Lead Propulsion Engineer - Spacecraft Hardware & Bus

Telemetry Today LLC; El Segundo, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 179,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Relocation support

401(k) with match

Health insurance

Wellness reimbursement

One Medical membership

Job summary

Varda Space Industries is hiring a Senior Propulsion Engineer – Hardware & Bus Systems in El Segundo, CA. You will own propulsion subsystems across satellite buses, including architecture, analysis, sizing, software tools, data review, and in-orbit operations within a multidisciplinary team.

The role emphasizes ownership, rigorous design, and collaboration to advance future vehicles. Requires 3–6+ years in propulsion with spacecraft experience and CAD/FEA proficiency.

Qualifications

• B.S. in Aerospace Engineering; 3–6+ years of experience.
• 3+ years hands-on propulsion/fluid systems for spacecraft or launch vehicles.
• Deep knowledge of flight fluid system hardware: pressurized components, tubing, fittings, seals, valves, instrumentation.
• Proficiency reading and authoring P&IDs.
• CAD tools proficiency (CATIA, SolidWorks, NX) and PLM software.
• Experience authoring/executing ground test procedures, including console operations.
• Ability to drive anomaly investigations across teams.

Responsibilities

• Maintain propulsion baseline and system-level documentation (P&IDs).
• Design, analyze, and test propulsion flight hardware and components.
• Identify opportunities for propulsion upgrades on operational vehicles.
• Define requirements and high-level architecture for future vehicles; develop roadmaps and cross-team alignment.
• Generate propulsion analysis products and deliver inputs to cross-disciplinary teams (GNC, Thermal, Mission Ops).
• Build Python scripts and spreadsheets to automate recurring analyses and data workflows.
• Perform detailed mechanical design and FEA using ANSYS/NASTRAN; review design docs and test procedures.
• Sit on console for in-flight propulsion operations; disposition hardware nonconformances.
• Mentor junior engineers and review analysis packages.

Skills

Propulsion design

Fluid systems

P&ID reading

CAD tools

Python scripting

Anomaly investigations

Mentoring

Education

B.S. in Aerospace Engineering

Tools

CATIA

SolidWorks

NX

ANSYS

NASTRAN

PLM

Job description

Varda Space Industries is hiring a Senior Propulsion Engineer – Hardware & Bus Systems in El Segundo, CA. You will own propulsion subsystems across satellite buses, including architecture, analysis, sizing, software tools, data review, and in-orbit operations within a multidisciplinary team.

The role emphasizes ownership, rigorous design, and collaboration to advance future vehicles. Requires 3–6+ years in propulsion with spacecraft experience and CAD/FEA proficiency.