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Apex manufactures satellite buses (commercial spacecraft platforms) at scale, combining software, vertical integration, and hardware designed for manufacturing. These platforms enable earth observation, communications, and other critical space applications.
You will lead the propulsion module integration team, owning all aspects of propulsion systems from initial vehicle requirements through design, integration, servicing, and launch. This is a hands-on technical leadership role where you'll set architecture and engineering standards, develop your team, and remain closely engaged with hardware as production scales.
Key responsibilities include:
- Leading and developing the propulsion module integration engineering team, establishing high standards for technical rigor, ownership, and execution
- Owning propulsion module architecture across Apex's spacecraft platforms, including tank selection, module structure, mounting, feed-system routing, and vehicle interfaces
- Translating vehicle and mission requirements into complete propulsion module designs, including propellant and delta-v budgets
- Delivering flight-ready modules within allocated mass, cost, and power constraints while meeting vehicle requirements and interface control documents (ICDs)
- Ensuring module structures and interfaces meet structural, environmental, and verification requirements
- Owning spacecraft propellant servicing operations, including fill/drain procedures, ground support equipment, and safe execution
- Ensuring hazardous servicing operations comply with applicable range requirements (SSCMAN 91-710) and maintaining required safety documentation
- Driving design for manufacturing, integration, test, and serviceability to enable efficient production at scale
- Partnering closely with systems, structures, thermal, avionics, power, propulsion component teams, manufacturing, supply chain, quality, and program management
- Supporting vehicle integration, test, launch campaigns, and anomaly resolution, including leading root-cause investigations
- Communicating technical status, risks, trades, and plans to engineering and company leadership
Requirements:
- Bachelor's degree in mechanical, aerospace, propulsion engineering, or related technical field
- 10+ years of experience in spacecraft propulsion, mechanical/fluid systems, propulsion integration, or related hardware development
- Experience leading engineers as a technical lead, people manager, or both
- Strong experience with propulsion module and feed-system design, including tank sizing and selection, structural integration, fluid routing, and component selection
- Experience owning hardware against vehicle-level requirements, ICDs, and mass, cost, and power budgets
- Hands-on experience with spacecraft propellant servicing, including fill/drain operations, procedures, and ground support equipment
- Working knowledge of range safety requirements for hazardous spacecraft operations
- Proven experience taking flight propulsion hardware from design through build, integration, test, and launch
- Strong cross-functional communication skills and ability to represent propulsion in vehicle-level technical and program decisions
- Must be a U.S. Person (U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or protected individual) as defined by ITAR (22 CFR §120.15)
Nice to have:
- Master's degree in mechanical, aerospace, propulsion engineering, or related field
- Experience with both chemical and electric propulsion systems and propellant servicing (xenon or krypton loading)
- Experience transitioning propulsion modules or feed systems into serial or high-rate production
- Experience authoring hazardous operations procedures and supporting range approval processes
- Familiarity with propellant compatibility, cleanliness, and contamination control requirements
- Experience owning subsystem schedule, budget, and technical risk
