The Role
Design, build, commission, and maintain propulsion test stands and ground support equipment for cryogenic propulsion systems. Plan preventative maintenance, troubleshoot mechanical/fluid/electrical/instrumentation issues, support root-cause investigations and safety/hazard analyses, maintain P&IDs and facility documentation, and promote operational excellence during test operations.
Summary Generated by Built In
As a Ground Support Equipment Engineer at Impulse, you will be responsible for the design, build, commissioning, and maintenance of test facilities at Impulse’s Propulsion Test Facility in Mojave, California. You’ll have the opportunity to work with facilities supporting methane/liquid oxygen, ethane/nitrous propulsion systems, high energy components, and integrated stages.
Working closely with propulsion, controls, manufacturing, and test operations teams, you'll help build the world-class test capabilities that power the next generation of space propulsion.
Responsibilities
- Design, build, and commission propulsion test stands and associated Ground Support Equipment to support development, qualification, and acceptance testing
- Plan and execute preventative maintenance and continuous improvement programs to maximize facility reliability and minimize downtime
- Troubleshoot mechanical, fluid, electrical, and instrumentation issues affecting propulsion test operations
- Support root cause investigations for facility anomalies, equipment failures, and operational incidents
- Participate in hazard analyses, design reviews, and operational readiness reviews for propulsion testing
- Maintain facility documentation including P&IDs, operating procedures, maintenance records, and engineering drawings
- Promote a culture of operational excellence, safety, and continuous improvement throughout propulsion test operations
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related engineering discipline
- 1+ years of experience designing, operating, maintaining, or commissioning complex mechanical or fluid systems
- Experience working with Ground Support Equipment, industrial process systems, propulsion facilities, or similar infrastructure
Preferred Skills and Experience
- 3+ years of engineering experience
- Strong engineering fundamentals in Thermal Fluid Systems and Structures
- Familiarity with methane/liquid oxygen, liquid oxygen, liquid methane, or other cryogenic fluid systems
- Knowledge of instrumentation including pressure transducers, thermocouples, flow meters, load cells, valves, and data acquisition systems
- Ability to interpret engineering drawings, P&IDs, and electrical schematics
- Strong troubleshooting skills with multidisciplinary mechanical, electrical, software, and fluid systems
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to perform effectively during high-intensity test operations
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.
About
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.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related engineering discipline
- 1+ years experience designing, operating, maintaining, or commissioning complex mechanical or fluid systems
- Experience working with Ground Support Equipment, industrial process systems, propulsion facilities, or similar infrastructure
- U.S. Person status or eligibility to obtain an export license (ITAR/EAR compliance)
- 3+ years of engineering experience
- Strong fundamentals in Thermal Fluid Systems and Structures
- Familiarity with cryogenic fluid systems (liquid oxygen, liquid methane, methane/LOX)
- Knowledge of instrumentation: pressure transducers, thermocouples, flow meters, load cells, valves, and data acquisition systems
- Ability to interpret engineering drawings, P&IDs, and electrical schematics
- Strong multidisciplinary troubleshooting skills (mechanical, electrical, software, fluid)
- Excellent communication skills for high-intensity test operations
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The Company
What We Do
Impulse enables low-cost and nimble last-mile space payload delivery - access any orbit, reach other worlds.
