Manager – Zero-gravity Propellant Management

Jobtailor; Alabama; On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Jobtailor seeks a senior leader to guide propulsion engineering for space-grade systems in the United States. You will lead a team of propulsion and hardware engineers, define the propulsion components roadmap, and coordinate with vehicle teams and customers to meet performance and schedule goals.

The role emphasizes ownership from development to production, risk management, and collaboration with operations and supply chain to control costs and delivery.

Qualifications

• Proven track record of leading and managing teams to deliver complex engineering products.
• BS degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering; MS preferred.
• Strong propulsion and thermodynamics fundamentals.
• 5+ years in an engineering field with propulsion experience; 2+ years PM.
• Cross-disciplinary design, analysis, manufacturing, testing, and vehicle integration.
• Excellent communication across all organizational levels.
• Experience with propulsion components used on aerospace vehicles.
• Blue’s Standard Background Check

Responsibilities

• Lead a dedicated team of fluid analysis and hardware engineers.
• Define, develop, and deliver spacecraft propulsion components.
• Lead programs with multiple stakeholders and customers, including vehicle teams.
• Serve as the single-threaded leader for assigned scope delivery.
• Identify, communicate, and mitigate technical and programmatic risks.
• Manage project scope, deliverables, cost, schedule, assets, and safety risks.
• Partner with Operations and Supply Chain to meet product cost and delivery objectives.
• Track team execution and unit product/lifecycle costs.
• Develop project data frameworks and monitor key project metrics.
• Oversee employee hiring, development, coaching, and performance management.
• Provide technical leadership on propulsion hardware design, development, build, and test.
• Develop and oversee technical plans aligned with customer requirements and internal design criteria.
• Own assigned product scope from development through production.
• Support requirements decomposition, systems engineering, technical design, analysis, verification, validation, and interface alignment.

Skills

Team Leadership

Propulsion Engineering

Project Management

Systems Engineering

Technical Leadership

Risk Management

Stakeholder Management

Requirements Management

Education

B.S. in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

M.S. in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering (preferred)

Tools

ANSYS

Thermal Desktop

Star CCM+

Jules

Windchill

Creo Parametric

Job description

• Lead a dedicated team of fluid analysis and hardware engineers


• Define, develop, and deliver spacecraft propulsion components


• Lead programs with multiple stakeholders and customers, including vehicle teams


• Serve as the single-threaded leader for assigned scope delivery


• Identify, communicate, and mitigate technical and programmatic risks


• Manage project scope, deliverables, cost, schedule, assets, and safety risks


• Partner with Operations and Supply Chain to meet product cost and delivery objectives


• Track team execution and unit product/lifecycle cost


• Develop project data frameworks and monitor key project metrics


• Oversee employee hiring, development, coaching, and performance management


• Foster continuous growth, learning, and compliance with HR processes


• Provide technical leadership on propulsion hardware design, development, build, and test


• Develop and oversee technical plans aligned with customer requirements and internal design criteria


• Own assigned product scope from development through production


• Manage interdisciplinary engineering tasks and engineering output quality


• Support requirements decomposition, systems engineering, technical design, analysis, verification, validation, and interface alignment

Requirements

• Proven track record of leading and managing teams to deliver complex engineering products


• Minimum of a B.S. degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering


• Solid understanding of propulsion and thermodynamic fundamentals


• 5+ years of experience in a relevant engineering field, with significant experience in aerospace propulsion systems


• 2+ years of project management experience


• Basic knowledge across requirements negotiation, design, analysis, manufacturing, testing, and vehicle integration


• Strong communication skills across all levels of the organization


• Experience with Propulsion, Cryogenic and/or Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLS) components used on deep space vehicles


• U.S. citizenship or nationality, U.S. permanent residency, or lawful admission as a refugee or asylee


• Required Blue’s Standard Background Check


• Preferred: M.S. degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering


• Preferred: 3+ years managing technical teams and/or leading functional groups


• Preferred: 8+ years in propulsion engineering for spacecraft systems


• Preferred experience with resource/budget management, Agile, IMP-level scheduling, risk management, configuration management, requirements management, cryogenic hardware design, complete component design lifecycles, propulsion testing, safety-critical aerospace vehicle certification, and propulsion component roadmaps


• Familiarity with ANSYS, Thermal Desktop, Star CCM+, Jules, Windchill, and Creo Parametric

Core Competencies

Demonstrates expertise in leading engineering teams to deliver complex aerospace propulsion systems while managing project scope, cost, and schedule. Proficient in technical leadership, risk management, and compliance with engineering standards and HR processes.

Highest-signal resume keywords

• Propulsion Engineering


• Project Management


• Team Leadership


• Aerospace Systems


• Requirements Management

Hard Skills

• Mechanical Engineering


• Aerospace Engineering


• Propulsion Fundamentals


• Thermodynamic Fundamentals


• Requirements Decomposition


• Systems Engineering


• Technical Design


• Verification


• Validation


• Interface Alignment

Soft Skills

• Strong Communication


• Coaching


• Performance Management


• Risk Mitigation


• Stakeholder Management

Certifications & Qualifications

• Blue’s Standard Background Check

Industry Keywords

• Aerospace Propulsion Systems


• Cryogenic Components


• Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLS)


• Safety-Critical Certification


• Component Design Lifecycles

Tools & Technologies

• ANSYS


• Thermal Desktop


• Star CCM+


• Jules


• Windchill


• Creo Parametric