Stratolaunch
Designs, manufactures, and launches aerospace vehicles.
Mechanical Engineer Technical Lead
+ 401(k) company match
Hybrid work may be considered for a well-qualified candidate; travel is estimated at less than 10%.
About the job
- Knowledge of and experience with one or more of the following disciplines: structures, loads, structural-thermal analysis, mechanical systems, aircraft systems, aircraft operations, or launch vehicle integration.
- Experience with the rapid development of prototype or experimental flight vehicles.
- Experience as a structural or mechanical design engineer on a structures team.
- Experience with composite structures analysis, design, and manufacturing.
- Technical leadership experience.
- Experience with technical aerospace leadership, including work with subcontractors.
- Experience with risk management.
- Experience working in small engineering teams where each member often has multiple responsibilities.
- Ability to work independently and prioritize tasks to fit business goals.
- Ability to adapt quickly to changing priorities.
- Excellent written and verbal communication.
- Ability to acquire and maintain a security clearance.
- Experience with Microsoft Office applications including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
- Experience with configuration management systems such as JIRA, Git, or Jama.
- Three-dimensional computer-aided design experience with CATIA or SolidWorks.
- A Bachelor of Science degree from an accredited institution, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Five to ten years of engineering experience for the senior level or ten to twenty years for the staff level.
- Work with program responsible engineers, the Payload Lead, and the Talon-A Chief Engineer.
- Lead a diverse integrated product team of mechanical engineers, structural engineers, structural analysts, dynamics analysts, and manufacturing engineers.
- Support structural development of hypersonic vehicle system improvements and payload integration, including trade studies and structural layout.
- Make technical decisions for the structures subsystem.
- Lead structural design reviews to advance program vehicles through manufacturing and flight testing.
- Lead the structural systems engineering approach, including creating and dispositioning structural requirements, managing mass properties, guiding model configuration management, reviewing and approving documents, reports, and analyses, setting engineering and design best practices and standards for the structures team, and approving or waiving ground testing based on structural technical risk assessments.
- Communicate regularly and comprehensively with the program Chief Engineer.
- Contribute to the integration of complex aerospace systems.
- Travel as needed to support the department, estimated at less than 10%.
- Experience with hypersonic or supersonic vehicle development across the full program life cycle.
- Experience with air-launched vehicle development.
- Experience with BMI or epoxy prepreg composites.
- Experience with static structural testing.
- Active security clearance.
- Experience with FEMAP and NX NASTRAN.
- Experience with a product lifecycle management tool such as Teamcenter.
- Programming experience with Python, C++, or MATLAB.
About the company
Stratolaunch designs, manufactures, and launches aerospace vehicles and technologies to meet national needs for reliable, routine access to space and to advance the United States’ ability to design and operate hypersonic vehicles. Its offerings span the full end-to-end process of aerospace programs, from initial design through manufacturing to launch operations. The company differentiates itself by focusing on practical space access and the development of hypersonic capabilities, aiming to support national security and defense needs rather than pursuing consumer or commercial applications. The goal is to provide dependable ways to reach space regularly while pushing forward the nation’s hypersonic design and operational expertise.
Company Size
201-500
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
Huntsville, Alabama
Founded
2011
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Reuters said on September 10, 2026, Stratolaunch targets a $500 million IPO.
- March 6, 2026 MDA FEX-04 expanded Pentagon confidence in Talon-A3.
- NASA awarded Stratolaunch a $1.2 million Talon-A study on airbreathing hypersonics.
What critics are saying
- Elliott and Cerberus own the company; IPO failure traps Stratolaunch in capital-intensive defense development.
- Hermeus, Castelion, and Air Force programs pressure Stratolaunch before October 2026 pricing.
- Any Talon-A accident would freeze orders and wreck an October IPO.
What makes Stratolaunch unique
- Talon-A is the only reusable, autonomous air-launched hypersonic test platform in the U.S.
- Stratolaunch owns the Spirit of Mojave 747-400 carrier, enabling rapid launch flexibility.
- More than 10 Talon-A flights validated reusable operations and lower per-test costs.
