Chief Engineer - Space

Zeno Power•Seattle, WA

1d•$195,000 - $245,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Zeno Power is seeking a Chief Engineer to lead technical and engineering activities for its space systems design, development, deployment lifecycle, and eventual production. The role provides top-level management of technical tasks across the Space Portfolio, supporting planning, scheduling, review, and approval to ensure work is accurate, appropriately resourced, and of high quality. The Chief Engineer serves as Design Authority for the assigned space scope and provides technical leadership on space projects, including requirements definition, design, development, testing, lifecycle support, and technical decision-making. The position works with internal and external stakeholders, including suppliers, customers, and subcontractors, and supports technical meetings, design reviews, change control, verification activities, and customer and leadership briefings. The role also develops and improves Design Authority quality procedures and work instructions under an AS9100 Quality Program, and helps ensure projects meet applicable environmental, safety, health, radiation and contamination, and quality assurance requirements. The role requires in-office presence in Seattle's South Lake Union on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays; remote work is optional on Mondays and Fridays. Travel is required at less than 10%.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering; Mechanical, Nuclear, Systems, Electrical, Aerospace, or a related engineering discipline is preferred.
10+ years of engineering experience in complex technical product development, space systems, or related industrial environments.
Experience leading or supporting design, integration, testing, commissioning, or operational deployment of space systems.
3+ years in a technical leadership, technical authority, chief engineer, engineering management, or key technical decision-maker role.
Demonstrated success leading multidisciplinary engineering teams through complex development programs, including requirements definition, design reviews, risk management, verification, validation, and operational readiness activities.
Proven experience operating in regulated and quality-controlled environments.
Experience developing, implementing, and continuously improving engineering processes, configuration management systems, product lifecycle processes, and technical governance frameworks.
Strong understanding of systems engineering principles, including requirements management, interface control, hazard analysis, reliability, maintainability, and verification and validation methodologies.
Experience with risk-informed technical decision-making, trade studies, root cause analysis, and failure investigation in high-consequence systems.
Must be a U.S. person, as defined in the job posting.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with manufacturing scale-up, supplier qualification, production transition, and design-for-manufacture considerations.
Experience collaborating with government customers, classification societies, defense organizations, or regulatory agencies.
Ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly to executive leadership, customers, regulators, operators, and cross-functional teams.
Strong project execution skills, including schedule management, technical planning, budgeting support, and coordination across engineering disciplines.
Success operating in fast-paced development environments with a strong focus on innovation, operational considerations, safety, and regulatory compliance.

Responsibilities

Act as Design Authority for the assigned space scope area.
Provide technical leadership on Zeno space projects.
Define and interpret high-level engineering requirements to support product, program, and customer needs.
Support technical project meetings for space initiatives with real-time technical guidance, operational support, and informed decision-making.
Generate, review, and/or approve technical work products for design applicability, adequacy, and accuracy.
Co-chair the Change Control Board and review and approve space-related design changes requiring board signoff.
Review and approve space project requirements and verification activities for accuracy, completeness, and alignment with design specifications and project objectives.
Support planning, content development, execution, and closeout of space project design reviews.
Develop, manage, and continuously improve Design Authority-owned quality procedures and work instructions under an AS9100 Quality Program.
Interface with suppliers, customers, and other external and internal stakeholders.
Oversee, review, and/or approve subcontractor technical work within relevant scope areas.
Ensure Zeno space projects comply with applicable environmental, safety, health, radiation and contamination, and quality assurance requirements through ongoing assessment and implementation of relevant regulations, policies, and procedures.
Prepare technical briefings for customers and the leadership team, and technical papers for meetings and conferences.
Lead the design, development, and test of systems, lifecycle support, technical goals and objectives, and requirements analysis for space projects.