Agile Space Industries

Senior Systems Engineer - Tank / Pressure Vessel Programs

Agile Space Industries$128K — $200K *
Aerospace & Defense
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • B.S. in Engineering or related technical field (or equivalent experience)
  • 10+ years in systems or mechanical engineering (aerospace preferred)
  • Experience with propellant tank systems for rocket engines
  • Familiar with ebeam welding for aerospace applications
  • Strong understanding of pressure vessels and fluid systems
  • Experience in requirements definition and management
  • Proven ability to drive system-level decision making

Responsibilities

  • Collaborate with customers to define system requirements and success criteria
  • Translate customer needs into testable system requirements with traceability
  • Support system architecture development and trade studies for performance and risks
  • Ensure integration across structures, materials, and manufacturing processes
  • Drive the decomposition of requirements to subsystems and components
  • Manage technical baseline and configuration control
  • Lead verification and validation planning, including test procedures

Benefits

  • Generous health coverage including dental and vision plans
  • Flexible Time Off policy
  • Parental leave offered
  • 401(k) with 100% company match up to 4%
Full Job Description
Job Type

Full-time

Description

Agile is seeking an experienced Systems Engineer to provide end-to-end systems engineering leadership across tank and pressure vessel development programs. This role is responsible for driving a clear, executable thread from customer requirements through system requirements, design, manufacturing, verification, qualification, and delivery.

The ideal candidate brings strong system-level thinking and deep technical experience in pressure vessels, propulsion systems, or related aerospace hardware. This role works directly with the customer and internal teams to translate requirements into an executable system and ensure the system is designed, built, and tested to meet those objectives.

This position is accountable for maintaining technical coherence across disciplines and driving system-level decisions throughout the program lifecycle. The role requires leadership in requirements definition and flowdown, manufacturing integration, materials and process considerations, risk management, and verification and validation planning and execution. The candidate is responsible for working with the customer to drive agreement on requirements.

Agile operates in a fast-paced development environment. This role is expected to take ownership, drive decisions, and ensure alignment across teams, customers, and suppliers to deliver a working, testable system.

This is an open position at multiple levels from Staff to Principal Engineering level and will be assessed as part of the candidate review process.

Responsibilities
  • Work directly with customers to define system requirements, use cases, and success criteria
  • Translate customer needs into clear, testable system requirements and maintain end-to-end traceability through delivery
  • Support system architecture development and trade studies, including evaluation of performance, risk, cost, and schedule impacts
  • Ensure consistency and integration across structures, materials, manufacturing, welding, NDE, fluids, and test interfaces
  • Drive requirement decomposition and flowdown to subsystems and components
  • Own and maintain technical baseline and configuration control
  • Lead the definition, planning, and execution of the verification and validation approach, including qualification plans and acceptance test procedures (ATP)
  • Ensure verification is tied directly to requirements and planned early in the development lifecycle
  • Lead and support gated product development reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, etc.)
  • Identify, track, and drive closure of technical risks, manufacturing issues, interface issues, and system gaps
  • Support manufacturing readiness including weld development, weld procedures, cleaning processes, and build planning
  • Independently analyze system performance and recommend design or process changes as needed
  • Facilitate communication between customers, internal teams, and suppliers, ensuring clear understanding of system intent, constraints, and decisions
  • Support failure investigations, root cause analysis, and corrective actions
  • Contribute to improving systems engineering processes, tools, and execution across programs


Requirements

  • B.S. in Engineering or related technical field (or equivalent experience)
  • 10+ year of experience in systems engineering and or mechanical engineering in aerospace or related technical field
  • Experience with propellant tank systems for rocket engines
  • Experience with ebeam welding and welding of metallic surfaces for aerospace applications
  • Strong understanding of pressure vessels, materials properties, and manufacturing processes, fluid systems, and system integration challenges
  • Demonstrated experience in requirements definition, decomposition, and management
  • Experience leading or supporting verification and validation planning and execution through hardware development lifecycles
  • Experience with test planning and test execution of pressure vessels
  • Ability to drive system-level decision making and cross-functional alignment
  • Experience working with customers (government or commercial)
  • Experience with requirements management tools (e.g., JAMA or similar)
  • U.S. Citizenship or permanent residency required

Preferred Qualifications
  • Experience developing pressure vessels or propellant tanks for aerospace applications
  • Experience with weld development, weld qualification, and inspection methods (e.g., NDE/NDI)
  • Familiarity with cleaning processes for oxygen or propulsion systems
  • Experience with materials selection, compatibility, and fracture/structural considerations
  • Experience supporting manufacturing processes including weld prep, assembly, and build sequencing
  • Experience with propulsion systems integration is desired
  • Familiarity with NASA or other relevant industry standards
  • Experience leading failure investigations and root cause analysis
  • Experience with risk and opportunity management activities and strategies
  • Clear and concise presentation skills

This position is open across multiple levels (Staff, Senior, and Senior Staff Engineer). Final leveling will be determined based on the candidate's experience, skills, and overall qualifications during the interview process.

Physical Requirements: Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer

Employment Type: Exempt

Work Schedule: Full-Time

Location: Durango, CO

This role is onsite in Durango CO, this is not a remote position and the candidate must be onsite to support the hardware development and manufacturing efforts.

Salary: The expected salary range for this role is $128,000 - $200,000 annually. Final compensation will be based on factors such as experience, skills, and internal equity, and is typically made within the midrange, rather than the upper end.

Posting Timeline: This position will remain open for a minimum of five (5) days and will continue to accept applications until the role is filled. Early applications are encouraged, as reviews and interviews may begin during the posting period.

Onsite #LI-Onsite

What You'll Love About Us: Agile Space Industries offers exceptional benefits to support you and your family including generous health coverage, dental and vision plans, Flexible Time Off, parental leave, and a 401(k) with 100% company match up to 4%.

About Agile Space Industries

Agile Space Industries is a company that specializes in the development of propulsion systems for small satellites. The company was founded in 2009 and is headquartered in Fullerton, California. Agile Space Industries is focused on developing innovative propulsion solutions that enable small satellites to perform complex missions. The company's products include electric propulsion systems, chemical propulsion systems, and hybrid propulsion systems. Agile Space Industries has a team of experienced engineers and scientists who are dedicated to advancing the state of the art in small satellite propulsion.
Learn more about Agile Space Industries
Size
50 employees
Industry
Net Income
-$1 million
Founded
2009
5 Year Trend
+20%
Revenue
$5 million

Similar Jobs

More Jobs at Agile Space Industries

More Aerospace & Defense Jobs

Find similar Senior Systems Engineer - Tank / Pressure Vessel Programs jobs: