Senior Propulsion Engineer (Rocket Motors)

Castelion Corporation • Torrance, NM

5d

About The Position

Castelion is seeking a Senior Propulsion Engineer to design, build, and test rocket motor systems for long-range hypersonic strike vehicles. The role focuses on delivering reliable, high-performance propulsion across all mission phases. The engineer will work hands-on with multidisciplinary teams to develop solid rocket motors and associated hardware from concept through flight test in a fast-paced, hardware-driven environment. The position may require access to classified information, restricted U.S. Government resources, and export-controlled information. If applicable, employment may depend on obtaining and maintaining required government clearances or authorizations and satisfying citizenship or other eligibility requirements.

Requirements

• Bachelor's, master's, or PhD in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, or a related field.
• At least 5 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, 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, ANSYS, or equivalent.
• Experience with hardware build, integration, and troubleshooting in a lab or test environment.
• Strong problem-solving mindset and ability to thrive in a fast-paced, hardware-rich environment with a high test cadence.
• Ability to access applicable export-controlled information without additional export licensing; if designated, ability to obtain and maintain required government clearance or authorization and meet applicable citizenship or eligibility requirements.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop rocket motor systems, including grain geometry, case structures, insulation, and nozzle assemblies.
• Lead propulsion hardware architecture and detailed design to meet performance, structural, and thermal requirements.
• Perform internal ballistics, thermal, and structural analyses to ensure motor performance and reliability under extreme operating conditions.
• 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 to make technical trades aligned with mission success.

Benefits

• Castelion offers a generous benefits package; details are available at the bottom of its Careers page.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior