Senior Combustion Devices Engineer

Astro Mechanica • San Francisco, CA

12h • Onsite

About The Position

Astro Mechanica is a vertically integrated aerospace company building a faster, more connected future. Our mission is to democratize high-speed flight by making supersonic travel flexible, accessible, and sustainable. We believe that rapid, on-demand, point-to-point global mobility will become the new standard for moving people and goods across the planet. To achieve this, we are integrating our advanced airframe and engine technologies—which include Duality™, our proprietary dual-use propulsion system—with a new flight operations model to make supersonic transport as efficient and economical as commercial air travel is today. In the near term, we are developing adaptable, high-speed systems to close aircraft performance gaps for the United States government.

We’re a team of passionate engineers dedicated to advancing aerospace. We’re generalists with specialist depth, united by a flat structure and a shared obsession with building things that work well. We move fast, stay pragmatic, and let engineering excellence speak louder than hierarchy.

You are a Senior Propulsion Engineer experienced in designing the combustion devices within propulsion systems. You come from a background working in ground power, aviation, automotive, or rocketry. You approach your work from a robust set of first principles which enable you to work methodically through challenging technical problems with feedback from test verification.

Requirements

• 5+ years hands-on experience designing combustion devices for use in propulsion or similarly complex environments
• Expertise in design and analysis of airbreathing combustors, igniters, and fuel systems
• Proficient in CAD solid body and surface modeling (Siemens NX), engineering drawings, and GD&T
• Strong understanding of thermodynamics, heat transfer, and fluid behavior
• Hands-on prototype assembly and test stand experience
• Experience with data acquisition and instrumentation selection for analyzing stability and performance in elevated temperate environments
• Understanding and familiarity with high-temperature materials, coatings, and joining methods relevant to combustion
• Experience with root-cause analysis of hardware failures
• Takes initiative for continuous improvement (not just completing assigned tasks)
• Flexibility to work in fast-paced environment
• Attentive to detail and maintain a high level of quality in all work

Responsibilities

• Lead conceptual trades for novel combustors while considering system-level impacts
• Complete detailed designs with supporting structural, thermal, and fluid analyses
• Implement advanced materials and manufacturing techniques to achieve performance and reliability at scale
• Assemble prototypes firsthand, design complementary tooling, and establish work instructions
• Conduct hardware test and analyze data to verify requirements and performance metrics
• Understand empirical trends and iterate quickly through component-level and integrated testing
• Diagnose hardware problems efficiently and determine corrective actions

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance, including Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• 401(k) program and transparent stock option plan
• Self-managed and flexible time-off policy, including PTO, paid holidays, and sick time
• Flexible work environment

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed