Propulsion Test Engineer (Raptor Components)
About The Position
The Raptor Components team develops and tests the mechanical and electro-mechanical control assemblies used on Raptor engines, including valves, regulators, actuators, firespin and ignition hardware, sensors, and fluid and electrical packages. These components must be manufacturable and reliable under extreme thermal, pressure, and vibration conditions. This hands-on position tests high-pressure hardware, instruments test setups, and designs tooling, fixtures, and ground support equipment. The engineer creates test plans and pass/fail criteria, runs or directs test campaigns, and documents results to support clear go/no-go decisions. Work spans development, qualification, and failure investigations, primarily at the factory and also at test and launch sites. The role collaborates with component and avionics responsible engineers, suppliers, manufacturing, and the components test organization.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline or physics.
- At least 1 year of hands-on experience with mechanical, fluid, or electrical systems through professional work, internships, project or research teams, or a combination of these.
- Willingness to travel 10% to support hardware testing and launch operations.
- Willingness to work extended hours and weekends as needed.
- Ability to stoop, bend, crawl, and maneuver in tight spaces as needed to set up and run tests.
Nice To Haves
- Hands-on pressure, proof, or leak testing of fluid or gas hardware.
- Experience designing, documenting, building, and operating test tooling, fixtures, ground support equipment, or other test equipment.
- Experience writing test plans and procedures, setting pass/fail criteria, and making go/no-go decisions.
- Experience with high-pressure fluids, cryogenics, valves, regulators, actuators, or other propulsion components.
- Experience with test instrumentation and control, and with interpreting fluid schematics, electrical schematics, and engineering drawings.
- Experience developing test software or automation in Python or a similar language.
- Experience supporting hardware anomaly and failure investigations.
- Understanding of fluid systems, solid mechanics, and/or electrical systems, including electro-mechanical devices such as valves, regulators, actuators, and sensors.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills with design, build, test, and supplier teams.
- Master’s degree or additional professional experience in mechanical or aerospace engineering.
Responsibilities
- Own component test plans, procedures, test campaigns, and pass/fail criteria from development through qualification.
- Question requirements, recommend test improvements to maximize learning, and simplify and automate testing where appropriate.
- Execute pressure, proof, leak, functional, thermal, and vibration tests on Raptor control components and avionics, including tests involving high-pressure fluids and gases and cryogenic conditions.
- Operate energetic and hazardous test setups safely and follow safety protocols.
- Propose and prioritize tests, request assets and tools in advance, plan test needs, and coordinate peers through informal leadership.
- Assign clear test responsibilities and keep work on schedule.
- Design, build, and improve test tooling, fixtures, ground support equipment, and automated test systems.
- Use CAD, schematics, analysis, and fabrication as needed for test setups.
- Provide test results and capability limits to responsible engineers through clear, archival documentation.
- Write procedures and train technicians and engineers to run checkouts efficiently.
- Select sensors, interpret fluid and electrical schematics and engineering drawings, and assess data quality before reporting results.
- Establish rigorous component qualification and acceptance testing, increasing scrutiny as the vehicle program matures toward commercial and crewed orbital missions.
- Lead root-cause investigations arising in development, production, test, integration, and launch, and drive corrective actions with procedures and responsible engineers.
- Escalate recurring failures to the responsible design, build, or supplier team with supporting data.
Benefits
- Potential eligibility for long-term incentives in the form of company stock or long-term cash awards.
- Potential discretionary bonuses.
- Ability to purchase additional stock at a discount through an Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
- Comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage.
- 401(k) retirement plan.
- Short- and long-term disability insurance.
- Life insurance.
- Paid parental leave.
- Various other discounts and perks.
- May accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation.
- 10 or more paid holidays per year.
- Paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
