IRPI develops advanced fluid, thermal, and life-support systems that make human space exploration possible. Partnering with NASA and commercial spaceflight leaders, we design, build, and test critical flight hardware tailored for microgravity and partial-gravity environments.

As a lean, high-performance team, we bridge the gap between first-principles research and operational spaceflight. Our engineers own the full project lifecycle—from early concept and laboratory prototyping to delivering validated hardware. Whether tackling propellant management, air revitalization, thermal control, or waste processing, we combine rigorous analysis with hands-on engineering to solve complex multidisciplinary problems and expand the boundaries of human presence in space.

Your Mission

We are looking for someone early in their career who already has hands-on experience building, instrumenting, or testing hardware through internships, research labs, student engineering teams, or prior work. This is not a purely theoretical role—successful candidates should be comfortable working with physical hardware, troubleshooting experiments, and learning quickly in a fast-paced lab environment.

Candidates should be able to point to specific projects or experiences where they personally built, tested, or debugged hardware systems. Applicants without meaningful hands-on engineering experience are unlikely to be a good fit for this role.

Working closely with experienced engineers with flight heritage, you’ll gain exposure to the full development cycle—from prototype builds and additive manufacturing to lab testing and system validation. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys experimentation, problem-solving, and learning how complex hardware behaves in the real world.

If you’re driven by curiosity, precision, and the desire to help prove out technologies that will fly in space, IRPI is where you can start building the future of space systems.

This position requires access to export-controlled technology. Only U.S. citizens or nationals are eligible.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the development and execution of tests for mechanical, thermal, and fluid systems used in spaceflight hardware.
• Design and assemble test setups, fixtures, and instrumentation to evaluate prototype and flight hardware performance.
• Instrument hardware using sensors such as thermocouples, pressure transducers, and flow meters; ensure proper calibration and data acquisition.
• Execute test procedures, monitor experiments, and collect high-quality engineering data.
• Troubleshoot experimental setups, diagnose anomalies, and help resolve hardware or instrumentation issues during testing.
• Process and analyze experimental data using tools such as Excel, MATLAB, or Python; generate clear plots and engineering conclusions.
• Document test configurations, procedures, results, and deviations in formal test reports and internal documentation.
• Assist with prototype fabrication using additive manufacturing and shop tools to build test fixtures and experimental hardware.
• Assemble and prepare test articles and support hardware builds for development and flight programs.
• Contribute to design reviews and technical discussions by providing feedback based on experimental observations and test results.
• Collaborate with engineers, technicians, and external partners across NASA programs, commercial space customers, and suppliers.

This role is ideal for early-career engineers who enjoy hands-on experimentation, troubleshooting hardware, and learning how real systems behave through testing. Successful candidates are curious, detail-oriented, and motivated to develop strong experimental engineering skills while supporting technologies that will go to space.