Avionics Mechanical Engineering Manager

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 Reusable launch systems are the key to seamlessly connecting Earth and space. The Avionics system is the backbone of highly reusable, operable, and reliable space systems. We are seeking an Avionics Mechanical Manager to lead the design and development of mechanical solutions for component packaging and launch vehicle integration of flight avionics hardware for Nova’s first and second stages. This is a highly impactful role where you will guide a team of engineers through complex technical challenges, from early conceptual design, through manufacturing, integration, testing, and ultimately through flight operations. You will seek out state-of-the-art solutions to difficult problems and you will assist in the definition of company standards for avionics development. The qualified candidate thrives in a fast-paced environment, enjoys working hands-on, and consistently applies first-principles and system-level thinking to solve complex challenges. Responsibilities Own the technical roadmap for stage avionics mechanical design on current and future vehicles Lead the execution of avionics mechanical designs from concept through release, build, testing, and vehicle-level operations Hire, grow, and mentor a team of avionics mechanical engineers Provide technical coaching in areas such as structures, avionics, thermodynamics, and rocket operations Maintain a culture of integrity, reliability, and fast iteration Design, analyze, manufacture, and test flight avionics including enclosures and secondary structure Lead design reviews both internally and externally Drive continuous improvement efforts to increase throughput and reduce cost to meet the launch target Qualifications 5+ years of experience in design, build, analysis and/or testing of avionics mechanical systems or similar 1+ years of experience leading a team of engineers Project management experience including developing budgets and schedules, and managing resources Proficiency with relevant CAD and analysis tools (NX, ANSYS, Excel, Matlab, or equivalent) Experience working with PCB designers and exposure to PCB layout Hands on experience performing fabrication and assembly of components Excellent written and verbal communication skills A proven ability to mentor and coach Mastery of fundamentals Bachelor’s degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering, or similar Preferred Qualifications Self-motivated with strong organizational, written, and oral communication skills Experience designing electronics component packaging and secondary structure for extreme environments Strong understanding of manufacturing processes including machining, 3D printing, and sheet metal fabrication Exposure to high volume production designs with a focus on design for manufacturability Exposure to designing for high vibration environments Ability to perform thermal analysis for avionics components Experience with fatigue and thermal testing of electro-mechanical assemblies Ability to perform structures hand calculations Solid understanding and application of GD&T Experience with harness routing Rigorous attention to detail Benefits Equity – We know that our employees are the reason we succeed. To give everyone a stake in our future, we are pleased to offer equity in the form of stock options to all regular, full-time emp