Propulsion Engineer (Solid Rocket Motor Ballistics)

Castelion Corporation•Torrance, CA

About The Position

Castelion is seeking a solid rocket motor ballistician to own performance predictions for its motors. The role is central to delivering propulsion systems at speed and scale, with an emphasis on technically sound designs that meet schedule, affordability, and production goals. The engineer will design and develop rocket motor systems and propulsion hardware, perform analyses and testing, and collaborate across engineering and manufacturing teams to deliver reliable systems. The position also involves technical mentorship and close partnership with program leadership on decisions aligned with mission success. The role may require access to classified information or restricted U.S. Government sites, systems, or information. If designated, employment may depend on obtaining and maintaining the required security clearance or other government authorization and meeting applicable eligibility requirements. The position requires access to export-controlled information; hiring is contingent upon the candidate being able to access applicable information without additional export licensing. The employee must be willing and able to work extended hours and/or weekends with minimal notice before major milestones and travel up to 30% on an ongoing basis.

Requirements

Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
At least 2 years of experience in rocket propulsion design, analysis, and testing for aerospace or defense applications.
Strong background in solid rocket motor design, including internal ballistics, grain design, ignitors, and nozzle performance.
Experience with propulsion testing, including static fire test setup, instrumentation, and data analysis.
Familiarity with structural and thermal design considerations for high-temperature, high-pressure systems.
Proficiency with analysis and modeling tools such as MATLAB, SPP, or equivalent.
Experience with hardware build, integration, and troubleshooting in a laboratory or test environment.
Strong problem-solving skills and ability to work in a fast-paced, hardware-rich environment with a high test cadence.
Willingness and ability to work extended hours and/or weekends with minimal notification to meet critical deadlines before major milestones.
Ability to travel up to 30% on an ongoing basis.
Ability to access applicable export-controlled information without additional export licensing being required.
If applicable to the position designation, ability to obtain and maintain required U.S. Government security clearance or other authorization and meet applicable citizenship or other eligibility requirements.

Nice To Haves

Experience with preliminary or conceptual design of solid rocket motor grains from performance requirements.
Experience with pyrotechnic and pyrogenic ignition systems and ignitor performance characterization.
Experience with grain and nozzle optimization for tactical solid rocket motor systems.
Experience correlating analytical models with physical test data.
Experience in aerospace, hypersonic, launch vehicle, spacecraft, or other high-performance flight hardware.
Experience establishing engineering standards or methodologies.
Demonstrated ability to mentor and technically develop engineers.
Experience with composites, coatings, finishes, and advanced manufacturing processes.

Responsibilities

Design and develop rocket motor systems, including grain geometry, case structures, insulation, and nozzle assemblies.
Lead the architecture and detailed design of propulsion hardware to meet performance, structural, and thermal requirements.
Perform internal ballistics, thermal, and structural analyses to ensure motor performance and reliability under extreme operating conditions.
Advance internal analysis capabilities and correlate predictions with tests for solid rocket motor propellant and BKNO3 ignition systems.
Coordinate with structures, thermal, GNC, and manufacturing teams to integrate propulsion systems with the vehicle.
Support propellant selection, processing, and characterization with materials and manufacturing teams.
Plan and execute static fire tests and development test campaigns, including instrumentation, data collection, and post-test analysis.
Conduct failure analysis and root-cause investigations and drive design improvements and risk reduction.
Define and execute qualification and flight test plans, translating results into system-level improvements.
Optimize designs for performance, mass, manufacturability, and operational reliability.
Mentor junior engineers and contribute to propulsion system design and testing best practices.
Partner with program leadership on technical trade-offs aligned with mission success.