Senior Mechanical Design Engineer (Structures & Thermal Protection Integration)

Castelion Corporation•Rio Rancho, NM

4d•Onsite

About The Position

We are seeking a Senior Mechanical Design Engineer to design and deliver critical flight vehicle structures for Castelion's long-range hypersonic strike vehicles. This role is focused on structural systems that interface with and enable the thermal protection system (TPS), including separating nose tip architectures and other high-temperature structural components. You will work hands-on with multidisciplinary engineering teams to design, analyze, build, and validate flight-critical structures in a fast-paced, hardware-driven environment.

Requirements

Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD in Mechanical Engineering or related field
5+ years of experience in structural design and analysis for aerospace or high-performance systems
Strong background in high-temperature structures and materials, particularly in TPS-adjacent or aerothermal environments
Experience designing separation systems, joints, and structural interfaces for flight hardware
Proficiency in CAD and analysis tools (e.g., NX, SolidWorks, ANSYS, or equivalent)
Experience with structural and thermal analysis, including thermal-structural coupling and tolerance stack-up
Familiarity with materials used in high-temperature environments (e.g., ceramics, carbon-carbon, refractory metals, or similar)
Experience with hardware build, test, and troubleshooting in a lab or flight hardware environment
Strong problem-solving mindset, thriving in a fast-paced, hardware-rich, high flight cadence environment
U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance.

Responsibilities

Design and develop flight vehicle structures, including separating nose tip systems and other components critical to thermal protection system (TPS) performance
Lead the architecture and detailed design of high-temperature structural assemblies, including joints, interfaces, and load paths across TPS and primary structure
Perform structural and thermal analyses to ensure performance and reliability under extreme aerothermal, pressure, and dynamic environments
Work closely with materials, TPS, aerothermal, GNC, and manufacturing teams to ensure seamless integration of structures with vehicle systems
Develop and analyze separation mechanisms and interfaces, ensuring reliable and repeatable operation under flight conditions
Conduct tolerance analysis and assess thermal expansion, material compatibility, and interface behavior at elevated temperatures
Support prototyping, assembly, and hardware bring-up, including troubleshooting and root cause analysis of structural and interface performance issues
Define and execute qualification and environmental test plans, including thermal, vibration, and shock testing
Optimize designs for mass, thermal performance, structural integrity, and manufacturability
Mentor junior engineers and contribute to best practices in high-temperature structural design
Partner closely with program leadership to make technical trades aligned with mission success

Benefits

Meaningful long-term equity
Four (4) weeks of paid time off
Ten (10) company-paid holidays
Comprehensive health benefits - including 100% employee-covered medical and strong dependent coverage
Dental plans
Vision plans
Paid parental leave
$100 monthly fitness stipend
Onsite EV charging
Catered meals
Company-covered food during high-demand periods
Fully stocked kitchen