Manufacturing Engineer - Soft Goods
At Stoke, we believe a thriving space economy will enable a vibrant, sustainable, and equitable future here on Earth. That is why we’re building Nova, our fully and rapidly reusable launch vehicle. Designed for daily flight, Nova tackles the core challenges of space transportation by reducing cost, increasing availability, and improving reliability. By radically lowering launch costs and increasing flight cadence, we’re helping create a truly scalable space industry. Our team is mission-driven, collaborative, and empowered to take ownership of their work.
About the role
We are seeking a full-time Manufacturing Engineer to join our dynamic team in developing our soft goods capabilities at our factory in Kent, WA. In this role, you will be responsible for developing thermal protective materials and coatings and standing up the capability within the factory to achieve reliable and repeatable outcomes. You will collaborate with design and analysis teams through all phases of the reusable vehicle product lifecycle. At Stoke, we value a first principles approach to engineering. In this role, you will own and develop the materials, process, and performance capabilities of soft goods at Stoke.
Responsibilities
- Serve as the responsible engineer for soft goods (insulations, paints, foams, etc) at Stoke
- Trade, evaluate, and select appropriate materials for launch vehicle thermal and coating needs considering performance requirements, cost, and process lead time factors
- Analyze, develop, and prove material capabilities for soft goods through thermal, environmental, and structural analysis, prototyping, and test
- Author, implement, and maintain processes and requirements for soft goods fabrication, implementation, and maintenance
- Deliver design guidance to internal customers for improved vehicle performance outcomes
- Establish and maintain relationships with suppliers to develop and improve internal quality and capabilities
- Implement or fabricate equipment and tooling to support process development
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, materials engineering, aerospace engineering, or similar
- 3+ years of professional experience with thermal test or soft goods engineering
- Demonstrated organizational and project management skills
- Demonstrated ability to work across many different projects and with many different people concurrently
- Background working with hands-on soft goods development
- Excellent written and verbal communication
- Willing to relocate to Seattle, WA
Benefits
- Equity – We know that our employees are the reason we succeed. To give everyone a stake in our future, we are pleased to offer equity in the form of stock options to all regular, full-time employees.
- Comprehensive benefits program including subsidized medical, dental, and vision insurance
- Company-paid life and disability insurance
- 401(k) plan with employer match
- 4 weeks’ Paid Time Off
- 10 paid holidays (including an end-of-year closure)
- Paid Family/Parental Leave
- On-site gym or monthly wellness stipend (depending on location)
- Dog friendly offices!
Pay
- Level 2 Range: $109,725 - $148,470
- Level 3 Range: $129,150 - $193,620
- Level 4 Range: $151,305 - $252,105
Our job posts are intentionally written to attract a wide variety of experience levels, and we make decisions about the right fit on a per-candidate basis. Your actual level and base salary will be decided based on your specific experience and skill level.
ITAR Requirements
To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.