VP of Engineering – Spacecraft Full Time NEW

Hawthorne, CA | On-site

Opportunity Summary

A fast-growing aerospace startup is seeking a Vice President of Engineering to lead the technical development of a next-generation spacecraft platform designed for demanding orbital missions. This leader will guide the architecture and execution of critical vehicle systems including avionics, flight software, guidance navigation and control, embedded systems, and integrated spacecraft subsystems. Working directly with the founding team, the VP of Engineering will help define the engineering strategy behind the company’s first flight vehicle while building and scaling a high-performing engineering organization. The role requires both deep technical credibility and the ability to drive execution across multiple engineering disciplines in a rapid development environment. This is an opportunity for an experienced aerospace engineering leader to influence vehicle architecture, shape engineering culture, and guide the development of a spacecraft system from early design through flight readiness.

About Us

We are an advanced aerospace company developing spacecraft designed to operate in challenging orbital environments. Our team brings together engineers who have previously built and flown complex hardware at some of the most innovative aerospace organizations in the industry. The company is focused on delivering high-performance orbital systems capable of operating beyond traditional mission profiles while enabling new types of space infrastructure and services. Our engineering culture emphasizes first-principles thinking, rapid iteration, and ownership. The team is small, experienced, and focused on executing ambitious technical goals while building a company that will help define the next generation of spacecraft capabilities.

Job Duties

• Lead and grow the engineering organization responsible for spacecraft flight systems including avionics, embedded systems, guidance navigation and control, and flight software.
• Define and maintain the overall technical architecture of the spacecraft platform including flight computing, communications systems, avionics hardware, and control frameworks.
• Build and manage multidisciplinary engineering teams while establishing strong leadership across multiple technical domains.
• Partner with company leadership to align engineering development with program milestones, vehicle timelines, and long-term product strategy.
• Guide critical engineering trade studies related to system performance, reliability, scalability, and mission capability.
• Ensure proper system requirements flow down across engineering disciplines and maintain alignment between subsystem teams.
• Oversee the development, testing, qualification, and deployment of spacecraft systems for upcoming flight vehicles.
• Support integration of avionics hardware, flight software, communication systems, and vehicle control algorithms.
• Establish engineering processes that enable rapid development while maintaining rigorous testing and validation standards.
• Drive system reliability through structured testing, failure analysis, and technical design reviews.
• Collaborate closely with propulsion, structures, mission design, and operations teams to ensure successful spacecraft integration.
• Support recruiting and development of technical talent while shaping the long-term engineering organization.
• Coordinate with external partners including launch providers, government stakeholders, and technical collaborators when necessary.

Qualifications

• BS, MS, or PhD in aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, or a related technical discipline.
• 10+ years of engineering experience developing complex aerospace systems, spacecraft platforms, or high-performance flight hardware.
• Demonstrated experience leading engineering teams across multiple technical disciplines including hardware and software development.
• Strong understanding of spacecraft avionics, flight software, guidance navigation and control systems, or embedded computing architectures.
• Experience delivering flight-ready systems through the full development lifecycle including design, integration, testing, and qualification.
• Ability to architect complex technical systems and guide major engineering decisions.
• Experience operating within fast-paced engineering environments such as aerospace startups, advanced technology companies, or government programs.
• Strong analytical and first-principles problem-solving approach.
• Experience with embedded computing platforms, real-time software environments, or spacecraft flight computers is valuable.
• Familiarity with aerospace engineering standards and government program requirements is beneficial.

Preferred Experience

• Experience leading development of spacecraft, launch vehicles, or other high-reliability aerospace platforms.
• Prior experience working across avionics hardware, flight software, and vehicle control systems.
• Background scaling engineering teams within early-stage aerospace or deep technology companies.
• Experience supporting spacecraft flight missions or space hardware programs.
• Demonstrated ability to balance technical depth with organizational leadership and execution.

Why Join Us

• Opportunity to help shape the architecture of a new spacecraft platform from early development through flight.
• High level of technical ownership and influence across the engineering organization.
• Direct collaboration with an experienced founding team and highly technical engineering leadership.
• Opportunity to build and scale a world-class engineering team.
• Fast-moving startup environment focused on solving challenging aerospace problems.
• Strong mission focus and opportunity to work on hardware that will operate in space.

Compensation Details

Salary: $200,000 – $250,000