Senior Mission Manager

About the role

Impulse Space is hiring a Senior Mission Manager in Redondo Beach. You will drive customer missions to successful outcomes, directing complex, multi-mission portfolios from contract kickoff through delivery. As the senior technical authority for customer interfaces, you will align business development, engineering and mission operations teams across the commercial, civil space and national security lines of business.

Key responsibilities

• Own the complete technical execution and integration lifecycle of large-scale, high-visibility customer programs from kickoff through delivery.
• Drive high-stakes technical negotiations and interface directly with launch service providers, partners and executive stakeholders.
• Translate customer requirements and non-standard architecture trades into executable Statements of Work (SOWs) with business development, mission design and proposal management.
• Serve as primary technical liaison for customer-led mission assurance reviews, independent readiness reviews and launch site/operations integration.
• Rapidly isolate and resolve critical technical anomalies and programmatic roadblocks across active programs.
• Build scalable departmental frameworks, technical documentation standards and cross-training initiatives to eliminate single points of failure.
• Occasionally travel to support key customer meetings or hardware integration events (less than 20% travel).

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in a technical field.
• 8+ years of experience as a mission manager or program manager in the space industry.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex spacecraft or launch vehicle programs.
• Deep understanding of primary aerospace technical disciplines, able to lead discussions and customer interactions.
• Experience coordinating across internal regulatory and compliance teams to manage customer requirements and external agency interfaces.
• Proficiency with planning and managing complex schedules.

Preferred skills and experience

• Active security clearance or willingness to obtain one.
• Customer-facing experience in a fast-paced startup environment.
• Experience in or leading formal program milestone reviews (PDR, CDR, FRR).
• Familiarity with spacecraft assembly, integration and testing (AI&T), launch operations and/or spacecraft operations.
• Exceptional communication skills and ability to handle difficult customer or technical requirements.

What we offer

• Pay of $165,000 - $205,000 per year, depending on role, level, location and market data.
• Possible long-term incentives such as stock options for full-time hires.
• Medical, vision and dental coverage and a 401(k) retirement plan.