Astranis Space Technologies · 12 hours ago
Propulsion Test Team Lead
San Francisco
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level
$160K/yr - $195K/yr
5+ years expAstranis builds advanced satellites for high orbits, expanding humanity’s reach into the solar system. As the Propulsion Test Team Lead, you will be responsible for leading a team of propulsion test engineers and technicians, ensuring the testing and fueling of propulsion systems meet quality and safety standards.
AerospaceInternetSatellite CommunicationTelecommunications
No H1B
U.S. Citizen Only
Responsibilities
Lead a team of Propulsion test engineers and technicians that test satellite propulsion systems, including hiring and managing direct reports
Create and enforce quality standards and processes to ensure proper verification of unit-level and system-level hardware. Evaluate non-conformances to determine root cause and create corrective action plans and system improvements
Manage day-to-day activities of propulsion test, including creating processes for assigning and tracking work across production & development testing programs
Create and enforce a culture of safety and quality throughout the workplace
Evaluate proposed designs for testability and work closely with design engineering teams on new designs and processes to enable factory output growth targets up to 24 vehicles per year
Create, maintain and communicate detailed schedules, ensuring your team and other stakeholders are aware of tasks and deadlines, including resource identification and acquisition
Own the test infrastructure needed to test our current and next generation propulsion system, including factor layout, safety equipment, and test beds
Work hands-on with flight hardware alongside your team to ensure mission success
Develop ironbirds (test beds) for doing flight-like development and qualification testing
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree in aerospace or mechanical engineering
5+ years of professional experience in a hardware manufacturing or production environment (aerospace preferred)
Demonstrated ability to manage a lab and/or production facilities, equipment, and operations
Proven leadership through project management, mentorship, or people management experience
Hands-on experience working with fluid or gas feed systems
Ability to use ERP/MES systems for creating procedures, tracking hardware ad builds, and enforcing quality processes
Strong communication (written and verbal), organizational skills, and attention to detail
Strong fluid systems engineering intuition and critical thinking
Comfort with ambiguity and turning high-level requirements into clear design/test objectives
U.S. Citizenship, Lawful Permanent Residency, or Refugee/Asylee Status Required
Preferred
Direct management experience of engineers or technicians
Experience with fluid and gas system component design
Experience designing & maintaining test infrastructure
Specific experience with low thrust monopropellant, green monopropellant, and electric propulsion systems
Experience in spacecraft fueling and launch operations
Familiarity with AFSPCMAN 91-710 and other Range Safety documentation and requirements
Benefits
Equity in the form of incentive stock options
High quality company-subsidized healthcare
Disability and life insurance benefits
Flexible PTO
401(K) retirement
Free on-site catered meals
Company
Astranis Space Technologies
Astranis builds low-cost satellites for high orbits. Our first product, MicroGEO, offers the world’s lowest-cost satellite broadband.
201-500 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$753.5MKey Investors
Andreessen HorowitzBlackRockVenrock
2024-07-24Series D· $200M
2023-04-14Series Unknown· $200M
2023-04-14Debt Financing
Leadership Team
Mark Mesler
Chief Financial Officer
Ryan McLinko
Cofounder
Recent News
2026-01-12
Andreessen Horowitz
2026-01-12
Satellite Today
2026-01-12
Company data provided by crunchbase