Chief Engineer, Pyrotechnic Mechanisms

Amro Fabricating Corporation; Mukilteo (WA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid time off

HSA with company contribution

FSA

Company-paid life and AD&D insurance

Short- and long-term disability

Job summary

Karman Space & Defense seeks a Chief Engineer of Pyrotechnic Mechanisms to act as the technical authority for the mechanical and energetic design of cutters, initiators, separation joints, and release systems. You will guide development from concept through qualification and low-rate production, ensuring safety, robustness, and producibility.

You will lead multidisciplinary teams, manage design risk, and champion compliance with DoD/NASA regulations while coordinating with customers and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, or a related engineering field.
• At least 15 years of experience designing and qualifying pyrotechnic or energetic mechanisms in aerospace/defense.
• Strong knowledge of energetics, ignition systems, detonation/deflagration physics, and actuation principles.
• Proven leadership of multidisciplinary teams and technical authority.
• Experience with safety and compliance for energetics handling, storage, and testing.
• Familiarity with DoD/NASA regulations governing energetic systems.
• Hands-on test planning, execution, and data reduction for pyrotechnic devices.

Responsibilities

• Leads development of pyrotechnic mechanisms from concept through qualification and low-rate production, overseeing build, test, and flight operations.
• Translates system requirements into mechanical/structural solutions, preventing scope creep.
• Develops and enforces design guidelines, analysis methods, and test plans for robustness and repeatability.
• Defines DFMA/DFx practices with suppliers and manufacturing teams.
• Owns technical risk management for pyrotechnic hardware, maintaining risk registers and mitigations.
• Tailors standards and qualification approaches to program needs, balancing rigor, cost, and schedule.
• Leads design and safety reviews and documents tailoring decisions for customers/regulators.
• Represents mechanisms engineering in customer meetings and safety boards.
• Mentors engineers to strengthen in-house expertise in mechanism design and pyrotechnics.

Education

Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or aerospace engineering

Job description

Karman Space & Defense seeks a Chief Engineer of Pyrotechnic Mechanisms to act as the technical authority for the mechanical and energetic design of cutters, initiators, separation joints, and release systems. You will guide development from concept through qualification and low-rate production, ensuring safety, robustness, and producibility.

You will lead multidisciplinary teams, manage design risk, and champion compliance with DoD/NASA regulations while coordinating with customers and