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AdAstra Talent Advisors · 3 months ago

Chief Spacecraft Engineer (VP Possible for Excellent Fits)

Los Angeles, CA

Full-time

Onsite

Director/Executive

10+ years exp

AdAstra Talent Advisors is representing an early-stage space and defense company focused on protecting and enabling the future of civilization in orbit. As Chief Spacecraft Engineer, you will lead the development of the spacecraft platform, overseeing all subsystems and driving the full product lifecycle from design to launch.

Management Consulting

No H1B

Security Clearance Required

U.S. Citizen Only

Responsibilities

Lead a cross-functional engineering team with end-to-end responsibility for the spacecraft

Establish and institutionalize a hardware-forward, build-test-learn culture, prioritizing learning through rapid physical iteration over prolonged analysis in early stages

Guide the team through all major development phases—architecture definition, subsystem design, SRR/CoDR/PDR/CDR, integration, test, qualification, and launch

Define vehicle-level architecture across multiple product lines, ensuring performance, reliability, and manufacturability

Drive strategic 'make vs. buy' decisions across spacecraft platforms and subsystems, ensuring alignment with technical goals, program timelines, and broader company vision

Oversee environmental, functional, and qualification testing to meet mission assurance and certification requirements for commercial and government missions

Drive execution against program timelines and milestones while maintaining technical excellence and engineering rigor

Partner with VP of Autonomy on robotic payloads and software; own spacecraft platform and shared subsystem resources

Foster a culture of ownership, innovation, and continuous improvement

Serve as a key technical voice in engagements with internal stakeholders, external partners, and government customers

Qualification

Spacecraft engineeringIterative hardware-rich developmentLeadership of multi-disciplinary teamsSystems engineering mindsetSpacecraft qualification standardsCross-disciplinary trades managementHigh-ambiguity environment adaptabilityStartupAgile R&D experienceFostering innovation culture

Required

8+ years (12+ preferred) of experience in spacecraft engineering, with multiple missions successfully delivered from concept through on-orbit operations

Proven leadership of multi-disciplinary teams (10+ engineers) across structures and mechanisms, GNC, avionics, software, propulsion, and test

Proven track record of iterative, hardware-rich development, including hands-on experience with flight hardware integration and test

Familiarity with spacecraft qualification and certification standards for NASA, DoD, and IC customers

Strong systems engineering mindset with ability to manage complex cross-disciplinary trades

Comfort operating in high-ambiguity, fast-changing environments where strategic priorities may evolve rapidly

Must be willing and able to obtain and maintain a security clearance. Active or prior US Government security clearance (TS/SCI or equivalent) preferred but not required

Must be based in or willing to relocate to the greater Los Angeles area. This is an in-person leadership role with high influence over early team culture and execution