---
title: 'Marine Recovery Engineer at Stoke Space'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/marine-recovery-engineer-stoke-space-cape-canaveral-131276gm6vpz'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-27'
---

# Marine Recovery Engineer at Stoke Space 

- **Company:** Stoke Space 
- **Location:** Cape Canaveral, FL
- **Posted:** 2026-10-26
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-27
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/stokespacetechnologies/jobs/6235271004

## Job description

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.

## The Role

Reusable systems with frequent launch cadence are the key to connecting Earth and space, and a reliable recovery system is integral to a fully reusable launch vehicle. As Marine Recovery Engineer, you will build Stoke’s capability to locate, capture, and recover Nova flight hardware from the open ocean and return it safely to port.

There is no established playbook. You will develop recovery techniques, select and adapt the vessels, write the procedures, and then go offshore and run the operation yourself. You’ll own the work from CONOPS through commissioning and live recovery campaigns, as part of a small team spanning Florida and Washington.

This role is a fit if you:

- Have personally planned and led non-routine offshore operations such as salvage, at-sea retrieval, heavy-lift, or towing, where you made the calls on deck rather than supporting someone else’s plan
- Can engineer the solution (rigging calculations, lift plans, stability, structural loads) and then execute it at sea
- Are comfortable building procedures and techniques from first principles when nothing off the shelf fits

This role is probably not a fit if:

- Your offshore experience is primarily routine vessel operations, crewing, or executing established procedures
- Your engineering experience is primarily office-based design without significant time offshore or involved in unique operations.
- You’re looking for a project management or vessel management position
- You are not prepared to relocate to Cape Canaveral and spend extended periods offshore

## Responsibilities

- Develop and own recovery CONOPS for retrieving flight hardware from the ocean environment across a range of sea states, scenarios, and operational conditions
- Develop and prove out unconventional at-sea capture, lifting, securing, and transit techniques for recovering floating hardware
- Plan and lead offshore recovery test and demonstration campaigns, iterating rapidly on technique and equipment to build the operational maturity needed to eventually support full recovery
- Lead vessel strategy: identify, charter, and integrate support vessels and associated offshore equipment suited to each recovery scenario
- Serve as the engineering lead for recovery hardware and systems, providing oversight across structural, mechanical, rigging, lifting, and operational disciplines
- Develop safety cases, risk assessments, and operational procedures for offshore crews
- Interface directly with external vendors, regulatory bodies, and classification societies (United States Coast Guard (USCG), American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), Det Norske Veritas (DNV), etc.)
- Author, review, and approve test and operational procedures
- Develop and manage technical specifications
- Provide technical direction for operations personnel
- Coordinate across multi-discipline engineering and operations across Florida and Washington
- Develop an innate understanding of the Nova launch vehicle and ensure recovery systems enable rapid return-to-launch

## Qualifications

- 5+ years of hands-on offshore operations experience, with direct involvement in salvage, marine recovery, heavy-lift, towing, or at-sea retrieval of hardware
- Demonstrated experience chartering and directing support vessels and crews for non-routine offshore operations
- Hands-on experience with offshore lifting, crane operations, rigging, and/or towing operations
- Proven ability to develop and execute recovery or salvage operations from first principles in dynamic, ambiguous conditions at sea
- Experience adapting commercial or off-the-shelf vessels and equipment to new uses in lieu of purpose-built, long-lead assets
- Bachelor's degree in naval architecture, marine engineering, mechanical engineering, or similar field
- Strong engineering fundamentals across multiple disciplines (naval architecture, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, etc.)
- Proven hands-on experience building, operating, or troubleshooting complex systems in a marine environment
- Ability to troubleshoot problems and implement solutions real time
- Ability to prioritize and execute
- Excellent written and verbal communication
- Ability to lead and follow
- Willing to relocate to Cape Canaveral, FL
- Willingness and ability to travel, including internationally, and TDY (Temporary Duty) from days to weeks offshore
- Ability to pass USSF background check for Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
- Ability to hold and maintain a TWIC card
- Ability to hold a Merchant Mariner Credential

