Propulsion Engineer IV - UAS Flight Systems

Zone5Technologies; United States; On-site; USD 124,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Compensation package with benefits

Benefits package: medical, dental, vis

401k with company-match

4 weeks paid time off per year

12 company holidays

Job summary

Zone 5 Technologies is seeking a Propulsion Engineer to design, analyze, and test propulsion across Aero products, including air-launched and interceptors. You will work from concept through qualification, collaborating with airframe, GNC, and manufacturing teams to ensure propulsion reliability under demanding flight conditions.

The role requires a BS in mechanical or aerospace engineering and 3+ years in propulsion; strong internal ballistics/thermal/structural knowledge and Python/MATLAB

Qualifications

• BS in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering or related field.
• 3+ years in propulsion design, analysis, or testing from concept to production.
• Knowledge of solid rocket motor design—internal ballistics, motor case, and nozzle fundamentals.
• Familiarity with static/hot-fire testing including instrumentation and data reduction.
• Programming or scripting experience (Python, MATLAB).
• Ability to work in cross-functional teams; influence rather than directive authority.
• US Person (ITAR) and ability to obtain a DoD Secret clearance.

Responsibilities

• Support design and analysis of propulsion systems across programs from concept through qualification.
• Perform internal ballistics, structural, and thermal analyses of motor cases, nozzles, propellant grains, and igniters.
• Develop propulsion models and contribute to vehicle-level design and multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO).
• Support static fire, hot fire, and flight test campaigns: test planning, instrumentation, data reduction, and anomaly investigation.
• Integrate propulsion subsystems with airframe, avionics, and launch/release mechanisms with cross-functional teams.
• Advise design engineers on hardware fundamentals—load paths, thermal protection, joints and seals, tolerancing—and work with Manufacturing and Supply Chain on producibility.
• Contribute to propulsion design standards for solid rocket motors, ramjets, and similar high-speed propulsion.
• Present technical findings at design reviews (PDR, CDR, TRR) and internal discussions.

Skills

Propulsion design experience

Programming (Python, MATLAB)

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

BS in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

MS preferred in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

OpenMDAO

ModelCenter

Job description

Zone 5 Technologies is seeking a Propulsion Engineer to design, analyze, and test propulsion across Aero products, including air-launched and interceptors. You will work from concept through qualification, collaborating with airframe, GNC, and manufacturing teams to ensure propulsion reliability under demanding flight conditions.

The role requires a BS in mechanical or aerospace engineering and 3+ years in propulsion; strong internal ballistics/thermal/structural knowledge and Python/MATLAB