Own and develop end-to-end manufacturing processes for ceramic matrix composite flight hardware, including material selection, densification, joining, tooling, inspection, qualification, and production scaling. Partner with design, propulsion, materials, quality, technicians, and suppliers to improve producibility, resolve process escapes, establish controlled documentation, select capital equipment, and deliver repeatable rate production. Lead the CMC manufacturing roadmap and mentor engineers and technicians.
As a Staff or Principal Manufacturing Engineer for CMC Applications at Impulse Space, you will own the end-to-end ceramic matrix composite manufacturing capability, from material selection and process development to qualified, flight-ready hot-section hardware. You will work across propulsion, structures, materials, and quality, and directly with floor technicians, to take ultra-high-temperature composite parts from concept to rate production.
Responsibilities
- Own and mature the end-to-end manufacturing process for C/SiC and related ceramic composite hardware in ultra-high-temperature applications, from preform architecture through densification, machining, and coating.
- Develop and qualify densification and joining processes (CVI, PIP, brazing), including furnace cycle definition, tooling, fixturing, and run-to-run repeatability.
- Analyze candidate fiber, matrix, and coating systems and build the supply chain strategy: qualify vendors, dual-source critical materials, and de-risk long-lead precursors.
- Define the inspection, acceptance, and validation approach for manufactured parts, NDI methods (CT, ultrasonic, thermography), coupon tests, allowable development, and first-article inspection.
- Author and own process specifications, travelers, and work instructions; drive configuration control and change management.
- Design tooling, mandrels, and shop aids for CMC part fabrication and assembly.
- Partner with propulsion, structures, and thermal teams on DFM feedback so producibility is built into the design rather than discovered on the shop floor.
- Lead root-cause investigations on process escapes and drive corrective actions using RCA and structured problem-solving.
- Scale from prototype to rate production: capital equipment selection, facility layout, cycle time, yield, and cost per part.
- Work directly with technicians and machinists on the floor to produce flight hardware.
- Own the technical roadmap for CMC manufacturing capability, sequencing process development, capital investment, and qualification milestones against vehicle program needs.
- Mentor engineers and technicians, and influence the technical standard for high-temperature materials manufacturing across the organization.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in engineering, materials science, chemistry, physics, or a related technical field.
- 5+ years of experience developing or producing high-temperature materials or advanced composites, ceramic matrix composites, carbon-carbon, refractory metals, ablatives, or comparable systems; or a Master's degree with 3+ years; or a PhD in a relevant field with 1+ years of hands-on experience.
- Demonstrated experience in aerospace, defense, hypersonics, gas turbine, nuclear, energy, or industrial ceramics.
Preferred Skills and Experience
- CMC manufacturing for aerospace or defense flight hardware.
- SiC matrix densification via CVI, with working knowledge of PIP, CVD, melt infiltration, and the trade-offs between them.
- Vacuum and high-temperature furnace operation, instrumentation, and maintenance.
- Rocket engine propulsion fundamentals and hot-section hardware manufacturing, nozzles, throats, combustion chambers, and thermal protection systems.
- Fiber preform architecture: braiding, filament winding, 2D/3D weaving, additive preforming, and the effect of architecture on densification uniformity.
- NDI methods for ceramic composites and interpretation of defect indications against acceptance criteria.
- Finite element analysis of anisotropic and high-temperature materials.
- Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, and statistical process control in a low-volume, high-mix environment.
- Working knowledge of AS9100 or comparable aerospace quality systems.
- Experience taking a new process from lab or prototype scale into qualified-rate production.
Additional Information:
Compensation bands are determined by role, level, location, and alignment with market data. Individual level and base pay is determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on job-related skills, education, experience, technical capabilities and internal equity. In addition to base salary, for full-time hires, you may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of stock options, and access to medical, vision & dental coverage as well as access to a 401(k) retirement plan.
Impulse Space’s spacecraft manufacturing business is subject to U.S. export regulations including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR). This position requires applicants to be either U.S. Persons (i.e., U.S. citizen, U.S. national, lawful permanent U.S. resident (green card holder), an individual granted asylum in the U.S., or an individual admitted in U.S. refugee status) or persons eligible to obtain an export license from the U.S. Departments of State, Commerce, or other applicable U.S. government agencies. Learn more about the ITAR here.
Compensation bands are determined by role, level, location, and alignment with market data. Individual level and base pay is determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on job-related skills, education, experience, technical capabilities and internal equity. In addition to base salary, for full-time hires, you may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of stock options, and access to medical, vision & dental coverage as well as access to a 401(k) retirement plan.
Impulse Space’s spacecraft manufacturing business is subject to U.S. export regulations including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR). This position requires applicants to be either U.S. Persons (i.e., U.S. citizen, U.S. national, lawful permanent U.S. resident (green card holder), an individual granted asylum in the U.S., or an individual admitted in U.S. refugee status) or persons eligible to obtain an export license from the U.S. Departments of State, Commerce, or other applicable U.S. government agencies. Learn more about the ITAR here.
Impulse Space is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Impulse Space is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.
About
Impulse Space, the in-space transportation company founded by Tom Mueller, is opening access beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO) with its fleet of in-space transportation vehicles. The high-energy Helios vehicle unlocks orbits beyond LEO with its powerful Deneb engine, dropping off payloads in MEO, GEO, heliocentric, lunar, and other planetary orbits. The flight-proven Mira vehicle uses a nontoxic, high-impulse chemical propulsion system to offer orbital transport, constellation deployment, and precision reentry services to customers throughout LEO. Led by a team that delivered the most reliable rockets in history, Impulse provides economical and efficient in-space transportation by reliably and rapidly getting customers where they want to go.
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