Senior Fluids Engineer

At Stoke, we believe a thriving space economy will enable a vibrant, sustainable, and equitable future here on Earth. That is why we’re building Nova, our fully and rapidly reusable launch vehicle. Designed for daily flight, Nova tackles the core challenges of space transportation by reducing cost, increasing availability, and improving reliability. By radically lowering launch costs and increasing flight cadence, we’re helping create a truly scalable space industry. Our team is mission-driven, collaborative, and empowered to take ownership of their work. If you want to work alongside some of the most dedicated and talented people on Earth, we’d love to have you join us. Description Stoke’s Stage Fluids team is developing a reusable LNG/LOX first stage and reusable LH2/LOX second stage for our launch vehicle, Nova. As a Senior Fluids Engineer, you will be responsible for defining, designing, manufacturing, and testing various fluids systems across the rocket. You will be owner of the entire process for your designs, from early concepting and architecture trades, to creating models in CAD and completing analysis, to procuring parts with suppliers and integrating them onto the vehicle. As part of a small, well-supported team, you will have access to the resources you need to get the job done right while simultaneously boosting your skills at a pace that can’t be matched in most other roles. You must be ready to stay focused, move fast, self-direct, and learn on the fly. Responsibilities • Collect design requirements from multidisciplinary teams, and use these to create concepts for fluids systems • Lead architecture trades for major fluids systems, rapidly transform these decisions into real-life hardware implementations • Develop fluids system concept of operations for ground, flight, and recovery phases of vehicle’s life • Perform gas and liquid fluids system sizing analysis (incompressible and compressible flow) • Design and analyze launch vehicle tubing, manifold, and mounting systems, ensure these systems are structurally capable of surviving vehicle load cases. Create CAD models and drawings • Coordinate directly with suppliers to procure parts • Coordinate and execute the manufacturing and integration of fluids systems • Incorporate design for manufacturing best practices into designs to improve production efficiency • Coordinate and execute development and qualification testing of fluids systems • Define and manage the schedule and budget for your fluids systems Qualifications • Bachelor’s degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering, or similar • 4+ years of experience in design, build, and/or testing of rocket fluids systems, rocket engines, and valves • 1+ years of experience in leading a technical project • Exceptional command of fundamentals, including compressible flow, thermodynamics, structures, control systems, cryogenics, and instrumentation • Strong knowledge with data analysis and data processing • Extensive experience with CAD tools and configuration management (Siemens NX and Teamcenter preferred) • Proficiency with understanding and maintaining revision-controlled P&ID’s • Proficiency with aerospace standard fasteners, seals, tubing, fittings, and commercial off the shelf hardware • Proficiency with instrumentation including pressure transducers, thermocouples, accelerometers, and flow meters • Proficiency with fluid analysis tools (Siemens AMESim, Thermal Desktop, Python, EES, REFPROP, Excel, Matlab, or equivalent) • Proficiency in GD&T, tolerance stackups, and material selection • Hands on experience performing fabrication and assembly of components • Excellent written and verbal communication Benefits • Equity – We are pleased to offer equity in the form of stock options to all regular, full-time employees. • Comprehensive benefits program including subsidized medical, dental, and vision insurance • Company-paid life and disability insurance • 401(k) plan with employer match • 4 weeks’ Paid Time Off • Holidays – 10 days (including an end-of-year closure) • Paid Family/Parental Leave • On-site gym or monthly wellness stipend (depending on location) • Dog friendly offices! Compensation Target levels: • Level 3 Range: $129,150 - $193,620 • Level 4 Range: $151,305 - $252,105 • Level 5 Range: $176,505 - $327,810 Our job posts are intentionally written to attract a wide variety of experience levels, and we make decisions about the right fit on a per-candidate basis. Your actual level and base salary will be decided based on your specific experience and skill level. #LI-TS1 ITAR Requirements To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the 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. Equal Opportunity The Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including with respect to disability and veteran status. It is committed to compliance with all equal opportunity laws, including the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and Title VII. It does not discriminate on the basis of nationality, race, citizenship, immigration status, or any other protected class when it comes to employment practices, including hiring. Employment at the Company is contingent upon satisfactory completion of reference and background checks, and on your ability to prove your identity and authorization to work in the U.S. for the Company. Employees must comply with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services employment verification requirements, and, therefore, they must complete an Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 at the start of employment and re-verify authorization to work periodically. Separate from this I-9 process, this position entails access to certain technology and technical data that is restricted under U.S. export control laws and regulations. Employment or continued employment may be conditioned on your legal authorization to work with or have access to export control materials as necessary to perform your job. Candidate Rights & Accommodations If you require a reasonable accommodation to complete the application or participate in the interview process, please contact careers@stokespace.com. Requests will be handled in accordance with applicable laws. Please do not include medical or other confidential information in your initial request. For more information about your rights, please refer to the "Know Your Rights" notice here. E-Verify Stoke Space uses E-Verify to confirm the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires. For more information on the right to work, please refer to the poster here.