Lead Propulsion Engineer

United States Digital Space LLC; Deutschland; Vor Ort; EUR 120.000 - 170.000; Vollzeit

Benefits dieser Stelle

Stock options

Relocation support

Meals provided

Company housing

Zusammenfassung

United States Digital Space LLC in Germany is seeking a Lead Propulsion Engineer to provide technical leadership across major solid rocket motor propulsion projects, guiding from requirements through design, manufacture, testing, and production readiness.

Join a fast-paced startup building scalable propulsion technology for space and defense, with a focus on hands-on hardware, mentorship, and rapid decision-making.

Qualifikationen

• Degree in aerospace, mechanical, chemical engineering, materials science, or related field.
• Significant propulsion experience in aerospace hardware or energetic materials.
• Experience leading complex technical work or subsystems.
• Understand propulsion development lifecycle and cross-disciplinary work.
• Structured problem solving and strong communication with hardware teams.

Aufgaben

• Lead propulsion projects from requirements to production readiness.
• Set technical direction across ballistics, grain design, nozzles, and cases.
• Coordinate engineers across propulsion, chemistry, manufacturing, testing, and operations.
• Review work, manage risks, and drive design decisions.
• Mentor engineers and build scalable processes.
• Support static-fire campaigns and use data to improve designs.

Kenntnisse

Propulsion experience

Leadership experience

Cross-disciplinary collaboration

Hardware testing

Python for engineering

Ausbildung

Bachelor's or equivalent in aerospace, mechanical, chemical engineering, materials science, or related field

Jobbeschreibung

Lead Propulsion EngineerWe are looking for a Lead Propulsion Engineer to provide technical leadership across major solid rocket motor propulsion projects and to help build a high-performing engineering team. You will guide projects from requirements through design, manufacture, testing, qualification, and production readiness, while remaining close to the hardware and supporting the engineers delivering it.

About usWe're a Germany-based rocketry startup currently in stealth mode, scaling up rapidly to meet the demand for high-performance, reliable, and scalable solid propulsion technologies for space and defense applications.

We are already launching suborbital and ballistic rockets on a regular basis, generating significant revenue and applying our knowledge toward the development of an orbital rocket.

We are working hard to build something truly spectacular.

To thrive here you will need to be comfortable working at pace, with the autonomy to make decisions and execute on them quickly. If you're excited by hard technical challenges and want a role where you will make a real difference each day to the future of the company, we may be the place for you.

Key responsibilities

• Lead one or more propulsion projects from initial requirements through design, test, qualification, and production readiness.
• Set technical direction across internal ballistics, grain design, nozzles, motor cases, structures, manufacturing, and productionisation.
• Coordinate engineers across propulsion, chemistry, manufacturing, testing, systems, and operations.
• Review technical work, manage risks and interfaces, and make timely engineering decisions.
• Support static-fire campaigns and use test data to drive design improvements.
• Mentor engineers, interns, and thesis students while helping to build scalable engineering processes.

What we are looking for

• A degree in aerospace, mechanical, chemical engineering, materials science, or a related discipline.
• Significant experience in propulsion, aerospace hardware, energetic materials, or a closely related field.
• Experience leading complex technical work or owning a major subsystem or project.
• Strong understanding of the propulsion development lifecycle and the ability to work across disciplines.
• A practical, structured approach to solving ambiguous problems and moving projects forward.
• Strong communication skills and a willingness to work directly with hardware, laboratories, manufacturing, and test operations.

Desirable experience

• Solid rocket motor propulsion development.
• Taking propulsion hardware into repeatable or serial production.
• Leading static-fire or other high-consequence test campaigns.
• Propellant formulation, energetic-materials characterisation, or composite motor-case development.
• Python-based engineering analysis or simulation tools.
• Explosives licensing, range safety, or hazardous-materials processes.

Benefits and important information

• We offer top-decile compensation packages, bonuses and meaningful equity, to attract exceptional aerospace talent.
• Every employee is awarded stock options in the company, you will directly benefit from your own hard work and success.
• Comprehensive relocation support including flights, shipping and visas.
• Lunch, dinner and drinks provided everyday
• Free access to shared company housing

Please note, we are a fast paced, hyper-scaling startup. You will need to be comfortable working extended hours with high levels of autonomy, ownership, and flexibility, with contracts structured around a 48-hour working week.

We are committed to building an equitable and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued, has equal access to opportunity, and can thrive. We welcome different perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences and believe our differences make us stronger.