## Preferred Qualifications

- 10+ years of experience in a related role engineering, building, and/or operating high-performing systems in the maritime, offshore, or salvage industry
- Direct experience recovering high-value, sensitive, or non-standard objects from the water (e.g., salvage, debris field recovery, subsea search and recovery)
- A genuine interest in aerospace and a desire to contribute to spaceflight
- Experience working directly with IACS surveyors
- Experience working with U.S. Coast Guard and Port Authorities

## Benefits

- Equity – We know that our employees are the reason we succeed. To give everyone a stake in our future, we are pleased to offer equity in the form of stock options to all regular, 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 Family/Parental Leave
- On-site gym or monthly wellness stipend (depending on location)
- Dog friendly offices!

## Compensation

Target Levels:

- Level 3 Range: $129,150 - $193,620
- Level 4 Range: $151,305 - $252,105

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. (i.e., current Green Card holder), or protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).

## 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, as noted above, 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 careers@stokespace.com. 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](https://www.eeoc.gov/know-your-rights-workplace-discrimination-illegal).

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](https://www.e-verify.gov/sites/default/files/everify/posters/IER_RightToWorkPoster%20Eng_Es.pdf).

## About Stoke Space 

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Stoke Space is developing Nova, a 100% fully and rapidly reusable medium-lift launch vehicle to dramatically reduce the cost of access to, through, and from space.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series D, $1.4B total funding)
- **Headquarters**: Kent, Washington, USA
- **Founded**: 2019
- **Founders**: Andy Lapsa (CEO) and Tom Feldman (CTO)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Aerospace & Defense / Space Launch Services
- **Target customers**: Commercial satellite operators, government agencies (NASA, DoD), space logistics providers, and the emerging space economy.
- **Mission**: To unlock the space economy by providing affordable, on-demand, and sustainable access to space through full and rapid reusability.

## Products & Services
- **Nova Launch Vehicle**: A two-stage, fully and rapidly reusable medium-lift rocket. The first stage uses a cluster of Zenith full-flow staged combustion engines, and the second stage is a unique, reusable upper stage with an integrated heat shield designed for re-entry and reuse. The goal is a 20x reduction in cost to orbit compared to current expendable rockets.
- **Boltline**: A separate business unit focused on selling high-performance aerospace hardware and components (engines, structures, avionics) to other companies. This vertical integration strategy generates revenue and manufacturing experience outside of the launch vehicle itself.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: Not publicly disclosed.
- **Key Metric**: Total funding of **$1.4B** (as of Feb 2026). The most recent round was an $860M Series D extension, led by Thomas Tull’s US Innovative Technology Fund (USIT).
- **Notable Investors**: US Innovative Technology Fund (USIT), Breakthrough Energy Ventures, and other mission-driven institutional investors. The board includes Lt. Gen. John Shaw (former Deputy Commander, U.S. Space Command) and advisors like Hans Koenigsmann (SpaceX employee #4) and Robb Kulin (former SpaceX Chief Engineer).
- **Growth Signals**: Headcount has grown **58.2% YoY** to 323 employees (LinkedIn). The company has completed major technical milestones including a full-scale flight demonstration of its reusable upper stage (Sept 2023), a vertical hotfire of the Zenith engine (Dec 2024), and proto-qualification testing of the Nova Stage 1. They have a NASA partnership to advance upper stage re-entry capabilities. They are actively recruiting for 49 open positions across engineering, operations, and software.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Full & Rapid Reusability**: Unlike competitors developing only partially reusable systems, Stoke is designing both stages to be fully and rapidly reusable from the ground up, which they claim will slash launch costs by 20x and atmospheric impact by 98%.
- **Unprecedented Speed**: The company prides itself on moving faster than any rocket company in history, from seed funding to engine testing and prototype launches in a few years. This is enabled by a small, elite team with extreme ownership and a vertically integrated manufacturing facility.
- **Vertically Integrated Manufacturing**: A 168,000 sq ft HQ in Kent, WA houses design, manufacturing, and assembly. This allows for rapid iteration cycles, with rocket engines, structures, and avionics built in days, not months.
- **Elite Team**: The company has attracted significant talent from SpaceX (34 former employees), Blue Origin (77), and Relativity Space (18), building a team with deep experience in reusable rocketry.

