Engines - Propulsion Engineer

Wayfinder; Kent (WA); On-site; USD 91,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

Wayfinder, a pioneering company in the space technology sector, is seeking an Engines Propulsion Engineer. This role entails overseeing design, analysis, and testing of advanced rocket engine components. The successful candidate will join a dynamic team dedicated to developing state-of-the-art reusable rocket technology, requiring exceptional engineering skills and a commitment to innovation.

Benefits

Equity in the form of stock options

Comprehensive benefits program

Company-paid life and disability insurance

401(k) plan with employer match

4 weeks’ Paid Time Off

Paid Family/Parental Leave

On-site gym or wellness stipend

Dog friendly offices

Qualifications

• 0-4+ years of experience in design, build, and testing of rocket engine components.
• Experience with detailed mechanical design including machined parts and assemblies.
• Proficiency in heat transfer and cryogenics fundamentals.

Responsibilities

• Own all aspects of component design for rocket engines.
• Execute thermal, fluid, and structural analysis as required.
• Develop and maintain test requirements and plans.

Skills

Mechanical design

Rocket engine components

Thermal analysis

Fluids dynamics

CAD tools proficiency

Education

Bachelor's degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering

Tools

Siemens NX

Job description

A thriving economy in space is needed to make life on Earth more vibrant, sustainable, and equitable. Space technology will enable global access to information, solutions to climate change, answers to global food security, products that transform healthcare, clean energy production, and more. Today, rocket launch options are slow, expensive, and unreliable. Stoke is building the world’s most efficient fully and rapidly reusable rocket designed to fly daily that will radically increase access to space and open up the space economy to safeguard our precious home, Earth.

Description

Reusable systems are the key to seamlessly connecting Earth and space. Stoke’s Engines Team is developing reusable LNG/LOX full-flow staged combustion first stage engines and a LH2/LOX expander second stage engine for our launch vehicle, Nova. As an Engines Propulsion Engineer, you will have extreme ownership over all aspects of a components design, analysis, manufacturing, testing, and validation for an advanced reusable rocket engine (components like engine layouts, thrust chambers, reentry heat shields, injectors, turbomachinery, actuators, ignitors, etc). You will be a key member of engines development team working through all phases of the product lifecycle. You will seek out state-of-the-art design and manufacturing techniques and tools to solve challenging problems, and you will continuously iterate and improve your designs. You must be ready to stay focused, move fast, self-direct, and learn on the fly.

Responsibilities

• Own all aspects of component design across Stoke’s engines. Examples may include: regeneratively cooled thrust chambers, reentry heat shields, injectors, turbomachinery, actuators, ignitors, cryogenic flexible feedlines, engine layouts, heat exchangers, engine gimbals, thrust structure, test rigs, etc.
• Complete trade studies, design criteria reviews, and conceptual designs of new
• Create models, drawings, and work instructions to coordinate manufacturing of various components
• Execute thermal, fluid, and structural analysis as required for release
• Perform component builds
• Develop and execute qualification test plans to ensure readiness for flight (proof, vibration, thermal cycle, life cycle, flow testing, hotfire, etc).
• Present and clearly communicate design, analysis, and test results.
• Own root cause investigations and redesigns to improve reliability or manufacturing throughput.
• Track risks and execute appropriate mitigation plans.
• Develop and maintain test requirements and test plans
• Manage project schedules, risk, and budget

Qualifications

• Exceptional command of fundamentals
• Experience with detailed mechanical design including machined parts, additive parts, weldments, fasteners, seals, and translating/rotating assemblies.
• Experience in designing, analyzing, and testing rocket engine components; thrust chambers, regenerative cooling channels and heatshields, injectors, turbomachinery, actuators, ignitors, gimbals, feed systems, engine layouts, etc.
• Experience in GD&T, axial/radial tolerance stackups, and material selections
• Experience post-processing test data to evaluate component performance and health
• Proficiency in heat transfer, compressible and incompressible flow, and cryogenics fundamentals
• Proficiency with CAD tools (Siemens NX preferred)
• 0-4+ years of experience in design, build, and testing of rocket engine components
• Excellent written and verbal communication
• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering, or similar
• Willing to work out of our Kent, WA headquarters

Benefits

• Equity – We know that our employees are the reason we succeed. To give everyone a stake in our future, we are pleased to offer equity in the form of stock options to all regular, full-time employees.
• Comprehensive benefits program including subsidized medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Company-paid life and disability insurance
• 401(k) plan with employer match
• 4 weeks’ Paid Time Off
• Holidays – 10 days (including an end-of-year closure)
• Paid Family/Parental Leave
• On-site gym or monthly wellness stipend (depending on location)
• Dog friendly offices!

Compensation

Target Levels:

• Level 1 Range: $91,000 - $114,900
• Level 2 Range: $104,500 - $141,400

Our job posts are intentionally written to attract a wide variety of experience levels, and we make decisions about the right fit on a per-candidate basis.

Your actual level and base salary will be decided based on your specific experience and skill level.

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Equal Opportunity

The Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including with respect to disability and veteran status. It is committed to compliance with all equal opportunity laws, including the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and Title VII. It does not discriminate on the basis of nationality, race, citizenship, immigration status, or any other protected class when it comes to employment practices, including hiring.

Employment at the Company is contingent upon satisfactory completion of reference and backgroundchecks, and on your ability to prove your identity and authorization to work in the U.S. for the Company. Employees must comply with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services employment verification requirements, and, therefore, they must complete an Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 at the start of employment and re-verify authorization to work periodically.

Separate from this I-9 process, this position entails access to certain technology and technical data that is restricted under U.S. export control laws and regulations. Employment or continued employment may be conditioned on your legal authorization to work with or have access to export control materials as necessary to perform your job.