Graduate Propulsion Engineer — Aerospace Systems

Mach Industries; San Luis Obispo (CA); On-site; USD 115,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare

Dental & Vision

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Equity options

Professional development

Job summary

Mach Industries in San Luis Obispo, CA, is seeking a New Graduate Propulsion Engineer to support development of propulsion and energetic systems for defense applications. You may contribute to propulsion engineering, mechanical design, fluid systems, test engineering, hardware integration, or propulsion test operations.

You will work directly with propulsion hardware, taking systems from design through testing and flight, in a hands‑on role that combines hardware design, data analysis, and rapid

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical field.
• Graduating by summer 2027.
• Relevant experience gained through internships, research, academic projects, propulsion programs, or technical student organizations.
• Foundational understanding of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, mechanical design, or propulsion.
• Experience designing, building, testing, or troubleshooting mechanical hardware.
• Strong problem‑solving, systems‑thinking, and technical communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Support the design, development, assembly, integration, and testing of rocket, turbine, thruster, and other aerospace propulsion systems.
• Design mechanical components, fluid systems, pressure systems, test fixtures, ground‑support equipment, and propulsion test stands.
• Develop CAD models, engineering drawings, bills of materials, assembly procedures, and test documentation.
• Perform engineering analyses involving thermodynamics, fluid flow, heat transfer, structural loads, and propulsion performance.
• Support component‑level testing of valves, regulators, feed systems, igniters, injectors, combustion devices, and related hardware.
• Participate in integrated propulsion testing, including static‑fire and hot‑fire operations.
• Instrument test articles and collect pressure, temperature, flow, vibration, and thrust data using data‑acquisition systems.
• Analyze test data to evaluate performance, identify anomalies, and validate hardware against engineering requirements.
• Support hazardous operations involving high‑pressure, pneumatic, cryogenic, or energetic systems while maintaining strong operational discipline.
• Troubleshoot propulsion hardware, fluid systems, instrumentation, and test setups during rapid development cycles.
• Participate in design reviews, test‑readiness reviews, dry runs, and post‑test reviews.
• Collaborate with manufacturing, avionics, systems, flight‑test, and operations teams to transition propulsion systems from prototype to flight‑ready hardware.

Job description

Mach Industries in San Luis Obispo, CA, is seeking a New Graduate Propulsion Engineer to support development of propulsion and energetic systems for defense applications. You may contribute to propulsion engineering, mechanical design, fluid systems, test engineering, hardware integration, or propulsion test operations.

You will work directly with propulsion hardware, taking systems from design through testing and flight, in a hands‑on role that combines hardware design, data analysis, and rapid