Senior Propulsion Engineer

Protingent; Las Vegas (NV); Remote; USD 172,000 - 227,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

HDHP/POS insurance

Education reimbursement

Pre-tax commuter benefits

PTO

401k plan

Job summary

Protingent is seeking a Senior Propulsion Engineer for a fully remote contract role in Las Vegas, NV. The position requires 15+ years of aerospace experience with deep propulsion expertise, and prior leadership at major primes or government agencies. ITAR compliance and U.S.

citizenship or equivalent status are required. The contractor will advise on propulsion architectures and perform rigorous design reviews.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of dedicated aerospace engineering experience focusing on spacecraft, satellites, or launch vehicles.
• Deep, demonstrable expertise in space propulsion systems (design, testing, integration, or analysis).
• Senior engineering or leadership roles at major aerospace primes or government space agencies (e.g., ex-NASA, SpaceX, ULA, Lockheed Martin, Boeing).
• Familiarity with space environment constraints, orbital mechanics, and aerospace testing standards.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert-level guidance on space vehicle design, systems engineering, and integration.
• Evaluate propulsion system architectures for overall vehicle design—chemical, electric, or advanced propulsion.
• Conduct rapid, thorough design/feasibility reviews to identify risks and optimization areas.
• Deliver final summaries with findings, technical recommendations, and actionable next steps.

Skills

Propulsion mastery

Spacecraft design

Leadership experience

Regulatory knowledge

Job description

Position Title: Senior Propulsion Engineer

Protingent has an exciting direct hire opportunity for a Senior Propulsion Engineer with our client in Las Vegas, NV.

Job Responsibilities

• Technical Advisory: Provide expert-level guidance on space vehicle design, systems engineering, and integration.
• Propulsion Analysis: Evaluate, review, or advise on propulsion system architectures (e.g., chemical, electric, or advanced propulsion mechanisms) as they relate to the overall vehicle design.
• Design/Feasibility Review: Conduct a rapid but thorough review of current engineering concepts, identifying potential risks, bottlenecks, or areas for optimization.
• Strategic Feedback: Deliver a final summary (verbal or written) outlining findings, technical recommendations, and actionable next steps for our internal engineering team.

Job Qualifications

• Senior-Level Experience: 15+ years of dedicated experience in aerospace engineering, specifically focused on spacecraft, satellites, or launch vehicles.
• Propulsion Mastery: Deep, demonstrable expertise in space propulsion systems (design, testing, integration, or analysis).
• Elite Background: Previous senior engineering or leadership roles at major aerospace primes, leading commercial space companies, or government space agencies (e.g., ex-NASA, SpaceX, ULA, Lockheed Martin, Boeing).
• Regulatory Knowledge: Familiarity with standard space environment constraints, orbital mechanics, and aerospace testing standards.

Job Details

• Job Type: Contract
• Location: Fully Remote
• Pay Rate Range: $125-165/hr
• ITAR obligations are associated with this role, U.S. citizenship, U.S. legal permanent resident status, or protected person status under 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a) (1), (3) is required.

Benefits Package

• Protingent offers competitive salaries, insurance plan options (HDHP plan or POS plan), education/certification reimbursement, pre-tax commuter benefits, Paid Time Off (PTO) and an administered 401k plan.

About Protingent

Protingent is an Award-Winning provider of top-tier Engineering and IT talent, trusted by companies at the forefront of innovation — from Software and Aerospace to AI, Clean Tech, Medical Devices, and Connected Technologies. We’re passionate about making a positive impact by connecting exceptional talent with meaningful opportunities and helping our clients build the future.