Senior Vehicle Engineer

The MissionSpace is the infrastructure layer for humanity’s next industrial revolution. While reusable rockets have opened the door, true economic transformation requires infrastructure that makes orbit as accessible and reliable as air travel. At Lux Aeterna, we’re building that future by developing the first reusable satellite platform with controlled return capability - transforming space from a one-way street into a two-way highway for innovation and commerce. The OpportunityWe are looking for a Senior Vehicle Engineer to own the vehicle at the mission level. Structures, GNC, flight software, propulsion, power, thermal, and ground each have an owner and must work together at the vehicle level. On your mission, you are the person who makes sure they add up to a spacecraft that launches, operates, returns, and flies again. You'll hold the vehicle-level requirements, budgets, and interfaces for your mission, you'll be the technical point of contact for customer payloads and the launch provider, and you'll be in the high bay when the hardware comes together.This role is mission-focused by design. You start by owning one vehicle through flight and reflight. As the fleet grows, the role can grow with it into ownership of the product baseline for a vehicle line. This is a unique opportunity to:Own the vehicle-level technical baseline for your mission, from requirements through reflightCarry a full vehicle through design, integration, environmental test, launch, and return, then apply what you learn to our next-generation vehiclesHelp shape how Lux Aeterna does vehicle-level engineering as the company scalesWork directly with the CEO and engineering leads on the decisions that shape the vehicleGrow into product-level ownership as the fleet grows, if that is where you want to take it Why Lux Aeterna?Pioneering Technology: We're developing the first reusable satellite platform with controlled return capability, fundamentally transforming space from a one-way journey to a two-way highwayReal Impact: Your work will enable new industries in space manufacturing, research, and logistics while pioneering sustainable space infrastructureSpeed & Autonomy: We maintain parallel hardware development streams and empower engineers to innovate rapidly while upholding rigorous aerospace standardsWorld-Class Team: Work alongside experts from leading aerospace companies and research institutions, building technology that will reshape humanity's access to space The RoleYou'll be the engineer accountable for your mission's vehicle closing as a system, including:Owning the vehicle-level requirements for your mission and flowing them down to subsystems in a way that is traceable without being bureaucraticOwning and maintaining your vehicle's budgets: mass, power, link, pointing, thermal, propellant, and data, and driving margin decisions with the subsystem leadsOwning interface control on your mission: between subsystems, between the vehicle and customer payloads, and between the vehicle and the launch providerServing as the technical point of contact for your mission's payload customers from ICD through integration, test, and on-orbit operationsBuilding and running the verification program for your vehicle: the requirements-to-test matrix, environmental test planning, and closure of every requirement before shipLeading mission-level trade studies and concept of operations development, and contributing to platform-level trades as they come upRunning design reviews, failure investigations, and root cause analysis across disciplinesExecuting the requalification and reflight criteria for your vehicle and feeding what you learn back into the platform standard: what gets inspected, what gets replaced, and what has to be proven before a vehicle flies againFeeding mission operations with the vehicle knowledge the ops team needs to fly it Required QualificationsBS in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical Engineering, or a related field7+ years of spacecraft engineering experience with at least one vehicle you helped take from design through launchHands-on experience owning a subsystem before stepping up to vehicle-level work. You must have built hardware or deployed software for flight, not only managed requirements for itWorking knowledge across the major spacecraft disciplines including structures, thermal, power, propulsion, GNC, avionics, and software, with the ability to advocate or push back against specific subsystem ownersExperience writing and closing ICDs with payload customers and launch providersExperience planning and executing environmental test campaigns (vibration, thermal vacuum, EMI/EMC)Comfortable with first-principles analysis and quick models when a full simulation isn't warrantedClear written and verbal communication; you can explain a margin decision to a customer and a technician in the same afternoonDemonstrated ability to excel in dynamic, high-stakes engineering environments Desired ExperienceReentry, reusable, or multi-life hardware experienceRideshare integration experience (SpaceX Transporter or similar) and familiarity with launch provider requirements documentsExperience with SMC-S-016, NASA GEVS, or equivalent verification standardsExperience supporting mission operations or anomaly resolution on orbitDefense customer experience and an active or recent security clearanceEarly-stage startup experienceWe are based in Denver, CO and believe in the power of in-person collaboration. We are onsite 5 days/week by default, but flexible when life requires it. Compensation & BenefitsThe anticipated base salary range for this position is $150k-$200k per year. Actual compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, skills, and job-related responsibilities.This position is also eligible for equity compensation, as applicable.Lux Aeterna offers a benefits package of medical, dental, and vision insurance; paid time off and company holidays; and a 401(k) retirement plan. How and When to ApplyPlease apply at https://luxaeterna.applytojob.com/applyApplication Deadline: October 29, 2026This position requires U.S. citizenship and the ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) security clearance. The role involves access to export-controlled technical data subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR, 22 C.F.R. Parts 120 through 130) and the Export Administration Regulations (EAR, 15 C.F.R. Parts 730 through 774).