Spacecraft Design Engineer

Spacecraft represent the most pressing unmet need across the entire aerospace industry. As more launch vehicles come online and the cost to orbit decreases, more companies launching payloads to space continue to emerge.

For the first time in history, this influx of payload companies combined with reduced launch costs has resulted in a massive increase in need for commercial spacecraft platforms, known as satellite buses. These buses hold the payloads of our customers and are flown on launch vehicles.

Apex manufactures these satellite buses at scale using a combination of software, vertical integration, and hardware that is designed for manufacturing. Our spacecraft enable the future of society: ranging from earth observation to communications and more.

We’d love for you to join us on our mission of providing humankind access to the galaxy beyond our planet. 

As a Spacecraft Design Engineer, you will be a foundational team member responsible for defining the future of Apex’s satellite platforms. You will operate at the design and development phase of the product lifecycle, shaping system architectures that balance performance, reliability, manufacturability, and cost for mass-manufactured satellite buses that enable access to Earth orbit and beyond.

You will act as a platform-level integrator and architect—translating mission needs into clear system requirements, interfaces, and design trades that downstream teams can execute with confidence.

System Architecture & Design

• →

  Define and evolve end-to-end satellite system architectures across multiple mission profiles

• →

  Perform system-level trade studies to optimize performance, reliability, cost, mass, and schedule

• →

  Analyze and allocate system requirements to spacecraft subsystems

• →

  Define and maintain system interfaces and interface control documents (ICDs)

Requirements & Technical Ownership

• →

  Define, document, and manage platform-level requirements during early lifecycle phases

• →

  Maintain traceability between customer needs, system requirements, and subsystem designs

• →

  Identify technical risks early and develop mitigation strategies

• →

  Perform system-level analyses (margins, sensitivities, FMEA) to inform design decisions

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• →

  Collaborate closely with propulsion, avionics, power, structures, thermal, software, and manufacturing teams

• →

  Translate mission concepts into executable platform designs

• →

  Support internal design reviews and customer technical discussions

• →

  Prepare designs for transition into integration, test, and qualification

• U.S. Person status (ability to access export-controlled data)

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related field (Master’s preferred)

• 6+ years of experience working on complex hardware systems (spacecraft preferred)

• Strong understanding of satellite subsystems and their interactions

• Experience with system-level trade studies, requirements definition, and interface management

• Strong analytical, communication, and documentation skills

• Experience developing satellite platforms or spacecraft buses

• Familiarity with requirements management or modeling tools (e.g., SysML, Jira, Excel)

• Experience supporting early validation or risk-reduction testing

• Familiarity with aerospace systems engineering best practices

Apex Technology, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Candidates and employees are always evaluated based on merit, qualifications, and performance. We will never discriminate on the basis of race, color, 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.