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 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 program goals, assigning clear responsibilities and holding teammates accountable.
• Identify and drive design changes related to simplification, reliability, and performance based on department priorities.
• Manage the transition of prototype parts from concept through development to production and operations.
• Establish hardware requirements and collaborate with engineers to ensure adjacent systems meet these requirements.
• Develop test requirements and participate in test operations early in the part lifecycle to prepare engines for flight.
• Analyze data from test and flight operations, iterating results into improved designs and making critical go/no-go decisions.

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 in a design, manufacturing, analysis, or test capacity.

Nice-to-haves

• Master's degree in mechanical engineering or aeronautical/astronautical engineering.
• 6+ years of professional or intense academic 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, thermochemistry, mechanics, and materials.
• Analytical/scientific programming experience (Python, MATLAB, C/C++).
• Experience using Siemens NX (Unigraphics), ANSYS or Fluent.
• Experience generating, reading, and interpreting engineering drawings.
• Experience with manufacturing techniques such as machining, additive manufacturing, welding, and structural assembly.

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 the ability to purchase stock at a discount.
• 3 weeks of paid vacation and eligibility for 10 or more paid holidays per year.
• 5 days of sick leave per year.