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Benefits
9/80 schedule
Healthcare (medical, dental, vision, prescription drugs)
Paid Maternity and Parental Leave
50% company match per contributed dollar into 401(k) savings plan, up to $11,500
Tuition reimbursement
Paid Holidays
Unlimited Paid Time Off
Remote Work Options
Hybrid Work Options
Flexible Work Hours
Wellness Program
Mental Health Support
Conference Attendance Budget
Professional Development Budget
Stock Options
Company Equity
Phone/Internet Stipend
Home Office Stipend
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
↑ 17%1 year growth
↑ 17%2 year growth
↑ 17%US hypersonic firm Stratolaunch prepares IPO to raise up to US$500 mil - Reuters. 10 Sep 2026, 10:12 am Filepix for illustration purpose only. WASHINGTON/MEXICO CITY (Sept 9): Hypersonic flight company Stratolaunch is preparing to launch a US initial public offering (IPO) that could raise up to US$500 million as soon as October, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Wednesday. Stratolaunch, backed by Elliott Investment Management and Cerberus Capital Management, is seeking a valuation of about US$2 billion to US$3 billion, the source said, adding that Goldman Sachs and Citigroup are leading the IPO preparations. The private US company could make its filing public as soon as this month, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity as he is not authorised to speak to the media. Stratolaunch declined to comment when contacted by Reuters. The company operates the only autonomous, reusable, air-launched hypersonic flight test platform in the United States, which it calls the "Talon-A". It also develops expendable hypersonic targets for missile defence testing and military training, as well as weapons subsystems for defence contractors and government customers, according to its website. Activist investor Elliott took a stake in the company and gained board representation, the Wall Street Journal reported in January. The Pentagon said in May 2025 that Stratolaunch was part of a second successful test of a reusable hypersonic test vehicle, following an earlier test of its Talon-A vehicle in December 2024 that was not publicised. Uploaded by Liza Shireen Koshy
Stratolaunch named to Future Union's inaugural All-World Defense 300 list. Jul 30, 2026, 12:00 ET MOJAVE, Calif., July 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Stratolaunch, a leading pure-play hypersonics company, today announced that it has been named to Future Union's inaugural All-World Defense 300, recognizing the most influential private companies that are shaping the future of defense and global national security. The All-World Defense 300 includes defense companies driving innovation and advancing technologies to strengthen national and allied security. Stratolaunch's inclusion reflects the company's continued momentum as a leading pure-play hypersonics company built to deliver the testing, targets, data and systems the U.S. and its allies need to compete in the next era of aerospace defense. "We're honored to be named to Future Union's inaugural All-World Defense 300 alongside organizations helping define the future of defense," said Zachary Krevor, President and Chief Executive Officer of Stratolaunch. "Hypersonics are a national security necessity, and this recognition reflects the dedication of our entire team and the progress we've made in assisting in the acceleration of U.S. leadership in the space. We are proud to be delivering the hypersonic flight test capabilities that our country and our customers need to accelerate the development of next-generation hypersonic technologies." Within the last year alone, Stratolaunch has achieved significant operational milestones that underscore the company's position at the forefront of hypersonic innovation, including: * The completion of more than 10 hypersonic flights with the reusable, fully autonomous Talon-A aircraft; * The successful execution of a Flight Test Experiment for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, supporting ongoing hypersonic flight testing; and, * The announcement of a $90.8M contract award under MACH-TB 2.0 Task 3 for air-launched capability test vehicles. Stratolaunch continues to expand its hypersonic flight test capabilities, demonstrating increasing operational cadence and providing customers with repeatable flight opportunities that generate real-world data needed to validate advanced systems. About Stratolaunch Stratolaunch is a leading pure-play hypersonics company focused on the design, manufacture and operation of advanced aerospace systems for national security. The company enables faster, more affordable and more realistic hypersonic development through an autonomous, reusable, air-launched flight test platform and a growing portfolio of hypersonic target and mission-system offerings. For the latest news and information, visit www.stratolaunch.com and follow us on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, and Instagram. SOURCE Stratolaunch
Stratolaunch has completed more than 10 successful hypersonic flights with its Talon-A aircraft, the first reusable, fully autonomous air-launched hypersonic vehicle. The milestone demonstrates the company's position in hypersonic innovation for government and commercial customers. Talon-A reaches speeds exceeding Mach 5 and is air-launched from Stratolaunch's carrier fleet. After completing its high-speed flight profile, the vehicle lands on a standard runway for recovery and reuse, reducing turnaround time and cost per flight. Each mission was conducted with no onboard crew, showcasing advanced autonomous systems. Multiple flights used the same vehicle, validating Stratolaunch's approach to rapid refurbishment and redeployment. "We are transforming hypersonic testing from a rare event into a routine service," said Dr Zachary Krevor, CEO and president of Stratolaunch.
Stratolaunch successfully conducted a hypersonic test flight for the US Missile Defense Agency on 6 March 2026, using its Boeing 747-400 carrier aircraft, Spirit of Mojave, and the Talon-A3 hypersonic vehicle. The mission, designated Flight Test Experiment Other-04, launched from Mojave Air and Space Port. The Spirit of Mojave transported the Talon-A3 to planned release conditions, enabling the aircraft to begin its flight profile at higher altitudes. Stratolaunch operates the world's largest aircraft designed for air-launch missions and high-speed flight research. The Talon-A fleet serves as reusable hypersonic test platforms designed to collect data in high-speed flight environments, supporting government and industry efforts to advance hypersonic technologies with flexible global flight operations and rapid mission turnaround.
NASA awards hypersonic vehicle research contracts. NASA has awarded two contracts to explore how current vehicle platforms could be modified to provide reusable, affordable flight-testing capabilities for airbreathing hypersonic aircraft. SpaceWorks Enterprises, of Atlanta, Georgia, and Stratolaunch, of Mojave, California, will each conduct six-month studies examining ways to bridge the gap between hypersonic ground and flight tests. SpaceWorks received US$500,000 to focus on the X-60 platform, while Stratolaunch received US$1.2 million to study its Talon-A platform. Unlike rocket-powered vehicles that carry their own oxygen supply, airbreathing hypersonic aircraft take in surrounding air as they fly. This approach enables much longer sustained cruising at hypersonic speeds - defined as five times the speed of sound. "With these awards, NASA will collaborate with the commercial hypersonics industry to identify new ways to evaluate technologies through flight tests while we address the challenges of reusable, routine, airbreathing, hypersonic flight," said Dr Nateri Madavan, director of NASA's Advanced Air Vehicles Program. The studies aim to define the capabilities needed to achieve flight test requirements for air-breathing hypersonic aircraft, with a focus on high-cadence, cost-effective testing. The work will also potentially support a future NASA Making Advancements in Commercial Hypersonics (MACH) project. MACH would focus on advancing commercial hypersonic vehicles through the development of supporting infrastructure, including cost estimates and schedule requirements for a potential flight vehicle.