Propulsion Engineer, Structures (Mid) Verified today

About the Role

Apex is seeking a Propulsion Engineer with experience in structures and hardware integration to design propulsion modules for Apex spacecraft at scale. You will own mechanical designs across the module, including structure, mounting and installation of flow controllers, PPUs, and thrusters, and the packaging that turns components into a single, buildable, flight-ready assembly.

The propulsion components you integrate are designed and built in-house at Apex. You will work directly with engineers who own thrusters, cathodes, flow controllers, and PPUs, helping shape their mechanical, thermal, and interface design so components and module are optimized together from the start.

You will work closely with the manufacturing team throughout the design cycle, supporting first builds and incorporating production feedback as the company scales. This role offers significant hands-on design ownership and the opportunity to take hardware from concept through build, test, and production.

Responsibilities

• Own mechanical designs for propulsion modules, including module structures, mounting interfaces, and installation of flow controllers, PPUs, thrusters, and other propulsion hardware.
• Design module structures to meet vehicle-level structural and environmental requirements, including launch loads, vibration, shock, and thermal environments, while conforming to vehicle ICDs.
• Define mechanical, thermal, and structural interfaces between propulsion components and the module, and between the module and spacecraft.
• Partner with in-house thruster, cathode, flow controller, and PPU teams to optimize component mounting, packaging, and interfaces.
• Perform structural analysis, including hand calculations and FEA, to verify strength, stiffness, and margins.
• Design against mass, cost, and power budgets and support engineering trades across competing requirements.
• Design for manufacturing and assembly to ensure modules are buildable, repeatable, and installable at rate.
• Work directly with manufacturing and production teams during first builds and resolve design and integration issues on the floor.
• Incorporate manufacturing feedback into design iterations to improve producibility, yield, and build time.
• Create and own component and assembly drawings, tolerance stack-ups, fastening and torque specifications, and installation work instructions.
• Support build, integration, and test of flight hardware and contribute to anomaly resolution and root-cause investigations.
• Contribute to continuous design improvements across module generations as production scales.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical, aerospace, or related engineering field.
• 3+ years of relevant mechanical or aerospace engineering experience, with experience in structural design and hardware installation/integration.
• Strong understanding of structural design and analysis, including load paths, strength and stiffness, fasteners and joints, tolerance stack-ups, hand calculations, and FEA.
• Experience designing aerospace or other complex hardware to structural and environmental requirements, including vibration, shock, and thermal environments.
• Experience integrating discrete components such as propulsion, avionics, fluidic, or other hardware into structural assemblies.
• Proficiency with CAD, engineering drawings, and GD&T, with experience taking designs through release, build, and test.
• Experience working with manufacturing or production teams to transition designs into hardware and resolve build and integration issues.
• Ability to make sound engineering trades across performance, mass, cost, manufacturability, and schedule.
• Ability to communicate clearly and work cross-functionally across engineering, manufacturing, and production teams.
• Must be a U.S. Person (U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or protected individual) as defined by ITAR (22 CFR §120.15).

Nice to Have

• Direct experience with spacecraft propulsion modules, feed systems, or propulsion component integration.
• Experience designing spacecraft or aerospace hardware for serial or high-rate production, including design-for-manufacturing and design-for-assembly.
• Familiarity with electric propulsion components, including thrusters, flow controllers, PPUs, and their mechanical, thermal, fluidic, and electrical interfaces.
• Experience with propellant feed-system routing, fluidic components, and cleanliness/contamination control.
• Experience collaborating with component design teams to optimize hardware and system-level integration.
• Experience supporting environmental qualification testing, including vibration, shock, and TVAC.
• Experience supporting flight hardware through integration, qualification, launch, and/or on-orbit operations.

What We Offer

• Equity in Apex to benefit from the work you create.
• 100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision for you and your dependents, plus $100k life insurance at no cost.
• Comprehensive PTO package starting at 15 days vacation, growing to 20+ days annually, plus 10 paid holidays.
• Competitive 401(k) plan with 100% match on first 3% and 50% match on next 2%.
• 8 weeks paid parental leave plus childcare reimbursement up to $350/day for work-related travel.
• Daily catered lunch and unlimited snacks.
• Monthly office socials, pickleball tournaments, run club, and family gatherings.
• Dream desk setup and all tools needed for productivity.
• In-person office in Playa Vista with collaboration flexibility.