The Role
Build and lead a precision cleaning organization supporting aerospace manufacturing. Develop standardized cleaning processes, SOPs, work instructions, equipment specifications, validation reports, training programs, and competency requirements. Collaborate with Manufacturing, Quality, Design, and EHS to ensure safe, compliant, repeatable operations. Lead contamination control, FOD mitigation, equipment and infrastructure selection, lean improvement, staffing, and long-term departmental scaling.
Summary Generated by Built In
The Process and Precision Cleaning Engineering Lead at Impulse will build, establish, and lead a scalable cleaning operation to support the company’s growing manufacturing needs. This role will be responsible for the development of precision cleaning processes, FOD mitigation, standards, equipment, staffing, training, and department infrastructure while driving safety, quality, throughput, and continuous improvement. The ideal candidate will bring leadership and technical expertise to create a high-performing cleaning organization from the ground up, establish robust and repeatable processes, and scale the department alongside increasing production demand.
Responsibilities
- Build and lead the Precision Cleaning team
- Establish standardized cleaning processes, work instructions, and SOPs
- Generate high-quality technical documentation such as engineering test plans, work instructions, equipment specifications, and qualification reports.
- Work directly with precision cleaning technicians and engineers to create and maintain training programs, competency matrices, and certification requirements.
- Identify and implement precision cleaning equipment, tooling, chemicals, fixtures, and infrastructure needed to scale the department
- Collaborate with internal customers (Manufacturing, Quality, & Design) to ensure hardware is processed per design intent.
- Drive continuous improvement and lean manufacturing initiatives within the precision cleaning operation
- Collaborate with EHS to ensure and adhere to job safety principles
- Create a long-term roadmap for the Precision Cleaning Department, including personnel, equipment, facility, and process capability
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering, science or related field
- 5+ years of demonstrated experience in precision cleaning, contamination control, or related manufacturing processes, preferably within aerospace, space, defense, semiconductor, or other high-reliability industries
- Hands-on experience developing, implementing, and maintaining precision cleaning processes for aerospace materials, components, and hardware
Preferred Skills and Experience
- Ability to manage people, multiple projects, and priorities simultaneously
- Strong understanding of chemical cleaning, material compatibility, reaction mechanisms, and precision cleaning science.
- Experience with cleaning validation processes (Particle Count and NVR).
- Strong background in contamination control principles, including particulate control, molecular contamination, and FOD prevention.
- Experience with automated or semi‑automated precision cleaning processes for aerospace hardware (direct or indirect).
- Experience with manual precision cleaning processes for aerospace hardware.
- Strong understanding of GMP and regulatory requirements
- Data analysis and problem-solving skills
- Technical writing and documentation expertise
- Strong cross-functional collaboration skills
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 engineering, science, or a related field
- 5+ years of experience in precision cleaning, contamination control, or related manufacturing processes
- Hands-on experience developing, implementing, and maintaining precision cleaning processes for aerospace materials, components, and hardware
- Experience in aerospace, space, defense, semiconductor, or another high-reliability industry
- Ability to manage people, multiple projects, and priorities simultaneously
- Understanding of chemical cleaning, material compatibility, reaction mechanisms, and precision cleaning science
- Experience with cleaning validation, including Particle Count and NVR
- Knowledge of contamination control, particulate control, molecular contamination, and FOD prevention
- Experience with automated or semi-automated precision cleaning processes for aerospace hardware
- Experience with manual precision cleaning processes for aerospace hardware
- Understanding of GMP and regulatory requirements
- Data analysis and problem-solving skills
- Technical writing and documentation expertise
- Strong cross-functional collaboration skills
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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.
