Staff Hall-Effect Propulsion Engineer

Apex Space, Inc.; Northern, Los Angeles (KY, CA); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity in Apex

Healthcare coverage

PTO package

401(k) match

Parental leave

Catered lunch

Office events

Job summary

Apex Technology, Inc. in Playa Vista, CA is seeking a Staff Electric Propulsion Engineer with deep expertise in Hall-effect thrusters to lead the technical direction of our Hall thruster development and production.

You will own the thruster from plasma physics and discharge channel design through qualification, flight integration, and design-for-manufacturing, partnering with multiple engineering teams to ensure scalable, reliable spaceflight hardware.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or PhD in aerospace, mechanical, electrical, plasma/propulsion engineering, applied physics or related field.
• 10+ years of electric propulsion experience with Bachelor/Master; or PhD with 3+ years of relevant industry experience focused on Hall‑effect thruster design, development, and testing.
• Deep, hands‑on knowledge of Hall thruster physics and design including discharge channel, magnetic circuit, anode & gas distribution, cathode coupling, and thermal management.
• Experience planning and executing Hall thruster test campaigns in vacuum facilities including diagnostics and life testing.
• Strong understanding of failure and degradation mechanisms affecting Hall thruster life.
• Knowledge of spacecraft propulsion system architecture, propellant feed systems, PPU interaction and range safety.
• Demonstrated technical leadership including setting direction, driving design trades, mentoring engineers.
• Ability to decompose requirements and ICDs and communicate across engineering disciplines.
• Must be a U.S. Person as defined by ITAR.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end design of Hall-effect thrusters including discharge channel geometry and thermal‑mechanical packaging.
• Lead plasma physics and performance modeling driving thruster design across operating envelope.
• Define and execute thruster test and life‑qualification campaigns and wear testing.
• Establish erosion and life models, ensure mission life and propulsion budgets compliance.
• Drive cathode‑thruster coupling and system integration with propulsion subsystems.
• Select materials and processes and qualify them for spaceflight and high‑rate production.
• Optimize thruster designs for performance, mass, cost and manufacturability; develop work instructions and processes.
• Collaborate with systems, power electronics, thermal, structures and avionics to define interfaces.
• Support flight hardware build, integration, testing, and anomaly resolution.
• Lead failure analysis and continuous design improvements for scalable production.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship across propulsion team.

Skills

Hall thruster design

Plasma physics modeling

Test campaigns

Technical leadership

Systems interfaces

Materials selection

DFMA

Flight hardware support

Mentorship

Education

Bachelor's degree in relevant field

PhD in propulsion/physics

Tools

Vacuum test facilities

Plasma diagnostics tools

Plasma/wave simulation tools (PIC/hybrid)

Job description

Apex Technology, Inc. in Playa Vista, CA is seeking a Staff Electric Propulsion Engineer with deep expertise in Hall-effect thrusters to lead the technical direction of our Hall thruster development and production.

You will own the thruster from plasma physics and discharge channel design through qualification, flight integration, and design-for-manufacturing, partnering with multiple engineering teams to ensure scalable, reliable spaceflight hardware.