Senior Electric Propulsion Engineer — Space Lab Leader

The Aerospace Corporation; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 176,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Education assistance programs

401(k) plan matching

Job summary

The Aerospace Corporation in El Segundo, CA seeks a Senior Electric Propulsion Engineer (Sr. MTS / Research Scientist) to advance electric propulsion research, design experiments, and troubleshoot propulsion systems for national security space programs.

You will work on lab projects, support EP&PS scientists, and help build test infrastructure, with a Master’s or PhD and 4+ years in propulsion or plasma science. U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain a security clearance are required.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in aerospace, electrical, mechanical engineering, or physics.
• 4+ years of experience in a research environment.
• 2+ years of experience in electric propulsion or plasma science.
• Experience with vacuum systems and cryogenics.
• Ability to obtain security clearance; U.S. citizenship required.
• PhD degree in the same fields (for Research Scientist path).
• 4+ years in propulsion or plasma science; 2+ years postgraduate research (PhD path).

Responsibilities

• Perform technical assessment, R&D, risk mitigation, and anomaly investigation through lab experiments and analysis.
• Directly support EP&PS scientists and interface with internal teams as needed.
• Exercising hands-on laboratory and research skills across projects.
• Design, fabricate, instrument, and troubleshoot new experiments and maintain existing ones.
• Develop capabilities and readiness for the EP&PS test infrastructure.
• Adapt to new duties and activities as required by the customer.

Skills

Electric propulsion

Plasma science

LabVIEW

DAQ systems

Vacuum systems

Security clearance

Education

Master's degree (aerospace / electrical / mechanical engineering or physics)

PhD in aerospace / electrical / mechanical engineering or physics

Tools

LabVIEW

DAQ systems

PLC programming

Job description

The Aerospace Corporation in El Segundo, CA seeks a Senior Electric Propulsion Engineer (Sr. MTS / Research Scientist) to advance electric propulsion research, design experiments, and troubleshoot propulsion systems for national security space programs.

You will work on lab projects, support EP&PS scientists, and help build test infrastructure, with a Master’s or PhD and 4+ years in propulsion or plasma science. U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain a security clearance are required.