In-Space Propulsion Lead

Stoke Space • Kent, WA

5h

About The Position

Stoke is developing Nova, a fully and rapidly reusable launch vehicle, and has established a new organization focused on products with a 3–10 year horizon that extend the company beyond launch. The organization develops spacecraft and on-orbit mobility, downmass systems, and satellites, platforms, and factories that put mass to work in space. It is small by design, with team members taking on multiple roles.

The In-Space Propulsion Lead owns in-space propulsion for everything the organization flies. The work spans storable and cryogenic chemical systems, electric propulsion, and future architectures. The lead defines propulsion architectures, evaluates whether to build, acquire, or partner for propulsion capability, and carries selected systems through design, qualification, and flight. The role has ownership across design, analysis, manufacturing, testing, and validation, and helps develop a propulsion capability that can support the broader product portfolio. The position calls for someone who can stay focused, move quickly, work independently, and learn on the fly.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, aerospace, or chemical engineering, physics, or a related field.
• 10+ years of propulsion experience, including accountability for in-space propulsion flight hardware from design through qualification and flight.
• Hands-on experience carrying at least one in-space propulsion class (chemical or electric) through qualification, and working knowledge of the other class.
• Experience leading a propulsion team or program, with accountability for technical output, schedule, and budget.
• Strong fundamentals in combustion, heat transfer, fluid flow, pressurization, and propellant-management systems.
• Experience owning test campaigns, from test plans through hot fire and anomaly resolution.
• Demonstrated ability to make rapid, well-reasoned propulsion architecture decisions with incomplete information.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to lead and to follow.

Nice To Haves

• Experience across more than one propulsion class or thrust regime, such as high-thrust chemical (storable, green, or cryogenic), electric, or multimode combinations.
• Propulsion experience for long-duration spacecraft (GEO, cislunar, or multi-year LEO) where mission-life propellant management drove the design.
• Experience with refueling interfaces, propellant transfer, or depot concepts.
• Experience building and managing a propulsion engineering team, including hiring and establishing test and manufacturing capability.
• Master’s degree or PhD in aerospace or mechanical engineering or a related field.

Responsibilities

• Define propulsion architectures for the organization’s products, including thrust, specific impulse and mass trades; propellant and propulsion-class selection; feed-system approach; and dwell and refuelability.
• Lead build-versus-acquire-versus-partner decisions, including technical and production diligence on suppliers and acquisition targets, cost and schedule models, and recommendations to leadership.
• Own the design, analysis, manufacturing plan, test plan, and qualification of selected propulsion systems, from thrusters through feed systems, tanks, and pressurization.
• Own propellant management over the mission life, including thermal control, pressurization, leakage, and propellant budgets.
• Establish propulsion test capability from component to system-level hot fire, using existing Stoke infrastructure where suitable and specifying new capability where needed.
• Provide propulsion inputs to mission design and vehicle architecture trades, partnering with other leads to develop the full system.
• Lead propulsion-development root-cause investigations, risk mitigation, schedules, and budgets.
• Help grow the propulsion team as the product matures.

Benefits

• Equity in the form of stock options for regular, full-time employees.
• Comprehensive benefits program including subsidized medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Company-paid life and disability insurance.
• 401(k) plan with employer match.
• 4 weeks’ Paid Time Off.
• 10 holidays, including an end-of-year closure.
• Paid Family/Parental Leave.
• On-site gym or monthly wellness stipend, depending on location.
• Dog-friendly offices.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior