Manufacturing Engineer, Solid Rocket Motors

Castelion; Midland (TX); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity for all full-time employees

Four (4) weeks of PTO

Medical: 100% employee coverage

Dental & Vision: 90% employee coverage

401k plan

Parental leave: up to 10 weeks

Meals provided

Onsite EV charging

Job summary

Castelion is hiring a Manufacturing Engineer to support solid rocket motor development at our Midland, TX facility. The role collaborates with engineering to mature processes, ensuring safe, efficient production of high-energy components for research vehicles.

You will plan tests, manage workflow, interpret engineering drawings, and verify flight hardware, while supporting a rapid, high-velocity environment with strong documentation discipline.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or advanced degree in aerospace, manufacturing, materials, mechanical engineering or physics.
• 3+ years of aerospace or energetics operations experience.
• Experience building complex energetic aerospace components.
• CAD experience with SolidWorks or NX; knowledge of statics, dynamics, and thermal principles.
• Proficient with manufacturing metrology and QA tools.

Responsibilities

• Operation / test planning and coordination for fast paced, high consequence testing operations.
• Work with highly volatile energetic precursor chemicals used in solid rocket motor manufacturing.
• Carefully batch and mix precursor chemicals.
• Create and record testing and quality control measurements to ensure production quality.
• Collaborate closely with engineering to transform concepts into reality.
• Aid management in scheduling, planning and maintaining workflow for optimal operational capability.
• Examine, interpret, and use drawings and regulated documentation and procedures.
• Understand and execute complex engineering diagrams and assembly instructions.
• Verify flight hardware and thoroughly document outcomes.
• Aid in developing manufacturing processes for initial production runs.
• Contribute to projects aimed at increasing operational efficiency at the site.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Teamwork

Remote work capability

Education

Engineering degree (B.S. or higher)

Tools

SolidWorks

NX

Metrology tools

JIRA/Confluence

Job description

Castelion is moving incredibly fast to develop and deliver advanced defense systems at a time when execution matters more than ever. We believe focus and technical excellence are decisive advantages - and we are building a team that can deliver real capability, not just concepts.

This is a rare opportunity to join at an early stage, where your work will directly shape critical systems, influence major technical decisions, and have immediate, real-world impact.

Manufacturing Engineer – Solid Rocket Motors

Castelion is seeking a Manufacturing Engineer to support the development of the solid rocket motor systems required for the design and build of long-range hypersonic strike vehicles. This will be a full-time, exempt position located in our Midland, TX facility. As a Manufacturing Engineer, you will work closely with our engineering teams to execute highly technical solid rocket motor builds for our research vehicles, assist in advancing designs, overseeing site maintenance and upgrades, and play a critical role in defining and maturing manufacturing, assembly and integration processes.

Responsibilities

• Operation / test planning and coordination for fast paced, high consequence testing operations
• Work with highly volatile energetic precursor chemicals used in solid rocket motor manufacturing
• Carefully batch and mix precursor chemicals
• Create and record testing and quality control measurements to ensure production quality
• Collaborate closely with engineering to transform concepts into reality
• Aid management in scheduling, planning and maintaining workflow for optimal operational capability
• Examine, interpret, and use drawings and regulated documentation and procedures
• Understand and execute complex engineering diagrams and assembly instructions
• Verify flight hardware and thoroughly document outcomes
• Aid in developing manufacturing processes for initial production runs
• Contribute to projects aimed at increasing operational efficiency at the site

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's or advanced degree in aerospace engineering, manufacturing engineering, materials engineering, mechanical engineering or physics.
• 3+ years of experience in the aerospace or energetics field with an emphasis on supporting technical operations
• Experience building complex highly energetic aerospace components
• Experience with CAD design of mechanical components (e.g., SolidWorks, NX, or similar); understanding of statics, dynamics, and thermal principles
• Proficient with manufacturing metrology and quality assurance tools and processes
• Demonstrated direct or indirect leadership
• Ability to work in a remote environment with limited support

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Experience in a research and development environment
• Previous involvement in a high-speed production environment, handling flight hardware
• Prior involvement in a high-output environment, involving hands‑on experience in constructing solid rocket motors or similar energetics
• Ability to acclimate to frequently changing assignments and a fast‑paced working environment
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral, along with effective teamwork abilities
• Superb focus and attention to detail, with remarkable work efficiency and accuracy
• Use of hand tools, power tools and fabrication tools
• Expertise in manufacturing and repairing intricate testing systems
• Familiarity with Atlassian tools such as SVN, Confluence, and JIRA
• Skills in project management
• Employee Equity: Meaningful equity for all full-time employees - share value has increased 150x in three years
• Personal Time Off: Four (4) weeks of paid time off to unplug, reset, and come back sharp—velocity matters, burnout doesn’t
• Medical: We offer plans at 100% employee covered and 80% of dependent coverage
• Dental & Vision: We cover 90% employees and 80% for dependents to ensure you and your family have access to quality preventive and ongoing care
• FSA/HSA: To support long-term health and financial resilience, we offer FSA and HSA options that allow employees to set aside pre‑tax dollars for eligible medical and dependent care expenses
• Retirement: 401k plan offered to support long term financial growth along side high-impact, high-velocity work
• Paid Parental Leave: We support growing families with meaningful time to bond and recover. Birthing parents are eligible for up to 10 weeks of paid leave, while non-birthing parents may take up to 4 weeks of paid leave. This time can be used for pre‑natal care, pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical needs—ensuring every parent has the support they need during this important life moment.8-weeks of paid parental leave for all parents. Additional paid pregnancy leave for CA employees
• Meals & Catering: Frequently catered lunches and team meals, plus company‑covered meals when extra time or effort is required
• Snacks & Beverages: Fully stocked kitchen with unlimited snacks and drinks to keep you fueled throughout the day
• Performance & Fitness: $100 monthly fitness stipend to support peak performance and health, both inside and outside of work
• EV Charging: Onsite electric vehicle charging available for employees

Physical Demands

• Must be willing to work extended hours and/or weekends as needed
• Must be able to travel up to 30%
• Must be able to lift more than 50lbs

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

This position may require access to classified information or restricted U.S. Government sites, systems, or information, as determined by the Company and/or applicable U.S. Government requirements. If the position is so designated, your employment in the role may be contingent upon your ability to obtain and maintain the required U.S. Government security clearance or other government authorization, and to satisfy any citizenship or other eligibility requirements imposed by applicable law, regulation, executive order, or government contract requirements. You will be notified if and when such requirements apply. Failure to obtain or maintain any required clearance or authorization may result in reassignment, leave, or separation from employment, consistent with business needs and applicable law.

Affirmative Action/EEO Statement

Employment with Castelion is governed on the basis of competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.