Sr. Propulsion Engineer, Combustion Devices (Raptor)

$125,000 - $175,000/Yr

SpaceX - Hawthorne, CA

Full-time - Mid Level

Hawthorne, CA

Transportation Equipment Manufacturing

About the position

The Sr. Propulsion Engineer for Combustion Devices at SpaceX is responsible for the development, production, and operation of combustion hardware, specifically for the Raptor engine. This role involves overseeing the entire lifecycle of combustion hardware from concept to successful flight operations, ensuring high performance and reliability in one of the most advanced rocket engines in history.

Responsibilities

• Own the success of hardware design and requirements, ensuring reliable operating performance at the integrated engine level.
• Coordinate a team of peers through informal leadership to achieve goals, assigning clear responsibilities and holding teammates accountable.
• Identify and drive design changes related to simplification, reliability, and performance.
• Manage the transition of prototype parts from concept through development to production and operations.
• Establish requirements for hardware and collaborate with other engineers to ensure systems meet requirements.
• Develop test requirements and participate in test operations to accept engines for flight.
• Perform analysis on data from test and flight operations, iterating results into improved designs.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline.
• Experience with CAD to design parts and assemblies.
• 5+ years of experience working with rocket or jet engine hardware or high-pressure fluid systems.

Nice-to-haves

• Master's degree in mechanical engineering or aeronautical/astronautical engineering.
• 6+ years of experience with jet or rocket engines or high-pressure fluid systems.
• Experience designing for manufacturing and implementing designs into manufacturing processes.
• Proficiency in compressible and incompressible flow, combustion processes, thermodynamics, and mechanics.
• Analytical/scientific programming experience (Python, MATLAB, C/C++).
• Experience using Siemens NX, ANSYS, or Fluent.
• Experience analyzing test data and making technical decisions.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage.
• 401(k) retirement plan.
• Short & long-term disability insurance.
• Life insurance.
• Paid parental leave.
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan with stock purchase options.
• 3 weeks of paid vacation and 10 or more paid holidays per year.
• 5 days of sick leave per year.