Propulsion Engineer

The Aerospace Corporation is the trusted partner to the nation’s space programs, solving the hardest problems and providing unmatched technical expertise. As the operator of a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC), we are broadly engaged across all aspects of space— delivering innovative solutions that span satellite, launch, ground, and cyber systems for defense, civil and commercial customers. When you join our team, you’ll be part of a special collection of problem solvers, thought leaders, and innovators. Join us and take your place in space.

The Vehicle Systems Division (VSD) sits at the center of the ideas and data behind current and future systems supplying innovative research and development; technical evaluations during the acquisition process; conceptual and detailed design; assembly, integration, and test; and operational support. Comprised primarily of highly trained mechanical and aerospace engineers, VSD provides national expertise in the areas of vehicle engineering; guidance, navigation, and controls; robotics; electro-mechanical devices; embedded systems; fluid mechanics; propulsion; thermal control; orbital mechanics; mechanisms; structures; structural dynamics; and dynamic environments.

The Propulsion Department within VSD develops and evaluates cutting-edge propulsion technologies and systems for current and future government and commercial applications. The motto of the department is “We Deliver”; we deliver timely, objective, and actionable technical advice so that programs can execute efficiently toward mission success. In this position as Propulsion Engineer (Senior Member of Technical Staff/Engineering Specialist - Propulsion Engineering), you will perform technical evaluations and assessments of propulsion systems for high-priority space missions. Your work may involve propulsion system development, manufacturing, test, and operations for multiple programs. You must have a strong technical foundation and be willing to learn a broad range of new technologies and systems and effectively communicate results and recommendations to inform critical decisions.

This is a full-time position based in El Segundo, CA., offering a work model that combines at least four regular onsite workdays with remote flexibility as business needs allow.

What You’ll Be Doing  

• Evaluating propulsion system design, performance, and applications, and assisting in the development of new propulsion systems and component technology

• Using and/or developing new tools and analyses to assess the performance of space propulsion systems in ground test and flight

• Identifying, assessing, and helping mitigate hardware and operational risks associated with components, systems, and interfaces

• Providing real-time support to customer tests, flight, and anomaly resolution efforts

• Participating in technical interchange meetings, hardware reviews, flight data reviews, and other activities to assess flight readiness of propulsion systems

• Participating in multidisciplinary engineering and project teams

• Preparing reports and presentations to communicate results and recommendations to Aerospace program offices, government personnel, and other customers

What You Need to be Successful

Minimum Requirements for the Senior Member of Technical Staff – Propulsion Engineering: 

• Bachelor's degree in a STEM field or equivalent

• Five years of applicable professional or educational experience

• Knowledge of fundamental and advanced engineering principles in aerospace, mechanical, heat transfer, fluid dynamics, and thermodynamics as applied to the design, evaluation, and optimization of propulsion and propellant systems

• Experience performing in-depth, independent analyses to assess system margins and effectively troubleshoot technical anomalies

• Experience with the design, development, qualification, and acceptance requirements of liquid rocket engines

• Proficiency with standard office software, engineering tools, and scientific/technical programming environments and languages, including MATLAB and Python

• Willingness to travel domestically and/or internationally approximately 20% of the time to support customer needs

• This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance issued by the U.S. government; U.S. citizenship is required

In addition to the above, the minimum requirements for the Engineering Specialist – Propulsion Engineering:

• Advanced degree in a STEM field or equivalent

• Eight years of applicable professional or educational experience

• Experience evaluating and contr