Chief Engineer - Lunar Terrain Vehicle

Chief Engineer – Lunar Terrain Vehicle 

(NASA LTVS Award Contingent)

Houston, Texas

About Intuitive Machines:

Intuitive Machines is an innovative and cutting-edge space company making cislunar space accessible to both public and private customers. We believe our mission is to further research, communications, and exploration beyond low lunar orbit. With multiple NASA lunar missions in the making and additional private missions on our manifest, we pride ourselves in supporting NASA, our customers and the nation in paving the way to return humans to the surface of the moon. Our world-class team includes experts in all spacecraft subsystems design, development, and test, on-orbit operations, and safety.

*Employment in this role is contingent upon NASA selecting Intuitive Machines as the winner of the LTVS program, scheduled for announcement later in 2025. 

Job Description:

Intuitive Machines is seeking a Chief Engineer for the Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) program, who will serve as the primary technical authority and point of contact for all aspects of the program. This role will work closely with internal engineering leaders, cross-functional program teams, and external partner companies to ensure the successful technical execution of the LTV. The Chief Engineer will define the technical vision, oversee system-level integration, and provide engineering leadership across domains to deliver a safe, reliable, and groundbreaking vehicle for lunar surface operations.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary technical authority for the Lunar Terrain Vehicle program.
• Lead and integrate engineering activities across mechanical, electrical, thermal, avionics, software, and mission operations.
• Work cross-functionally within Intuitive Machines and cross-company with partner organizations to align requirements, resolve conflicts, and ensure system-level integration.
• Define and maintain the technical baseline and architecture for the LTV program, ensuring compliance with mission requirements, safety standards, and schedule constraints.
• Provide leadership during design reviews, technical interchange meetings, and program milestone reviews with NASA and partner stakeholders.
• Drive risk identification, management, and mitigation strategies across the program.
• Guide the development and verification of subsystems, ensuring technical integrity and mission success.
• Mentor and develop engineering staff, promoting technical excellence and collaboration across teams.
• Serve as the customer-facing technical lead, presenting status, risks, and design solutions to program leadership, NASA, and partners.
• Support proposal development, program planning, and resource allocation as the technical owner for the LTV program.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related field; advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum of 15 years of experience leading complex aerospace or automotive development programs, with strong emphasis on spacecraft, terrestrial vehicles, rover, or robotic systems.
• Proven track record of technical leadership on multi-disciplinary technical programs.
• Experience in system-level integration and cross-domain engineering leadership.
• Strong familiarity with NASA programs, requirements, and development processes.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with experience interfacing across multiple partner companies and customer organizations.
• Ability to balance technical depth with program-level leadership and decision-making.
• Strong risk management, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Proficiency in engineering tools, processes, and lifecycle management for space systems.

Preferred

• Prior experience as a Chief Engineer, Deputy Chief Engineer, or Systems Engineering Lead on a large aerospace or automotive program.
• Experience with rover, surface mobility, or planetary exploration vehicle development.
• Familiarity with lunar environment design challenges (dust mitigation, thermal extremes, radiation).
• Recognized leadership in the aerospace community, with publications, patents, or program leadership roles.
• Background in mentoring and developing senior technical staff.

EEOC

Intuitive Machines is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.