Materials Engineer II (Metals)
Impulse Space
USD 110k-150k / year + Equity
Posted on Apr 17, 2026
As a Metals Materials Engineer at Impulse you will serve as the primary materials interface for our propulsion and structures teams. In this role, you will be the go-to expert for the materials that make up our Deneb, Saiph, and Rigel engines, as well as future propulsion architectures. You will drive the
development and understanding of our alloys, commercial and custom, and improve our understanding of printed, cast, and forged materials, and oversee the critical downstream processes that turn raw materials into flight-ready hardware.
- Department
- Manufacturing
- Employment Type
- Full Time
- Location
- Redondo Beach
- Workplace type
- Onsite
- Compensation
- $110,000 - $150,000 / year
Responsibilities
- Serve as the dedicated materials engineering counterpart to the propulsion design team, supporting the continuous improvement of the Deneb, Saiph, and Rigel engines as well as associated propulsion systems (propellant storage, valves, lines)
- Support the metal additive manufacturing (AM) team, developing a deep, data-driven understanding of our alloys and their behavior during printing
- Support the secondary processing steps for propulsion components, including complex heat treatments, plating operations, and precision machining of hard metals
- Provide technical expertise on the physical metallurgy and application of high-performance nickel, stainless steels, aluminum, titanium, copper, and refractory alloys
- Lead failure analysis and root cause investigations for metallic propulsion components, translating findings into immediate design or process improvements
- Author and maintain material specifications, processing standards, and quality control requirements for metallic flight hardware
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Materials Science, Metallurgical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a closely related field
- 3+ years of applied industry experience focusing on physical metallurgy and component manufacturing, ideally within the aerospace, defense, or high-performance automotive sectors
- Strong functional knowledge of high-temperature metals, nickel-based superalloys, stainless steels, aluminums alloys, and titanium alloys
- Direct experience with metal Additive Manufacturing (e.g., LPBF, DMLS) and an understanding of the relationship between AM process parameters, microstructure, and mechanical properties
- Working knowledge of specialized post-processing techniques, including heat treating, surface finishing, and plating
- Demonstrated ability to communicate complex material trades and risks clearly to cross-functional design and manufacturing teams
Preferred Skills and Experience
- Master’s degree in Materials Science or Metallurgical Engineering
- 5+ years of demonstrated direct experience developing or qualifying materials for liquid rocket engines or similar high-heat-flux combustion environments
- Experience developing custom alloy chemistries or optimizing standard alloys for additive manufacturing
- Familiarity with the unique machining challenges associated with superalloys and refractory metals
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
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.
Our Hiring Process
Stage 1:
Application Received
Stage 2:
Resume Review
Stage 3:
Intro Phone Interview
Stage 4:
Technical Phone Interview(s)
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