Mid Career Spaceflight Hardware Propulsion Engineer

Amentum•Houston, TX

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Amentum is seeking a mid-career Spaceflight Hardware Propulsion Engineer to support NASA’s deep space exploration work with ERC, a teammate company. The role applies engineering principles in fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, heat transfer, materials, structures, and machine design to propulsion and spacecraft pressure systems. The engineer performs or leads analyses, develops and validates technical models and analysis tools, assesses system architectures and trade studies, and documents assumptions, methods, results, and limitations. The position provides technical oversight throughout propulsion hardware development, from design and fabrication through assembly, testing, integration, certification, and operation. It includes planning and evaluating tests, reviewing verification and flight-readiness evidence, investigating anomalies and nonconformances, and developing recommendations for issue disposition and risk mitigation. The engineer supports pressure-system safety, cleanliness, contamination control, hardware integration, and formal certification, while coordinating with NASA offices, spacecraft organizations, suppliers, contractors, and international partners. The engineer organizes technical reviews and action items, communicates status and risks to stakeholders, and may participate in mission simulations, vehicle checkouts, propulsion console operations, and flight support. The role also includes providing technical guidance and mentoring, traveling when required, and performing other duties as assigned. Work is generally in an office, but may involve indoor or outdoor work depending on the task. Regular attendance is critical; work outside the normal schedule may be needed during peak periods or surges.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering.
Normally 5–10 years of related experience.
License and certification may be required.
Demonstrated knowledge of fluid mechanics and thermodynamics.
Working knowledge of heat transfer, engineering materials, mechanical systems, structures, or machine design.
Experience analyzing propulsion, pressure, fluid, or thermal systems.
Experience supporting hardware development, testing, integration, certification, or operation.
Experience processing, analyzing, and interpreting engineering or test data.
Ability to evaluate requirements, technical drawings, analyses, test plans, test results, and verification evidence.
Ability to investigate technical issues and develop defensible engineering recommendations.
Ability to assess component-level issues in a broader system and vehicle context.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to organize and coordinate multiple technical activities and priorities.
Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with multidisciplinary teams.
Ability to communicate risks, uncertainties, and dissenting technical positions appropriately.
Willingness and ability to transition among branch assignments as organizational needs change.
Ability to work effectively in laboratory, supplier, integration, mission-operations, and office environments.
Ability and willingness to travel when required by the assignment.
Ability to work outside the normal schedule and adjust schedules to meet peak periods and surge requirements.
Regular attendance in accordance with the established work schedule is critical.
Must be able to complete a U.S. government background investigation.
Proof of U.S. citizenship or U.S. permanent residency may be required.
Professional behavior that enhances productivity and promotes teamwork and cooperation.
Grooming and dress must be appropriate for the position and must not impose a safety risk or hazard.

Nice To Haves

Experience with spacecraft propulsion or aerospace pressure systems.
Experience with human-rated spacecraft or other safety-critical flight systems.
Experience with valves, regulators, tanks, filters, sensors, pressure vessels, tubing, and related mechanical hardware.
Experience with component- or system-level test planning, execution, and data evaluation.
Experience with acceptance, qualification, thermal-vacuum, vibration, or other environmental testing.
Experience with flight-hardware integration and certification.
Experience investigating anomalies, nonconformances, or unexpected test results.
Experience preparing or evaluating hazard reports, variances, waivers, risks, changes, or certification packages.
Experience overseeing suppliers, prime contractors, or sub-tier contractors.
Experience with requirements development and verification.
Knowledge of pressure-system safety, hardware cleanliness, and contamination-control requirements.
Proficiency with Python, MATLAB, or comparable analysis tools.
Experience with Thermal Desktop or comparable thermal-analysis software.
Experience with CAD software, including Creo or a comparable platform.
Experience with propulsion console operations, mission simulations, vehicle checkouts, or flight support.
Experience working with configuration-management, work-order, issue-tracking, or document-control systems.
Experience developing small-spacecraft propulsion systems or rapid-turnaround flight hardware.
Experience leading technical tasks or mentoring early-career engineers.

Responsibilities

Apply fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, heat transfer, materials, structures, and machine-design principles to propulsion and spacecraft pressure systems.
Independently perform or lead propulsion and pressure-system analyses.
Develop, review, and validate fluid-flow, pressure-system, thermodynamic, and thermal models.
Develop and maintain engineering analysis and data-processing tools using Python, MATLAB, or similar software.
Evaluate system architectures and lead or contribute to technical trade studies.
Establish technical assumptions, document analysis methods, and communicate results and limitations.
Assess component-to-system and system-to-vehicle technical effects.
Provide technical oversight of propulsion components, suppliers, and hardware-development activities.
Review designs, drawings, material selections, fabrication methods, assembly processes, and acceptance criteria.
Support or lead propulsion hardware development from concept through fabrication, assembly, test, integration, and operation.
Plan, coordinate, witness, or evaluate component- and system-level tests.
Review acceptance-test data, qualification reports, verification evidence, and flight-readiness documentation.
Evaluate test results and determine whether available evidence satisfies technical and program requirements.
Lead or support investigations of anomalies, nonconformances, and unexpected system behavior.
Develop technically defensible recommendations for issue disposition and risk mitigation.
Review and coordinate closure of variances, nonconformance reports, hazard reports, changes, waivers, reuse documentation, and certification action items.
Develop verification approaches and support formal certification of propulsion systems and flight hardware.
Assess pressure-system safety, cleanliness, contamination-control, and hardware-integration requirements.
Support propulsion-system integration with spacecraft, test vehicles, or small satellites.
Coordinate technical activities with NASA program and project offices, spacecraft organizations, suppliers, prime contractors, sub-tier contractors, and international partners.
Organize and track concurrent document reviews, technical issues, risks, and action items.
Delegate or coordinate reviews with appropriate hardware and technical points of contact.
Prepare and present technical status, risks, nonconformances, and recommendations to program stakeholders.
Participate in mission simulations, vehicle checkouts, propulsion console operations, and flight support.
Provide technical guidance and mentoring to less-experienced engineers.
Travel to supplier, test, integration, launch, or program locations when required.
Perform other duties as required.