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Chief Engineer - Spacecraft

Greater Seattle Area

About Gravitics

At Gravitics, we're not exploring space—we're building it. We're creating the infrastructure for a thriving space economy, enabling humanity to flourish beyond Earth. Our vision is bold, but we're not just dreamers; we're doers. We design and manufacture large-scale orbital structures that enable commercial operations while meeting the requirements of defense and government missions. 

Our systems are built to scale and built to last—bridging commercial innovation with mission-critical performance. If you're ready to lay the foundations for a new era in space, embrace a culture of relentless learning and innovation, and contribute to a future where humanity's reach extends farther, Gravitics is the place for you. Let's build the future together.  

About the Role

You serve as both the technical authority and leader of the engineering organization for Gravitics spacecraft, responsible for system design integrity and the capability of the engineering team to deliver it. 

You will work across all engineering disciplines and partner closely with Program, Manufacturing, and Operations leadership to ensure successful spacecraft development from concept through flight. 

Responsibilities 

Technical Authority 

  • Own system architecture, technical baseline, and design integrity 
  • Lead system engineering activities including requirements definition, allocation, and verification 
  • Chair technical reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, FRR) 
  • Ensure technical rigor, configuration control, and compliance with requirements 
  • Identify and resolve complex technical risks and issues 
  • Communicate technical status and decisions to program office and leadership 

Engineering Leadership 

  • Build and lead a high-performing, multidisciplinary engineering team 
  • Own hiring, staffing, and capability development 
  • Allocate engineering resources across programs 
  • Establish and maintain engineering processes and standards  

Integration with Program Execution 

  • Partner with Program leadership to support successful delivery 
  • Align technical decisions with cost and schedule constraints 
  • Support manufacturing, integration, test, and mission operations 
  • Maintain customer engagement and technical communication 

Accountability 

  • Accountable for technical success and system integrity 
  • Accountable for engineering organizational capability and performance 
  • Program cost and schedule accountability resides with Program and COO leadership 

Future Evolution 

This role is expected to evolve into separate Chief Engineer and Head of Engineering roles as the company scales. 

Required Attributes 

  • Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, or Software Engineering or similar. 
  • Demonstrated past ownership of complex projects. 
  • Ability to understand and drive from first principles. 
  • Deep understanding of several spacecraft disciplines. 
  • Familiarity with ground support systems. 
  • Comfort working in fast-paced environments. 
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
  • Successful candidates typically have 10-15 years of experience in spacecraft development or operations. 

Bonus Points for 

  • Prior experience working with Commercial, NASA, and DOD customers. 
  • Demonstrated leadership in full product lifecycle of one or more vehicle subsystems. 
  • Solid fundamentals in FDIR and fault tolerant schemes. 
  • Strong familiarity with SMC-S-016 and various qualification and protoqualification approaches. 
  • Direct experience with rendezvous and proximity operations, including system verification & validation. Familiarity with SSP 50808 and ISO 24330. 
  • Willingness to travel up to 25% time to supplier, customer, test, and launch sites. 

Compensation and Benefits

For Marysville, WA, the expected base salary range for this role is $190,000 - 230,000. Your level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the considerations of job-related knowledge and skills, education, and direct experience. Salary is just one component of the total employee package, which also includes company equity at an exciting time of company growth, as well as comprehensive medical, 401(k) retirement plan, a generous PTO policy, employee discounts, and more. 

About Compliance

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.

Gravitics is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are based on merit, qualifications, and business needs, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin or ethnicity, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, or any other legally protected status. 

Salary Range

$190,000 - $230,000 USD

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