Mid Career Spaceflight Hardware Propulsion Engineer

Mclaurin Aerospace; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Relocation assistance

Education assistance

401k after 12 months with employer?"

Paid holidays

Job summary

Mclaurin Aerospace seeks a Mid Career Spaceflight Hardware Propulsion Engineer to support NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX. The role emphasizes propulsion and spacecraft pressure systems analysis, modeling, and hardware development from concept through flight readiness.

Ideal candidates will have a bachelor’s in engineering with 5–10 years of related experience, strong knowledge of fluid mechanics and thermodynamics, and proficiency in Python/MATLAB and CAD tools. Travel may be required.

Qualifications

• Typically requires a bachelor’s degree in Engineering and 5–10 years of related experience.
• Demonstrated knowledge of fluid mechanics and thermodynamics.
• Working knowledge of heat transfer, engineering materials, mechanical systems, structures, or machine design.
• Experience analyzing propulsion, pressure, fluid, or thermal systems.
• Experience supporting hardware development, testing, integration, certification, or operation.
• Experience processing, analyzing, and interpreting engineering or test data.
• Ability to evaluate requirements, technical drawings, analyses, test plans, test results, and verification evidence.
• Ability to investigate technical issues and develop defensible engineering recommendations.

Responsibilities

• Apply fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, heat transfer, materials, structures, and machine-design principles to propulsion and spacecraft pressure systems.
• Independently perform or lead propulsion and pressure-system analyses.
• Develop, review, and validate fluid-flow, pressure-system, thermodynamic, and thermal models.
• Develop and maintain engineering analysis and data-processing tools using Python, MATLAB, or similar software.
• Evaluate system architectures and lead or contribute to technical trade studies.
• Plan, coordinate, witness, or evaluate component- and system-level tests.
• Review acceptance-test data, qualification reports, verification evidence, and flight-readiness documentation.
• Provide technical guidance and mentoring to less-experienced engineers.

Skills

Fluid mechanics

Thermodynamics

Heat transfer

Materials

Structures

Machine design

System analysis

Independent work

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering

Tools

Python

MATLAB

Creo

Thermal Desktop

Job description

Are you passionate about human space exploration, understanding the origins of the universe, and working with a passionate and diverse team to make a difference? If you are, we need you!

We need your talent, teamwork, and energy to help us achieve great things that inspire people all over the globe. We need you to bring creative ideas and diverse backgrounds to help us envision, shape, and deliver systems that will enable the exploration of space while benefiting people here on Earth. We are excited about what we do, and we need you on our team as we take on exciting challenges for NASA's pursuits in deep space exploration.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Mid Career Spaceflight Hardware Propulsion Engineer to join our JETS II contract team at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX.

If selected you will:

• Apply fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, heat transfer, materials, structures, and machine-design principles to propulsion and spacecraft pressure systems.
• Independently perform or lead propulsion and pressure-system analyses.
• Develop, review, and validate fluid-flow, pressure-system, thermodynamic, and thermal models.
• Develop and maintain engineering analysis and data-processing tools using Python, MATLAB, or similar software.
• Evaluate system architectures and lead or contribute to technical trade studies.
• Establish technical assumptions, document analysis methods, and communicate results and limitations.
• Assess component-to-system and system-to-vehicle technical effects.
• Provide technical oversight of propulsion components, suppliers, and hardware-development activities.
• Review designs, drawings, material selections, fabrication methods, assembly processes, and acceptance criteria.
• Support or lead propulsion hardware development from concept through fabrication, assembly, test, integration, and operation.
• Plan, coordinate, witness, or evaluate component- and system-level tests.
• Review acceptance-test data, qualification reports, verification evidence, and flight-readiness documentation.
• Evaluate test results and determine whether the available evidence satisfies technical and program requirements.
• Lead or support investigations of anomalies, nonconformances, and unexpected system behavior.
• Develop technically defensible recommendations for issue disposition and risk mitigation.
• Review and coordinate closure of variances, nonconformance reports, hazard reports, changes, waivers, reuse documentation, and certification action items.
• Develop verification approaches and support formal certification of propulsion systems and flight hardware.
• Assess pressure-system safety, cleanliness, contamination-control, and hardware-integration requirements.
• Support propulsion-system integration with spacecraft, test vehicles, or small satellites.
• Coordinate technical activities with NASA program and project offices, spacecraft organizations, suppliers, prime contractors, sub-tier contractors, and international partners.
• Organize and track concurrent document reviews, technical issues, risks, and action items.
• Delegate or coordinate reviews with appropriate hardware and technical points of contact.
• Prepare and present technical status, risks, nonconformances, and recommendations to program stakeholders.
• Participate in mission simulations, vehicle checkouts, propulsion console operations, and flight support.
• Provide technical guidance and mentoring to less-experienced engineers.
• Travel to supplier, test, integration, launch, or program locations when required.
• Perform other duties as required.

