Spacecraft Technical Project Lead

Proteus Space, Inc.; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 160,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid medical benefits

401k matching

Flexible vacation

Dental & Vision care

Parental leave

Job summary

Proteus Space, Inc. in Los Angeles seeks a Spacecraft Technical Project Lead to guide complex spacecraft development from concept through launch and operations.

You will lead AI&T efforts, coordinate with cross-disciplinary teams, and drive design innovations while ensuring schedule and budget adherence. A BS in aerospace engineering is required, with MS preferred; Python, C++, and MATLAB skills are advantageous.

Qualifications

• Experience designing spacecraft and subsystems with strong integration knowledge.
• Proven track record in assembly, integration, and testing of spacecraft systems.
• Understanding of ground segments and command/control systems.
• Experience coordinating with launch providers and teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of spacecraft from concept to launch and operations.
• Oversee assembly, integration, and testing to meet requirements and schedules.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to solve technical challenges.
• Support launch integration activities and ensure launch readiness.
• Mentor engineering teams and manage technical objectives within budget.

Skills

Spacecraft design

System integration

Launch coordination

Orbital mechanics

Leadership

Communication

Education

B.S. in Aerospace Engineering

M.S. in Aerospace Engineering (preferred)

Tools

Python

C++

MATLAB

Space system modeling

Job description

Proteus Space is a Los Angeles-based spacecraft technology company established to capitalize on a rapidly evolving space landscape and the urgent need to deliver resilient orbital capabilities to maintain and increase our national science and security interests. We combine serious space flight experience with an open minded, first-principles approach, leveraging advanced computational design and Industry 4.0 practices to deliver custom spacecraft and mission solutions with industry leading speed, precision, and reliability. We seek to enable every payload and mission with a fully custom, purpose-built spacecraft bus, designed and delivered using Proteus™, our patent-pending, automated computational design platform, with industry leading reliability.

Role Description

We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated Spacecraft Technical Project Lead to join our team. In this critical role, you will lead the technical aspects of spacecraft development projects, ensuring successful design, integration, testing, and launch. This is an opportunity to work on cutting-edge space missions, driving innovation and excellence at every stage.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the overall development of spacecraft from conceptual design through final assembly, testing, launch, and operations.
• Lead spacecraft assembly, integration, and testing (AI&T) to ensure compliance with mission requirements and timelines.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary engineering teams to resolve technical challenges and optimize design solutions.
• Support launch integration activities, including interfacing with launch providers and ensuring all spacecraft systems are launch-ready.
• Work closely with the research & development team to integrate cutting edge technological advancements into spacecraft design and development.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to engineering teams, fostering a culture of innovation and continuous improvement.
• Work closely with stakeholders to ensure that all technical objectives are met on time and within budget.
• Communicate and coordinate with suppliers to ensure deliverables are consistent with technical, budgetary, and schedule objectives

Minimum Qualifications

• Extensive experience in spacecraft design, with a deep understanding of spacecraft systems and subsystems.
• Proven track record in spacecraft assembly, integration, and testing (AI&T).
• Understanding of space mission ground segments, including command and control systems.
• Experience with launch integration, including coordination with launch service providers.
• Familiarity with orbital mechanics, spacecraft communications systems, and ground segments.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to lead multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong communication and leadership abilities, with a focus on collaboration and team development.
• B.S. degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.

Desired Qualifications

• End to end program leadership experience with rapid on-orbit tech demo missions.
• Understanding of EMC/EMI testing and design considerations for spacecraft.
• Advanced degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering or a related field.
• Proficiency in programming (e.g., Python, C++, or MATLAB) and space system / mission modeling.

Salary Range:$160,000 - $200,000 per year. Final compensation is based on experience, education and qualifications.

Proteus Space offers comprehensive benefits including paid medical healthcare for employees, flexible vacation policy, sick days, 401k matching option, pregnancy leave, family leave, holiday pay, military service leave, dental care, vision care and other benefits.

Proteus is committed to providing equal employment opportunities regardless of an applicant’s age, disability, sex, race, religion, gender, national origin, veteran status or any other legally protected characteristic. The Company will provide reasonable accommodations to an applicant with a disability or religious belief in or to enable the applicant to apply for the position.

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey.Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiringprocess or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in aconfidential file.

As set forth in Proteus Space’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection.As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measurethe effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categoriesis as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service‑connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three‑year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.