Demo

Staff Propulsion Development Engineer (Thrusters)

Impulse Space
Redondo Beach, CA Full Time
POSTED ON 10/4/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 11/25/2026
Department: Propulsion

Location: Redondo Beach

Compensation: $150,000 - $175,000 / year

Description

As a Senior Propulsion Development Engineer (Thrusters) at Impulse, you will own all aspects of in-house propulsion system design, analysis, implementation and operation while working closely with a fast-paced, agile team that produces high-performance spacecraft from clean sheet designs. Building off our successful Mira spacecraft program, Impulse is developing new propulsion systems for on-orbit applications as well as Lander applications. Impulse is looking for development engineers who can contribute to these key hardware development projects.

Responsibilities

  • Own all aspects of a storable, liquid bipropellant thruster and/or subsystem development
  • Conduct analysis and testing to ensure that the performance and function of hardware meets intent
  • Prepare, plan and execute tests including engine hotfire testing
  • Work with wide-ranging teams across engineering, manufacturing and operations to deliver a reliable, high-performance and highly integrated system
  • Resolve technical issues with innovative resourceful solutions
  • Lead technical projects and/or a small team of engineers

Minimum Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in engineering or science
  • 8 years of demonstrated experience in the aerospace propulsion field
  • Prior experience working on bipropellant rocket engines, including hardware and test experience with combustion devices.
  • Proficiency in basic principles of fluids, thermodynamics, heat transfer, mechanics and materials
  • Ability to perform system trades ranging from thermal-fluids analyses to materials selection
  • Hands-on experience working with fluid, mechanical, electrical and controls systems
  • Demonstrated ability of taking project ownership and working collaboratively with small teams

Preferred Skills And Experience

  • Advanced degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, or a comparable field.
  • Experience working in fast-paced, startup environment.
  • Demonstrated technical project leadership over propulsion development programs
  • Prior experience with combustion devices and ignition system development
  • Prior experience with nitrous oxide as a propellant
  • Proficiency in CAD software with ability to learn new tools
  • Familiarity with aerospace structural analysis standards pertinent to liquid rocket engine development (e.g. NASA-STD-5012, NASA-STD-5020)
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Additional Requirements

  • Flexible schedule and willing to travel as needed

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.

Impulse Space’s spacecraft manufacturing business is subject to U.S. export regulations including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR). This position requires applicants to be either U.S. Persons (i.e., U.S. citizen, U.S. national, lawful permanent U.S. resident (green card holder), an individual granted asylum in the U.S., or an individual admitted in U.S. refugee status) or persons eligible to obtain an export license from the U.S. Departments of State, Commerce, or other applicable U.S. government agencies. 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.

Salary : $150,000 - $175,000

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution. Compensation Planning
Enhance your organization's compensation strategy with salary data sets that HR and team managers can use to pay your staff right. Surveys & Data Sets

What is the career path for a Staff Propulsion Development Engineer (Thrusters)?

Sign up to receive alerts about other jobs on the Staff Propulsion Development Engineer (Thrusters) career path by checking the boxes next to the positions that interest you.
Income Estimation: 
$97,257 - $120,701
Income Estimation: 
$123,167 - $152,295
Income Estimation: 
$113,077 - $147,784
Income Estimation: 
$135,356 - $164,911
Income Estimation: 
$153,902 - $198,246
Income Estimation: 
$135,163 - $163,519
Income Estimation: 
$169,825 - $204,021
Income Estimation: 
$166,631 - $195,636
Income Estimation: 
$162,237 - $199,353
Income Estimation: 
$181,083 - $218,117
Employees: Get a Salary Increase
View Core, Job Family, and Industry Job Skills and Competency Data for more than 15,000 Job Titles Skills Library

Job openings at Impulse Space

  • Impulse Space Boulder, CO
  • Department: Autonomous Systems Location: Boulder County Compensation: $145,000 - $175,000 / year Description As a Senior Navigation Engineer at Impulse Spa... more
  • 8 Days Ago

  • Impulse Space Louisville, CO
  • Department: Autonomous Systems Location: Boulder County Compensation: $170,000 - $230,000 / year Description Impulse Space is building high-performance in-... more
  • 10 Days Ago

  • Impulse Space Boulder, CO
  • Simulation Visualization Engineer Department: Autonomous Systems Employment Type: Full Time Location: Boulder County Compensation: $130,000 - $170,000 / ye... more
  • 3 Days Ago

  • Impulse Space Boulder, CO
  • Department: Autonomous Systems Location: Boulder County Compensation: $125,000 - $155,000 / year Description As a Guidance, Navigation, and Control Enginee... more
  • 4 Days Ago


Not the job you're looking for? Here are some other Staff Propulsion Development Engineer (Thrusters) jobs in the Redondo Beach, CA area that may be a better fit.

  • Impulse Space Redondo Beach, CA
  • Job Description. Job Description. Description. Impulse is looking for an experienced design engineer who will contribute to the critical development of. De... more
  • 2 Months Ago

  • Vast Long Beach, CA
  • Vast is developing next-generation space stations and space infrastructure using an incremental, hardware-rich, and low-cost approach. Vast is rapidly deve... more
  • 27 Days Ago

AI Assistant is available now!

Feel free to start your new journey!