Chief Engineer - Launch Systems

<p>Voyager is an innovative space, defense, and national security technology company committed to advancing and delivering transformative, mission-critical solutions. We tackle the most complex challenges to unlock new frontiers for human progress, fortify national security, and protect critical assets to lead in the race for technological and operational superiority from ground to space.  </p> <p><strong>Forge the Future: Join Voyager Technologies</strong>  </p> <p>The future belongs to those who build it. At Voyager Technologies, we’re building technologies that protect lives, expand frontiers and prepare us for what’s next. And we’re doing that with people who are wired to solve, build, adapt and lead. These roles are not for the faint of heart.   </p> <p>You’ll help lay the foundation for humanity's future. Join a culture where innovation thrives, curiosity is rewarded, and impact is real. We’re a company of doers, thinkers and builders, united by purpose and grounded in reality.  </p> <p>If you want to put your skills to work where the stakes are real and the mission is bigger than any one person,<strong> forge the future with Voyager.</strong>  </p> <p>The Chief Engineer for Vertical Takeoff and Vertical Landing (VTVL) systems is an autonomous technical leader responsible for the end-to-end mission success of our VTVL programs by managing multidisciplinary teams, overseeing complex systems engineering processes, and aligning technical execution with budgetary and schedule requirements. </p> <p>This position may be based at either our Long Beach, CA office or our Mojave, CA facility. Team members based in Long Beach must be able to travel to Mojave two weeks each month as a required part of the role.</p> <p><strong>In this role, the essential functions are: </strong></p> <ul> <li>Own the vehicle's technical architecture, design philosophy, requirements, interfaces, margins, and performance allocations, ensuring subsystems integrate into a safe, mission-capable vehicle</li> <li>Serve as the program's senior technical authority, providing independent judgment on major design decisions, waivers, risks, and readiness, and resolving cross-functional disagreements on engineering merit</li> <li>Lead vehicle-level design and development from concept through qualification, integrated/flight test, and operational deployment</li> <li>Own vehicle performance and technical margins (mass, CG, propellant, delta-V, thrust-to-weight, structural/thermal margins, power, comms, control authority), driving corrective action as needed</li> <li>Own technical risk identification and retirement, driving early testing of high-risk technologies and failure modes</li> <li>Define the development, qualification, and flight-test approach, ensuring the test program retires risk rather than just demonstrating nominal performance</li> <li>Works with the Chief Engineer of Lunar Systems to establish design standards and engineering rigor (analysis methods, margins, safety factors, configuration control, documentation) and tailor as needed to the program's risk posture</li> <li>Partner with manufacturing, test, and operations to ensure the design is manufacturable, testable, and operable, incorporating field experience into design decisions</li> </ul> <p>If your experience aligns with our basic qualifications and you are inspired by our mission, we’d like to connect. If you don’t see the right role right now, <a href="https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/voyagertechnologiesinc/jobs/4024393009">Join Our Talent Community</a> and stay connected as we continue to build what’s next.</p> <p><strong>Minimum Qualifications: </strong></p> <ul> <li>Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, aerospace engineering, or other relevant engineering discipline with 15 years of engineering experience.</li> <li>Demonstrated experience as a technical lead of a major component, subsystem or vehicle for a complex spacecraft, launch vehicle, aircraft, or similarly integrated safety-critical system.</li> <li>Experience adjudicating complex technical trade-offs and leading or participating in Engineering Review Boards.</li> <li>Deep understanding of how to manage system architecture products, requirements, and technical risk.</li> <li>Familiar with understanding of customer needs, CONOPS, and requirements and translating into engineering architecture and detailed design.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Preferred Qualifications: </strong></p> <ul> <li>Has served as the primary technical spokesperson for a program or project, including responsibility for system architecture, requirements, interfaces, design trades, technical risk, verification, and resolution of cross-subsystem technical issues.</li> <li>Direct experience taking flight hardware through development, integration, test, and flight or operational deployment, with demonstrated involvement in major design reviews, test readiness, anomaly resolution, and flight/readiness decisions.</li> <li>Experience leading liquid propulsion system projects.</li> <li>Current U.S. Security Clearance or the ability to obtain and maintain one.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Travel, Physical, and/or Government Mandated Requirements:</strong> </p> <ul> <li>Travel up to 25%, including the possibility of overnights within the US.</li> <li>Ability to lift, move or carry items or equipment up to 50 pounds </li&gt