Sr. Propulsion Engineer (Merlin Thrust Chamber)

SpaceX was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is out exploring the stars is fundamentally more exciting than one where we are not. Today SpaceX is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal of enabling human life on Mars.

SR. PROPULSION ENGINEER (MERLIN THRUST CHAMBER)

As a Sr. Merlin Propulsion Engineer, you will own all aspects of ongoing Merlin Thrust Chamber Assembly (TCA) design, development, qualification, and production support for both the Merlin 1D (M1D) and Merlin 1D Vacuum (MVacD) engines. In this role, you will utilize your strong technical knowledge of metallic structures, materials, fluid systems, welding, and analysis techniques to ensure rapid production and maximum reliability of the Merlin engines. You will fully integrate with the Merlin development, production, test, refurbishment, and flight operations teams as we fly commercial, science/exploration, national security, and crewed missions at a pace of 144+ flights per year.

RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• Support build, test, and flight of Merlin Thrust Chamber Assemblies for SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy reusable launch vehicles on-site at SpaceX’s Hawthorne, CA headquarters
• Work with manufacturing engineers to ensure TCA and key sub-assemblies are manufactured correctly and efficiently
• Generate accurate, precise, and thoughtfully-dimensioned CAD models and drawings for the TCA, and ensure that these drawings are able to be efficiently manufactured with the available processes (or develop new processes to enable them)
• Perform and/or review detailed structural, thermal, and fluid analyses on all TCA components/systems, and confirm that they meet the required standards for life, performance, and reliability targets
• Lead new and ongoing design and process improvements to maximize rapid manufacturability and reliability of the M1D and MVacD TCA
• Lead the resolution of issues encountered with the TCA during testing or flight operations
• Support M1D and MVacD engine test teams for development, qualification, and production engine tests
• Support launch and refurbishment teams remotely and on-site to ensure reliability during continued engine reuse

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline
• 5+ years of experience in hardware or propulsion system development (includes internships, personal projects, and school or team projects)

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE: 

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering
• Master’s degree in an engineering discipline
• Hands-on experience with rocket engines of any size
• 3+ years of experience in TCA or rocket engine development (includes internships, personal projects, and school or team projects)
• Experience with TCA or rocket engine development in a professional setting (e.g. as a contracted research assistant, for a commercial product, etc.)
• Experience with thrust chamber manufacturing and design for manufacturability
• Experience with thrust chamber testing and engine firing
• Full engineering lifecycle experience (design trade, CAD design, prototyping, manufacturing, testing, qualification, production, reuse)
• Experience at a nimble engineering organization or in a highly technical position that required a scrappy, entrepreneurial manner to accomplish tasks with tight time or budget constraints
• Strong understanding of thermodynamics, compressible and incompressible flow, heat transfer, structures, and metallic material science
• Experience with thrust chamber design and analysis (e.g. thermal/fluid CFD, structural analysis via hand calcs and FEA, fatigue/fracture mechanics)
• Professional experience using Siemens NX (Unigraphics) and ANSYS strongly preferred, Fluent or other comparable CFD package also desirable
• Great attitude in the face of extreme technical and schedule challenges
• Demonstrated track record of excellent academic and professional achievement
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with both internal and external customers
• Ability to deliver against an aggressive schedule, without sacrificing safety or reliability

 ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Willingness to travel to McGregor, TX in support of testing, and to Cape Canaveral, FL and Vandenberg SFB, CA in support of launching and refurbishing
• Willingness to work extended hours and weekends as needed to resolve critical technical issues
• Ability to pass Air Force background check for Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg sites

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:          

Pay range:          

Propulsion Engineer/Senio