Lead Propulsion Systems Development Engineer

Astra’s mission is to improve life on Earth from space by creating a healthier and more connected planet. Today, Astra offers one of the lowest cost-per-launch dedicated orbital launch services, and one of the industry’s leading flight-proven electric propulsion systems for satellites, the Astra Spacecraft Engine.

The Team

The Engines team is responsible for developing, integrating, testing, and qualifying the propulsion systems that power Astra’s launch vehicles. We work across the full propulsion lifecycle — from requirements definition and engine-to-vehicle integration through test planning, hot-fire execution, data review, qualification, and flight readiness.

This role sits at the intersection of engine development, launch vehicle integration, test, operations, avionics, structures, GNC, manufacturing, and supplier technical management. You will help turn a rocket engine into a reliable, integrated propulsion system that can be operated, tested, qualified, and flown.

The Opportunity 

Astra is seeking a Lead Propulsion Systems Development Engineer to own the technical integration of a liquid rocket engine onto the stage of Astra’s launch vehicle. This is a hands-on systems leadership role for an engineer who can connect engine-level performance, stage-level requirements, vehicle interfaces, test operations, and flight constraints into a coherent development plan.

Reporting to the Head of Propulsion, you will manage the engine and propulsion system requirements, lead key development design reviews through the Astra Development Process, and drive the technical closure of engine-to-stage interfaces. You will work closely with external suppliers, internal design and analysis teams, test engineers, manufacturing, avionics, GNC, and launch operations to ensure the propulsion system is ready for ground test, qualification, and flight.

If you enjoy high-accountability technical ownership, cross-functional problem solving, first-principles propulsion analysis, and the challenge of bringing complex hardware from design review through hot-fire test and flight readiness, this role is for you.

How You'll Fulfill Your Mission

Propulsion System Integration

• Own the engine-to-stage integration plan for a turbopump-fed liquid propellant rocket engine, including mechanical, fluid, electrical, software, controls, thermal, operational, and safety interfaces.
• Develop, maintain, and verify propulsion system requirements, interface control documents, verification plans, and technical closure criteria.
• Lead cross-functional trades involving engine layout, feed system architecture, pressurization, chilldown, purge systems, start and shutdown sequencing, abort logic, operability, maintainability, and ground-test constraints.

Technical Leadership & Design Reviews

• Organize and lead key propulsion system design reviews through the Astra Development Process, including requirements reviews, architecture reviews, preliminary and critical design reviews, test readiness reviews, and qualification reviews.
• Drive technical decision-making across propulsion, structures, avionics, GNC, software, manufacturing, test, launch operations, safety, and supplier teams.
• Serve as the primary technical integrator for propulsion system performance, interfaces, operations, and verification.
• Organize and lead the technical work required to substantiate propulsion system qualification for flight.

Analysis, Modeling & Performance

• Perform propulsion system performance analysis and system modeling for turbopump-driven liquid propellant rocket engines and integrated launch vehicle stages. Model engine and stage interactions including feed system pressure drops, transient behavior, tank pressurization, propellant conditioning, inlet conditions, mixture ratio, thrust, specific impulse, and operational margins.

• Lead or coordinate analysis specialists to complete design trades, substantiate margins, support design reviews, and resolve technical issues discovered during test.
• Correlate analytical models against hot-fire and system-level test data to improve predictive capability and close verification objectives.

Engine Testing and Data Analysis

• Plan and execute engine and stage propulsion hot-fire test campaigns in collaboration with test, operations, avionics, software, GNC, and supplier teams.
• Analyze hot-fire test data to