Role: Propulsion Engineer
Employment Type: Full Time
Educational Qualification: B.S/ B.Tech/ M.S/ M.Tech in Mechanical/Aerospace engineering or related field
Work Experience: 2+ years of relevant experience
Role Description:
This position is responsible for end-to-end system engineering ownership of satellite propulsion subsystems from mission requirement interpretation and propulsion sizing to vendor coordination, subsystem integration, testing, and in-orbit operational support. The role acts as the technical interface between internal satellite engineering teams, external propulsion vendors, and program stakeholders / customers.
Responsibilities & Duties:
- Interpret mission requirements and derive propulsion subsystem performance specifications (V, thrust, lifetime, redundancy, duty cycles).
- Perform propulsion trade studies and select suitable off-the-shelf or configurable propulsion solutions based on mass, power, volume, reliability, cost, and schedule constraints.
- Size propulsion subsystems including propellant mass, tank configuration, system architecture, and thruster configuration.
- Act as the primary technical interface between propulsion vendors and internal spacecraft engineering teams during conceptual design and co-engineering phases.
- Review vendor designs, analyses, qualification procedures, fabrication status, and acceptance test data to ensure compliance with mission requirements.
- Define and manage propulsion subsystem interfaces with AOCS, EPS, thermal, structures, and software teams.
- Support spacecraft configuration activities including placement, plume interaction assessment, center-of-mass evolution, and mechanical accommodation.
- Plan and lead propulsion subsystem assembly, integration, and verification activities at unit and spacecraft levels.
- Develop integration procedures, safety protocols, cleanliness controls, leak checks, and propellant handling strategies.
- Design and implement ground support equipment, fixtures, jigs, and checkout setups required for propulsion testing and integration.
- Prepare propulsion subsystem test plans, procedures, instrumentation schemes, and acceptance criteria.
- Execute and oversee functional tests, performance characterization tests, and system-level validation campaigns.
- Analyze propulsion test data to validate thrust performance, system efficiency, and thermal behavior.
- Generate and maintain technical documentation including requirement specifications, interface control documents, verification reports, and review data packages.
- Present propulsion subsystem design status and performance assessments in internal and customer technical reviews.
- Support launch campaign activities including fueling readiness, subsystem checkout, and pre-launch verification.
- Participate in in-orbit commissioning, maneuver execution planning, calibration burns, and propulsion performance trending.
- Monitor propulsion telemetry during operations, estimate propellant consumption, and support anomaly detection and resolution.
- Contribute to maneuver analysis, operational strategy updates, and long-term propulsion subsystem health assessment.
Desirable Skills & Certifications:
- Strong understanding of spacecraft mission analysis and propulsion performance fundamentals.
- Practical knowledge of miniature rocket engines, electric propulsion devices, pressurized fluid systems, and space-qualified green propellants.
- Experience with propulsion sizing tools, maneuver simulation, and system-level trade analysis.
- Familiarity with spacecraft AIV processes, safety compliance for pressure systems, and propulsion test methodologies.
- Proficiency in technical documentation, requirement management, and review processes.
Candidate Acumen
- Ability to operate effectively in fast-paced, evolving program environments with high ownership and autonomy.
- Strong interdisciplinary coordination skills and structured system-level thinking.
- Analytical mindset with attention to quantitative performance evaluation and risk management.
- Clear technical communication for both engineering teams and customer stakeholders.
Benefits:
- Health insurance coverage
- Unlimited leaves & flexible working hours
- Role-based remote work and work-from-home benefit
- Relocation assistance
- Professional Mental Wellness services
- Creche facility for primary caregivers (limited to India)
- Employee Stock Options for all hires
About Pixxel
Pixxel is a space data company and spacecraft manufacturer redefining Earth observation with hyperspectral imaging. The company's first three commercial hyperspectral satellitesFirefliesdeliver imagery at 5-meter resolution and 135+ spectral bands, providing 50x richer detail than traditional Earth observation systems and unlocking insights across agriculture, climate, energy, environment, and more.
Once fully deployed, Pixxel's constellation of 18-24 satellites will capture imagery across up to 250 bands in VNIR and SWIR ranges, with a 40 km swath and daily global revisit capability. Pixxel's most unique strength is its full-stack approach, integrating every layer of the value chain from satellite hardware and manufacturing to AI-powered analytics.
Pixxel's satellite constellation is complemented by Aurora, its in-house Earth Observation Studio that simplifies satellite imagery analysis and democratises remote sensing for all. Designed to make hyperspectral data more accessible, Aurora by Pixxel combines high-frequency imagery with AI-powered tools to generate actionable insights, even for users without technical backgrounds. The third pillar of Pixxel's ecosystem is its in-house satellite manufacturing capability. Beyond building its own spacecraft, Pixxel also provides satellite systems and subsystems to other organisations. This dual capacity sets it apart in a sector where most companies focus on either payload design or data operations, but not both.
Pixxel's team is young but deeply mission-aligned, with a culture rooted in curiosity, speed, and long-term thinking. As the company grows its constellation and expands Aurora, the focus remains on making space-based insights practical, scalable, and genuinely helpful so that the health of the planet becomes measurable and action becomes possible.
Pixxel was the only Indian startup selected for the Techstars Starburst Space Accelerator in Los Angeles and has been recognised in TIME's Best Inventions of 2023, Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies, and Via Satellite's Top Innovators list.
For more information, see our Careers page or follow Pixxel on LinkedIn and X/Twitter.
Culture
Pixxel is an organization where we enable our employees to work on world-changing problems that they are passionate about, and a place where they can be their best selves day in and day out while ensuring they have fun every day.
Central to our employee-first ethos is a commitment to ensuring that every team member feels valued and heard. We nurture a healthy and supportive work environment where we prioritise well-being and growth in all aspects of life.
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