Propulsion Engineer (Castelion)

STEM Boomerang•Rio Rancho, NM

About The Position

Castelion was founded to restore America’s ability to field advanced weapons at speed and scale. Inspired by the engineering urgency of the WWII and Apollo eras, the company combines rapid iteration, vertical integration, and scalable manufacturing to deliver affordable, high-performance strike systems. Its mission is to rebuild industrial agility to strengthen national security and outpace evolving threats. The Senior Propulsion Engineer’s primary responsibility is designing solid rocket motor primary and secondary structures, along with propulsion components, with an emphasis on schedule, affordability, and scale.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or advanced degree in aerospace engineering, manufacturing engineering, materials engineering, mechanical engineering, or physics.
At least 5 years of mechanical or fluids design, analysis, or build experience; student project team, university rocketry club, and internship experience count.
Effective communication skills for collaborating with cross-functional teams, presenting design concepts, and documenting work.
Willingness and ability to work extended hours and/or weekends with minimal notification to meet critical deadlines leading up to major milestones.
Ability to travel up to 30% on an ongoing basis.

Nice To Haves

Proficiency in test methods and setups.
Extensive experience with aerospace materials, including metals, plastics, and composites.
A solid understanding of spacecraft and/or launch vehicle propulsion systems and fluid components.
CAD expertise using NX 8.5 or similar packages such as PTC Creo or CATIA.
Expertise in geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) per ASME Y14.5-1994.
Relevant experience with rocket motors, solid propulsion elements, and structural interfaces, including knowledge of insensitive munitions protocols and practices.
A master’s degree or PhD in a technical discipline such as mechanical or aerospace engineering.
Hands-on experience supporting rapid product development, including designing hardware for high-rate production in alternative non-aerospace domains.
An active DoD Secret Security Clearance or higher.

Responsibilities

Design solid rocket motor primary and secondary structures.
Design propulsion components.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams, present design concepts, and document work.
Conduct trade studies using engineering fundamentals to make informed recommendations, including when information is limited.
Support rapid product development, including designing hardware for high-rate production.

Benefits

Meaningful employee equity for all full-time employees.
Four weeks of paid time off.
Ten company-paid holidays.
Medical plans with 100% of employee coverage and 80% of dependent coverage.
Dental and vision coverage with 90% employee coverage and 80% dependent coverage.
Flexible spending account (FSA) and health savings account (HSA) options.
401(k) plan.
Paid parental leave: up to 10 weeks for birthing parents and up to 4 weeks for non-birthing parents; the posting also states 8 weeks of paid parental leave for all parents and additional paid pregnancy leave for California employees.
Frequently catered lunches and team meals, plus company-covered meals when extra time or effort is required.
Fully stocked kitchen with unlimited snacks and drinks.
$100 monthly fitness stipend.
Onsite electric vehicle charging.