Sr. Manager, Propulsion Manufacturing
Impulse Space
USD 165k-195k / year + Equity
Posted on Jul 10, 2025
As a Sr. Manager of Propulsion Manufacturing at Impulse, lead a multidisciplinary team responsible for the production and scalability of our propulsion systems, including rocket engines, thrusters, turbomachinery, and associated hardware for both our Saiph thrusters & Deneb engine. You will be a key interface between design engineering, production, supply chain, and test operations to ensure the manufacturability, quality, and performance of propulsion hardware from development through full-rate production.
- Department
- Manufacturing
- Employment Type
- Full Time
- Location
- Redondo Beach
- Workplace type
- Onsite
- Compensation
- $165,000 - $195,000 / year
Responsibilities
- Lead and grow a team of manufacturing engineers & technicians supporting propulsion system components including combustion chambers, turbopumps, injectors, valves, and tanks
- Drive design-for-manufacturing (DFM) initiatives in collaboration with design engineering teams
- Oversee the development and implementation of production processes, fixtures, and tooling to support new product introduction and sustainment of flight hardware
- Establish manufacturing strategies that balance cost, lead time, reliability, and performance
- Partner with test and integration teams to ensure propulsion hardware meets performance and safety requirements
- Own root cause investigations and corrective actions for propulsion-related manufacturing non-conformances
- Support make/buy decisions and supplier development for key propulsion components\
- Champion continuous improvement across manufacturing operations using Lean, Six Sigma, and advanced data analytics techniques
- Ensure compliance with aerospace manufacturing standards and best practices
- Set technical direction and mentorship for a high-performing team of engineers
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field
- 8+ years of experience in propulsion system development and/or manufacturing in the aerospace industry
- 5+ years of experience in technical team leadership or management
- Demonstrated hands-on experience with propulsion system hardware, including machining, welding, brazing, additive manufacturing, and testing
- Strong familiarity with CAD tools, manufacturing planning, and ERP/MRP systems
Preferred Skills and Experience
- Master’s degree in Engineering, Engineering Management, or MBA
- 5+ years of demonstrated experience with cryogenic and/or hypergolic propulsion systems
- 5+ years of demonstrated experience manufacturing propulsion assemblies for rockets, launch vehicles, satellites, or spacecraft
- Familiarity with AS9100, NASA or DoD standards for propulsion
- Proven success in scaling production from prototype to full-rate manufacturing
- Comfortable working in a fast-paced, startup or new product environment
Additional Information:
Compensation bands are determined by role, level, location, and alignment with market data. Individual level and base pay is determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on job-related skills, education, experience, technical capabilities and internal equity. In addition to base salary, for full-time hires, you may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of stock options, and access to medical, vision & dental coverage as well as access to a 401(k) retirement plan.
To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.
Compensation bands are determined by role, level, location, and alignment with market data. Individual level and base pay is determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on job-related skills, education, experience, technical capabilities and internal equity. In addition to base salary, for full-time hires, you may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of stock options, and access to medical, vision & dental coverage as well as access to a 401(k) retirement plan.
To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.
Impulse Space is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Impulse Space is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.
About Impulse Space
Impulse Space, the in-space transportation company founded by Tom Mueller, is opening access beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO) with its fleet of in-space transportation vehicles. The high-energy Helios vehicle unlocks orbits beyond LEO with its powerful Deneb engine, dropping off payloads in MEO, GEO, heliocentric, lunar, and other planetary orbits. The flight-proven Mira vehicle uses a nontoxic, high-impulse chemical propulsion system to offer orbital transport, constellation deployment, and precision reentry services to customers throughout LEO. Led by a team that delivered the most reliable rockets in history, Impulse provides economical and efficient in-space transportation by reliably and rapidly getting customers where they want to go.
Our Hiring Process
Stage 1:
Application Received
Stage 2:
Resume Review
Stage 3:
Intro Phone Interview
Stage 4:
Technical Phone Interview(s)
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