Qualifications:

This position has been posted at multiple levels. Depending on the candidate's experience, requirements, and business needs, we reserve the right to consider candidates at any level for which this position has been advertised.

• Typically requires a minimum of a bachelor's degree in Engineering and normally possess 5- 10 years of related experience. License and certification may be required.
• Requires a minimum of a bachelor's degree in Engineering and normally possess 5-10 years of related experience.
• Demonstrated knowledge of fluid mechanics and thermodynamics.
• Working knowledge of heat transfer, engineering materials, mechanical systems, structures, or machine design.
• Experience analyzing propulsion, pressure, fluid, or thermal systems.
• Experience supporting hardware development, testing, integration, certification, or operation.
• Experience processing, analyzing, and interpreting engineering or test data.
• Ability to evaluate requirements, technical drawings, analyses, test plans, test results, and verification evidence.
• Ability to investigate technical issues and develop defensible engineering recommendations.Ability to assess component-level issues in a broader system and vehicle context.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to organize and coordinate multiple technical activities and priorities.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with multidisciplinary teams.
• Ability to communicate risks, uncertainties, and dissenting technical positions appropriately.
• Willingness and ability to transition among branch assignments as organizational needs change.
• Ability to work effectively in laboratory, supplier, integration, mission-operations, and office environments.Ability and willingness to travel when required by the assignment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with spacecraft propulsion or aerospace pressure systems.
• Experience with human-rated spacecraft or other safety-critical flight systems.
• Experience with valves, regulators, tanks, filters, sensors, pressure vessels, tubing, and related mechanical hardware.
• Experience with component or system-level test planning, execution, and data evaluation.
• Experience with acceptance, qualification, thermal-vacuum, vibration, or other environmental testing.
• Experience with flight-hardware integration and certification.
• Experience investigating anomalies, nonconformances, or unexpected test results.
• Experience preparing or evaluating hazard reports, variances, waivers, risks, changes, or certification packages.
• Experience overseeing suppliers, prime contractors, or sub-tier contractors.
• Experience with requirements development and verification.
• Knowledge of pressure-system safety, hardware cleanliness, and contamination-control requirements.
• Proficiency with Python, MATLAB, or comparable analysis tools.
• Experience with Thermal Desktop or comparable thermal-analysis software.
• Experience with CAD software, including Creo or a comparable platform.
• Experience with propulsion console operations, mission simulations, vehicle checkouts, or flight support.
• Experience working with configuration-management, work-order, issue-tracking, or document-control systems.
• Experience developing small-spacecraft propulsion systems or rapid-turnaround flight hardware.
• Experience leading technical tasks or mentoring early-career engineers.

Benefits

• Competitive pay
• Positive work-life balance
• 100% Employer paid insurance including: Medical, dental, vision, life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment, short-term disability, and long-term disability
• 11 paid holidays annually
• Generous PTO
• 401k after 12 months of service with employer match
• Education assistance
• Relocation assistance (if applicable)

Mclaurin is a unique organization with a special focus on combining the best features of research and industry in order to foster innovation. Our organization strongly supports research, publication, and engagement with the academic community. We encourage our employees to remain on the cutting edge of new developments in their respective disciplines.

US Citizenship and the ability to pass a comprehensive security background investigation is required.

Mclaurin is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.