What are the responsibilities and job description for the Propulsion Engineer position at Karman+ - Launching the Regolith Age?
Karman
We are inventors, designers, engineers, scientists, tinkerers, entrepreneurs, adventurers, artists, activists, global citizens, architects, musicians, builders, writers, athletes and space nerds. We partner with the best minds and most experienced teams across industry and academia, bringing together the knowledge, experience, and skills required to navigate our critical path.
Mission
We want to mine space resources from near-Earth asteroids to provide abundant, sustainable energy and resources in space and for Earth.
Vision
Asteroid mining has lived at the intersection of scientific research and popular culture for decades, with as many academic papers published as there are books, TV shows and movies about it.
Access to resources, with its finite nature and disparate distribution, plays an essential part in the geopolitical web of power and wealth. It has defined economic growth to such an extent that we have been using them as primary demarcation lines and identifiers in our history, from the stone to bronze and iron age to our current silicon age.
But our resources-driven growth faces a massive existential challenge, with climate change, ecosystem degradation and resource depletion demanding a complete reset. Humanity needs to shift global transportation, manufacturing, construction and energy onto a sustainable path.
Expanding beyond the Krmn line is where we believe transformative future growth and innovation will be found. Recent missions by NASA (OSIRIS-REx & DART) and JAXA (Hayabusa2) have firmly pushed the idea of using space resources from academic research into commercial opportunity.
We believe the Regolith Age , powered by abundant space resources, is an inevitability that we can accelerate.
We value these principles :
- Diversity of thought . We believe that different perspectives drive better results. We aim to build diverse teams and a diverse company.
- Ownership, feedback and accountability. Ideas improve through collaboration, discussion and iteration. Decisions don't follow the same pattern and revert to the mean when made in a group. We aim to have clear ownership, accountability for results and autonomy to deliver.
- No silos. We build cross-functional teams to be able to deliver on our goals. There are no predefined lanes for people to operate in, information is pushed out across all teams to make sure we benefit from cross-pollination.
- High talent bar, no a
- holes. We optimize for potential and a growth mindset. We value experience, but only when balanced with self-awareness and first principles thinking.
- Small is beautiful. The best results as well as the best work experience come from a small team of talented people working towards a common goal.
Position : Propulsion Engineer
Location : Denver, CO
Position Type : Full-time
Mission : High Frontier - Design, Integrate, Test, and Deploy the RCS and Main Propulsion Systems
Karman is a fast-paced space startup with a mission to redefine what's possible with a small, dedicated team working on groundbreaking projects. For our High Frontier mission, propulsion is crucial, and we're looking for a Propulsion Responsible Engineer to take ownership of the Reaction Control System (RCS) thrusters and the Hall Effect main thruster. If you're an experienced propulsion engineer who's ready to take end-to-end responsibility for critical subsystems, we want you onboard.
What it takes to be successful in this role :
As the Propulsion Responsible Engineer, you'll have full lifecycle responsibility for specific propulsion subsystems on the High Frontier mission. You'll design, analyze, integrate, test, and support the spacecraft's propulsion system to ensure precise maneuvering and reliable propulsion in space. This role requires deep technical expertise and hands-on problem-solving skills to drive subsystem success in a high-stakes environment.
This is an individual contributor role, focused on technical ownership rather than people management. You'll work closely with other teams and suppliers, making independent engineering decisions to keep the project on track. If you're passionate about spacecraft propulsion and thrive on solving complex engineering challenges, this role is for you.
Key Responsibilities
What You Bring
Requirements
Additional Information
We Offer
Our cash compensation amount for this role is targeted at $100,000.00 - $140,000.00 annually in this location. Final offer amounts are determined by multiple factors including candidate experience and expertise and may vary from the amount listed above.
Top Benefits & Perks
As a member of the Karman team, you'll enjoy an impressive benefits package :
Location & Work Environment
This position is full-time in-person at our offices & lab in Denver, CO. If you reside in locations outside of daily commuting distance you will be considered, however, no relocation or travel assistance will be provided by Karman for this position. This position operates in an office environment. This entails working inside in an office space wherein you may be provided with a public work station (cubicle) or private offices. In the performance of the duties and responsibilities of this job, you will be required to view a computer terminal for prolonged periods of time.
Travel
Occasional travel to work site locations may be expected. Overnight stays may be required from time to time for training, seminars, conferences, meetings, events, or visits to onsite locations.
Disclaimer
This job posting is not intended to contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required. Karman reserves the right to change or assign additional duties, responsibilities, and activities at any time with or without notice.
Hiring Practices
Karman is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. We do not discriminate in hiring or any employment decision based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or other applicable legally protected characteristic. We are also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact hr@karmanplus.com.
Come work with us...
We are crazy ambitious but the timing is right. Be part of the team looking to make it happen.
ITAR Requirements
To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.
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If you know someone who'd be a great addition to our team, please encourage them to apply for this role or for our General Application.
Salary : $100,000 - $140,000
