Senior Propulsion & Ordnance Engineer

Castelion Corporation•Rio Rancho, NM

About The Position

We are seeking a Senior Propulsion & Ordnance Engineer to design and deliver ignition and energetic systems for Castelion's long-range hypersonic strike vehicles. This role is critical to enabling reliable motor ignition, flight termination, and stage separation through robust, high-performance energetic devices. You will work hands-on with multidisciplinary engineering teams to design, analyze, build, and validate ignitors, detonators, destruct charges, linear shaped charges, and related 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 propulsion, ignition systems, or ordnance/energetics design for aerospace or defense applications
Strong background in rocket motor ignitors, detonators, initiation systems, and/or explosive devices such as shaped charges or destruct systems
Experience with energetic materials, initiation chains, and safe handling practices
Familiarity with AFTS or flight termination systems and associated hardware
Experience with ground testing of energetic systems, including instrumentation and data analysis
Proficiency in analysis and modeling tools (e.g., MATLAB, ANSYS, or equivalent)
Experience with hardware build, integration, and troubleshooting in a lab or test environment
Strong problem-solving mindset, thriving in a fast-paced, hardware-rich, high test cadence environment
U.S. citizenship is required

Responsibilities

Design and develop energetic systems, including rocket motor ignitors, detonators, AFTS destruct charges, and linear shaped charges for stage separation
Lead the architecture and detailed design of ignition and ordnance hardware, including initiation chains, packaging, and integration with vehicle systems
Perform thermal, structural, and energetic performance analyses to ensure reliable initiation, propagation, and output under extreme environments
Develop and optimize ignition systems for consistent, repeatable motor start across a range of operating conditions
Work closely with propulsion, AFTS, structures, avionics, and safety teams to ensure seamless integration of ordnance systems with vehicle architecture
Support energetic material selection, handling, and processing in collaboration with materials and manufacturing teams
Plan and execute ground test campaigns, including component-level and integrated system testing, and analyze results to drive design improvements
Conduct failure analysis and root cause investigations related to ignition performance, initiation reliability, or ordnance function
Ensure compliance with safety, handling, and mission assurance requirements for energetic systems
Mentor junior engineers and contribute to best practices in propulsion and ordnance system 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 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