Design Reliability Engineer - System Safety

stokespacetechnologies· Engineering
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📍 Kent, Washington💰 USD 177K–328K

About this role

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 

As a Design Reliability Engineer with a focus on system safety, you will be a key player in the integration of teams and products across all areas of the Nova launch system. You will define processes and tools to perform system safety and reliability analyses such as Functional Hazard Analyses (FHA), Failure Modes, Effects, and Criticality Analyses (FMECA), Fault Tolerance Analysis (FTA), and Hazard and Operability Studies (HAZOP). You will work closely with engineers across the Nova team to perform system safety analyses on vehicle stages and subsystems, and to ensure consistency and completeness of these analyses across the vehicle. You will facilitate cross-disciplinary action and problem solving to improve system reliability. You must be organized, a good communicator, and excellent at identifying and solving problems related to the integration of complex systems. You must be ready to stay focused, move fast, self-direct, and learn on the fly.  

 Key Responsibilities 

  • Develop processes, tools, and templates for performing FHA, FMECA, FTA, and HAZOP analyses 
  • Lead the overall effort for system safety analyses for the Nova team, and partner with responsible engineers across the system to complete analyses for their products 
  • Identify problems and propose solutions to improve Nova launch system reliability, including novel solutions that go beyond simple component-level fault tolerance but improve system-level reliability without adding design complexity 
  • Estimate component-level quantitative reliability and determine overall probability of various vehicle functional failure modes using the outputs of the FTA and FMECA 
  • Communicate analysis results, discuss feedback, and refine analysis approaches with external entities including FAA, Space Force, launch service customers, and others 
  • Partner with other Design Reliability Engineers and the Nova product development teams to facilitate communication between teams, negotiate interfaces, and identify and manage interdisciplinary design risks 

Minimum Qualifications: 

  • Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering or similar field
  • 5+ years of experience in an engineering role on a complex product requiring high performance, high reliability, and a rapid development process
  • Exceptional command of fundamentals of system safety
  • Proficiency working with interdisciplinary technical teams, including mechanical, electrical, and software engineers
  • Attention to detail
  • Excellent written and verbal communication
  • Ability to lead and follow 

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Master’s degree or PhD in aerospace engineering or similar field 
  • Experience with system safety standards and methods per MIL-STD-882E 
  • Experience with launch and/or reentry licensing with the FAA per 14 CFR Part 450 

Benefits 

  • Equity – We are pleased to offer equity in the form of stock options to all full-time employees.  
  • Comprehensive benefits program including subsidized medical, dental, and vision insurance  
  • Company-paid life and disability insurance  
  • 401(k) plan with employer match  
  • 4 weeks’ Paid Time Off   
  • Holidays – 10 days (including an end-of-year closure)  
  • Paid Parental Leave   
  • On-site gym or monthly wellness stipend (depending on location)  
  • Dog friendly offices!  

Compensation 

Target Levels: 

Level 3: $129,150 - $193,620

Level 4: $151,305 - $252,105

Level 5: $176,505 - $327,810

Our job posts are intentionally written to attract a wide variety of experience levels, and we make decisions about the right fit on a per-candidate basis. 

Your actual level and base salary will be decided based on your specific experience and skill level.

ITAR Requirements

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Equal Opportunity 

The Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including with respect to disability and veteran status.  It is committed to compliance with all equal opportunity laws, including the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and Title VII.   It does not discriminate on the basis of nationality, race, citizenship, immigration status, or any other protected class when it comes to employment practices, including hiring. 

Employment at the Company is contingent upon satisfactory completion of reference and background checks, and on your ability to prove your identity and authorization to work in the U.S. for the Company.  Employees must comply with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services employment verification requirements, and, therefore, they must complete an Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 at the start of employment and re-verify authorization to work periodically.

Separate from this I-9 process, this position entails access to certain technology and technical data that is restricted under U.S. export control laws and regulations.  Employment or continued employment may be conditioned on your legal authorization to work with or have access to export control materials as necessary to perform your job.

Candidate Rights & Accommodations

If you require a reasonable accommodation to complete the application or participate in the interview process, please contact [email protected]. Requests will be handled in accordance with applicable laws. Please do not include medical or other confidential information in your initial request.

For more information about your rights, please refer to the "Know Your Rights" notice here. 

E-Verify

Stoke Space uses E-Verify to confirm the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires. 

For more information on the right to work, please refer to the poster here. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the salary for the Design Reliability Engineer - System Safety role at stokespacetechnologies?
The listed salary for this Design Reliability Engineer - System Safety position at stokespacetechnologies is USD 177K–328K. This is an full-time role.
Where is the Design Reliability Engineer - System Safety position at stokespacetechnologies located?
This Design Reliability Engineer - System Safety role at stokespacetechnologies is based in Kent, Washington. The position is listed as on-site or hybrid. Check the full job description or apply directly to confirm the work arrangement.
Which team or department does the Design Reliability Engineer - System Safety at stokespacetechnologies belong to?
This Design Reliability Engineer - System Safety position is part of the Engineering department at stokespacetechnologies. See the full job description for more information about the team structure and responsibilities.
How do I apply for the Design Reliability Engineer - System Safety position at stokespacetechnologies?
Click the "Apply Now" button on this page. You will be redirected to stokespacetechnologies's official application portal hosted on greenhouse where you can submit your application directly.
When was the Design Reliability Engineer - System Safety job at stokespacetechnologies posted?
This Design Reliability Engineer - System Safety position at stokespacetechnologies was posted on Sep 4, 2026. Apply as soon as possible — early applications are often reviewed first.
Design Reliability Engineer - System Safety
stokespacetechnologies · 💰 USD 177K–328K
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