## Strategic Focus
- **Scaling Manufacturing**: The $860M Series D extension is specifically earmarked to scale manufacturing of the Nova launch vehicle to meet anticipated demand.
- **Operational Cadence**: The company is expanding its test facilities in Moses Lake, WA, and launch operations at Cape Canaveral, FL, aiming to establish a rapid launch cadence.
- **Government & Commercial Contracts**: Deepening partnerships with NASA and targeting U.S. Space Force contracts for national security launches, while also serving the commercial satellite market.
- **Sustainability**: A core focus on reducing the environmental impact of spaceflight, aiming to be a leader in sustainable space operations.

## Why Work Here
- **Mission-Driven Work**: Employees are directly contributing to building the first fully reusable rocket, a historically significant engineering challenge.
- **Extreme Ownership & Impact**: The company emphasizes small teams where individuals have high autonomy and responsibility, leading to a greater impact than at larger aerospace firms.
- **Fast-Paced Culture**: Stoke values "grit," "integrity," and "doing the impossible." The culture is built for people who thrive on solving hard problems at an unprecedented speed.
- **Compensation & Benefits**: Offers competitive salary, stock options, 401(k) match, health insurance, paid parental leave, and paid time off.
- **Work Environment**: Flexible work environment with a dog-friendly office. The HQ is in the Pacific Northwest, near outdoor recreation. They have a "flexible work environment" policy.
- **Growth Opportunity**: With a 58% headcount increase and 49 open roles, there is significant opportunity for career growth and advancement as the company scales.

## Sources
1. [stokespace.com](https://www.stokespace.com/)
2. [stokespace.com/careers](https://www.stokespace.com/careers/)
3. [stokespace.com/team](https://www.stokespace.com/team/)
4. [linkedin.com/company/stoke-space](https://www.linkedin.com/company/stoke-space)
5. [job-boards.greenhouse.io/stokespacetechnologies](https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/stokespacetechnologies)

## Other roles at Stoke Space 

- [Flight System Safety Responsible Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/flight-system-safety-responsible-engineer-stoke-space-kent-8esrfcv4b5dc) — Kent, WA
- [Mechanical Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/mechanical-engineer-stoke-space-kent-dmw6sk02qrkg) — Kent, WA
- [Spacecraft System Architect Lead](https://feeny.ai/job/spacecraft-system-architect-lead-stoke-space-kent-m5b70eyx0t7z) — Kent, WA
- [Mission Design Lead](https://feeny.ai/job/mission-design-lead-stoke-space-kent-5m711whre96r) — Kent, WA
- [In-Space Propulsion Lead](https://feeny.ai/job/in-space-propulsion-lead-stoke-space-kent-sgaqwfsq7sc8) — Kent, WA
- [Technical Recruiter](https://feeny.ai/job/technical-recruiter-stoke-space-kent-y7b7vk16rxtb) — Kent, WA
- [Human Resources Business Partner](https://feeny.ai/job/human-resources-business-partner-stoke-space-kent-ms2h8qwt7d72) — Kent, WA
- [Executive Assistant - Boltline Leadership Team](https://feeny.ai/job/executive-assistant-boltline-leadership-team-stoke-space-kent-swg0r8165g4h) — Kent, WA
- [Mechanical Engineer (Payload Module Jettison Systems)](https://feeny.ai/job/mechanical-engineer-payload-module-jettison-systems-stoke-space-kent-jacrgbmg4qc2) — Kent, WA
- [CAD/PLM Administrator (NX & Teamcenter)](https://feeny.ai/job/cad-plm-administrator-nx-teamcenter-stoke-space-kent-c8m1p2z6n4cm) — Kent, WA