Senior Propulsion Engineer (Rocket Motor Soft Goods)

Castelion Corporation•Rio Rancho, NM

2d•Onsite

About The Position

We are seeking a Senior Propulsion Engineer to design and deliver rocket motor soft goods for Castelion's long-range hypersonic strike vehicles. This role is critical to ensuring reliable motor performance, structural integrity, and thermal protection through the design of liners, insulators, inhibitors, and related internal components. You will work hands-on with multidisciplinary engineering teams to design, analyze, build, and validate soft goods systems in a fast-paced, hardware-driven environment.

Requirements

Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, or related field
5+ years of experience in rocket propulsion or high-temperature material systems, with focus on soft goods or internal motor components
Strong background in insulation materials, liners, and bonding systems used in solid rocket motors
Experience with thermal protection materials and behavior under high heat flux and pressure environments
Familiarity with propellant compatibility, adhesion, and chemical interactions with soft goods materials
Experience with material processing techniques for elastomers, ablatives, or composite insulation systems
Proficiency in analysis and modeling tools (e.g., MATLAB, ANSYS, or equivalent)
Experience with propulsion testing, data analysis, and failure investigation
Strong problem-solving mindset, thriving in a fast-paced, hardware-rich, high test cadence environment
U.S. citizenship is required

Nice To Haves

Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government–issued security clearance

Responsibilities

Design and develop rocket motor soft goods, including liners, insulators, inhibitors, and internal thermal protection systems
Lead the architecture and detailed design of soft goods systems to ensure compatibility with propellant, case materials, and motor operating conditions
Perform thermal, chemical, and structural analyses to ensure performance and durability under high-temperature, high-pressure environments
Develop and optimize material selections and formulations in collaboration with materials and manufacturing teams
Define and manage bonding strategies between propellant, liner, insulation, and motor case to ensure robust adhesion and prevent debonding
Work closely with propulsion, structures, and manufacturing teams to ensure seamless integration of soft goods with overall motor design
Support material processing, fabrication, and quality control of soft goods components
Plan and execute test campaigns, including subscale and full-scale motor testing, and analyze results to drive design improvements
Conduct failure analysis and root cause investigations related to insulation performance, erosion, cracking, or debonding
Mentor junior engineers and contribute to best practices in soft goods design and processing
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 and vision plans
Paid parental leave
$100 monthly fitness stipend
Onsite EV charging
Catered meals
Company-covered food during high-demand periods
Fully stocked kitchen