces, verification, and qualification.
• Experience balancing technical decisions with schedule, cost, reliability, and production requirements.
• Strong cross‑functional communication across engineering, production, programs, and leadership.
• Must be a U.S. Person per ITAR (22 CFR §120.15).
• Master’s or Ph.D. in electric propulsion or related field is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead and grow Apex’s electric propulsion team across thrusters, cathodes, flow control, and PPUs.
• Own EP subsystem roadmap across Hall-effect thrusters, cathodes, flow controllers, and PPUs for production needs.
• Own EP subsystem performance, reliability, schedule, cost, and delivery of flight hardware at rate.
• Drive cross-component technical trades across thruster, cathode, flow control, and PPU architecture.
• Set technical standards for EP design, analysis, test, qualification, requirements, ICDs, and verification.
• Drive design for manufacturability and testability for scalable production.
• Partner with systems, avionics, power, thermal, structures, production, supply chain, quality, and programs to resolve challenges.
• Own EP test and qualification strategy, including facilities, diagnostics, life testing, and scale-up.
• Lead vendor strategy and build‑vs‑buy decisions for EP hardware.
• Support launch campaigns, on‑orbit evaluation, anomaly resolution, and root‑cause investigations.
• Communicate status, risks, tradeoffs, and development plans to leadership.

Skills

Electric propulsion

Propulsion engineering

People management

Cross-functional collaboration

Flight hardware development

Technical leadership

System architecture

Education

Bachelors degree in aerospace/mechanical/electrical/propulsion engineering

Job description

Apex Technology, Inc. seeks a Lead Electric Propulsion Engineer to build and lead the EP subsystem end to end, including Hall-effect thrusters, cathodes, flow controllers, and PPUs.

You’ll own technical direction, qualification, and production readiness of the EP subsystem across Apex spacecraft. You’ll manage a team of propulsion engineers and specialists, set the EP roadmap, and drive cross‑component trades to meet performance, reliability, schedule, and cost goals in a high‑rate production