Mission Operations & Assurance Chief 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.

About the Role

As the Mission Operations & Mission Assurance Chief Engineer, your responsibilities include providing technical leadership for spacecraft on-orbit operations, anomaly investigations, failure review boards, and root cause corrective action (RCCA) across the Apex satellite constellation. You will be the central technical authority for identifying, investigating, mitigating, and resolving spacecraft anomalies and mission-critical issues.

The successful candidate will work cross-functionally with Mission Operations, Systems Engineering, Reliability, Flight Software, Avionics, Guidance, Navigation & Control (GNC), Propulsion, Power, Thermal, Manufacturing, and Test teams to ensure timely anomaly resolution, disciplined technical investigations, and continuous improvement of spacecraft reliability.

The ideal candidate combines deep spacecraft systems knowledge, hands-on mission operations experience, structured failure investigation expertise, and the ability to make sound technical decisions in time-critical operational environments.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary engineering focal point for on-orbit spacecraft anomalies, performance degradation, subsystem failures, and mission-threatening events
• Direct anomaly triage, fault isolation, technical troubleshooting, and recovery planning in coordination with Mission Operations and subsystem engineering teams
• Lead Root Cause and Corrective Action (RCCA) investigations to identify failure mechanisms, determine root causes, assess mission impacts, and develop corrective and preventive actions
• Apply systematic problem-solving methodologies, including Fault Tree Analysis (FTA), Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), and statistical reliability assessments
• Following RCCA, evaluate anomaly implications across the broader satellite fleet, including common-cause failures, systemic design deficiencies, and latent reliability risks
• Provide technical recommendations for spacecraft recovery, operational workarounds, fault-management changes, and continued mission operations
• Evaluate the adequacy of verification and validation activities associated with corrective actions and mission-critical changes
• Ensure clear traceability between on-orbit anomalies, root cause findings, corrective actions, verification evidence, and final technical disposition
• Establish and maintain structured investigation processes, including evidence collection, failure reconstruction, causal analysis, root cause verification, and corrective action closure. This includes: (1) how to analyze spacecraft telemetry, command histories, event logs, flight software behavior, and operational trends to identify anomalous conditions and reconstruct failure sequences, (2) establish anomaly severity classifications, escalation criteria, investigation priorities, and technical response expectations
• Establish and track key mission assurance indicators, including anomaly recurrence rates, investigation closure performance, fleet failure trends, and corrective action effectiveness
• Develop and communicate technical investigation findings, risk assessments, and closure recommendations to engineering leadership and executive stakeholders
• Translate on-orbit failure data into actionable design improvements, updated requirements, qualification testing, screening strategies, and operational safeguards
• Provide independent technical reviews and assessments of future products to ensure high likelihood of mission assurance, including at design and pre-ship reviews

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, or a closely related technical discipline
• 10+ years of relevant engineering experience in spacecraft development, satellite systems engineering, mission operations, reliability engineering, or mission assurance
• 5+ years of experience supporting spacecraft mission operations, complex aerospace system troubleshooting, failure investigations, or anomaly resolution
• Demonstrated experience leading multidisciplinary technical investigations, failure review boards, or structured RCCA activities involving complex hardware/software systems
• Strong systems-level understanding of spacecraft architectures, subsystem interfaces, failure modes, and operational dependencies
• Experience analyzing engineering telemetry, test data, event logs, and other technical evidence to reconstruct failures and develop defensible root cause conclusions
• Working knowledge of structured reliability and failure investigation methodologies, including FMEA/FMECA
• Demonstrated ability to assess technical risks, develop mitigation strategies, and communicate recommendations under schedule pressure or operational uncertainty
• Experience coordinating engineering activities across multiple technical disciplines and influencing stakeholders without direct reporting authority
• Strong technical writing and communication skills, including experience presenting complex investigation findings and risk assessments to senior engineering leadership and customers
• Ability to support critical mission operations and time-sensitive anomaly response outside normal business hours when required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree or Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field
• 15+ years of experience in spacecraft engineering, mission operations, reliability, or mission assurance, including senior technical leadership responsibilities
• Direct experience leading on-orbit anomaly investigations for operational satellite constellations, including simultaneous investigations affecting multiple spacecraft
• Previous experience as a Spacecraft Chief Engineer, Mission Operations Chief Engineer, Mission Assurance Lead, Failure Review Board Chair, or equivalent senior technical authority
• Experience supporting spacecraft operations from initial commissioning through sustained constellation operations and end-of-life disposal
• Deep technical knowledge of multiple spacecraft subsystems, including electrical power, avionics, flight software, GNC, propulsion, thermal control, or communications
• Experience investigating complex hardware/software interactions, intermittent failures, radiation-induced anomalies, common-cause failures, and system-level fault protection issues
• Experience implementing design or operational corrective actions across high-volume satellite manufacturing and rapidly evolving spacecraft production configurations
• Experience developing anomaly management processes, fleet health dashboards, reliability metrics, and investigation closure criteria
• Demonstrated ability to challenge technical assumptions, reconcile competing engineering assessments, and drive difficult technical decisions to closure
• Why Join Apex?
• Apex believes in creating a work environment that you look forward to embracing every day. Our employees love working at Apex, and we want you to love it too. We're a fast-growing startup that has raised more than $500M in funding, and we invest heavily in our people from day one.

What We Offer For Full-time Employees:

Shared upside:

Receive equity in Apex, letting you benefit from the work you create

Best-in-class healthcare:

100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision for you and your dependents, plus $100k life insurance at no cost

Comprehensive PTO package:

Starting at 15 days vacation, growing to 20+ days annually, plus 10 paid holidays

Competitive 401(k) plan:

Generous matching - 100% match on first 3%, 50% on next 2%

8 weeks paid parental leave:

Plus childcare reimbursement up to $350/day for work-related travel

Daily catered lunch and unlimited snacks:

To keep you fueled throughout the day

Vibrant community:

Monthly office socials, pickleball tournaments, run club, and gatherings for you and your family

Your dream desk setup:

All the tools you need to be your most productive self

World-class Playa Vista office:

With the benefit of in-person collaboration with amazing coworkers and flexibility to integrate work and life

Real impact opportunity:

Work alongside experts from aerospace, new space, and other cutting-edge industries to make a lasting difference

Additional Information:

Compensation ranges are set by role, level, location, and alignment with market data. A candidate's specific level and base pay are determined case by case and may vary with job-related skills, education, experience, technical capabilities, and internal equity. Beyond base salary, full-time hires are also eligible for long-term incentives in the form of stock options, along with medical, dental, and vision coverage and a 401(k) retirement plan.

ITAR Requirements

Apex's work is governed by U.S. export control laws, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). To be eligible for this role, applicants must either (1) qualify as a U.S. Person, meaning a U.S. citizen or national, a lawful permanent resident (green card holder), a refugee admitted under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or an individual granted asylum under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or (2) be able to obtain the required export authorizations from the U.S. Department of State, the U.S.

Department of Commerce, or another applicable U.S. government agency. You can learn more about ITAR here.

Equal Opportunity Employer