Propulsion Fluids Engineer for Space Systems

Cowboy Space; San Carlos (CA); On-site; CAD 167,000 - 209,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Medical, dental & vision insurance

401(k)

Paid time off

10 paid holidays

Parental leave

Relocation assistance

Office lunch

Job summary

Cowboy Space Corp. is seeking a Senior Fluid Systems Engineer to own the design and development of fluid system hardware for propulsion, fluids, and thermal management architectures.

You will deliver valves, tanks, tubing assemblies, and interfaces across the full lifecycle, from concept to flight, to meet demanding launch environment requirements. The role requires a Mechanical/Aerospace/Chemical engineering background with hands-on hardware experience, CAD proficiency, and strong analytical

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Chemical, or related engineering field.
• 3+ years of experience designing fluid system hardware (valves, regulators, tanks, tubing, or fittings) for flight or high-performance applications.
• Experience with fluid system analysis: pressure drop, flow sizing, structural analysis of pressure vessels, or thermal-fluid modeling.
• Hands-on experience taking hardware from design through build and test.
• Proficiency with CAD tools (NX, CATIA, or SolidWorks) for detailed part and assembly design.

Responsibilities

• Design valves for propellant, pressurant, and thermal fluid systems used on propulsion and launch vehicle systems.
• Develop fluid storage hardware including propellant tanks, pressure vessels, and accumulators from concept through qualification.
• Design fluid routing architecture: tubing runs, manifolds, fittings, flex lines, and quick-disconnects for vehicle integration.
• Own fluid subsystem layout and integration, ensuring compatibility across propulsion, thermal, and pneumatic systems.
• Perform hydraulic and pneumatic analysis (pressure drop, flow distribution, water hammer, thermal transients) to size components and verify system performance.
• Perform structural analysis (FEA, hand calcs) and validate with test and flight data.
• Select materials compatible with propellants, pressures, and operating environments (cryogenic, high-pressure, corrosive).
• Generate detailed component and assembly drawings, specifications, and interface control documents.
• Support and execute component-level and system-level test campaigns (proof, burst, flow, leak, cycle life).
• Work directly with manufacturing and technicians to resolve build issues, improve producibility, and support rapid iteration.
• Support vehicle integration, fill/drain operations, and ground system interfaces.
• Contribute to anomaly investigation, post-flight inspection, and design improvements for reuse and reliability.

Skills

Fluid system design

CAD - NX/CATIA/SolidWorks

Analytical methods

Hands-on hardware development

Flight/high-performance experience

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical/Aerospace/Chemical or related engineering

Tools

NX

CATIA

SolidWorks

Job description

Cowboy Space Corp. is seeking a Senior Fluid Systems Engineer to own the design and development of fluid system hardware for propulsion, fluids, and thermal management architectures.

You will deliver valves, tanks, tubing assemblies, and interfaces across the full lifecycle, from concept to flight, to meet demanding launch environment requirements. The role requires a Mechanical/Aerospace/Chemical engineering background with hands-on hardware experience, CAD proficiency, and strong analytical