Senior Propulsion Engineer, Analysis

Stealth Mode; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Stealth Mode is looking for a Senior Solid Rocket Motor Engineer based in Denver, Colorado. The role demands expertise in propulsion system design and structural analysis along with strong technical leadership. You will contribute to tactical motor programs ensuring performance, safety, and compliance.

The ideal candidate will have significant experience in composite propellant systems and advanced analysis tools. This is an opportunity to work at an innovative aerospace startup with a focus on cutting-edge technology.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in propulsion design and testing.
• Proven authority in tactical motor development.
• Experience with MIL-SPEC standards and DoD regulations.

Responsibilities

• Model ballistic performance and perform anomaly investigations.
• Conduct advanced structural and thermal analyses.
• Design and execute characterization programs.

Skills

Propulsion system design

Structural analysis

Finite Element Analysis

Technical leadership

Additive manufacturing

Education

B.S. in Mechanical, Chemical, or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

ANSYS

ANSYS Fluent

MATLAB

Python

Job description

About the Company

We are a stealth‑mode Aerospace & Defense startup headquartered in Gardena, CA. Our founding team hails from SpaceX, Anduril, and Lockheed Martin, and we are backed by Joint Staff‑level military leadership and several Silicon Valley firms. With a world‑class business development & leadership team already in place, we are well positioned to capitalize on already overwhelming demand.

About the Role

We are seeking a Senior Solid Rocket Motor Engineer with expertise in propulsion system design and structural analysis. This is a senior individual‑contributor role with expectations for technical leadership, program ownership, and mentorship of junior engineers. The successful candidate will play a critical role in ensuring that propulsion components and assemblies meet rigorous performance, safety, reliability, and regulatory requirements while optimizing for weight, efficiency, and durability for interceptor and munitions propulsion programs. This role demands hands‑on laboratory and production floor presence combined with the analytical rigor to own ballistic performance prediction and validation end‑to‑end.

Key Responsibilities

Tactical Interior Ballistics & Performance Modeling

Ballistic performance modeling for tactical motor configurations including boost, sustain, and dual‑thrust grain geometries common to surface‑to‑air, air‑to‑air, and ground‑launched systems. Develop and validate predictive models in SPP, CLWire, or equivalent tools, correlating strand burner and subscale motor data to full‑scale performance with confidence bounds. Characterize and model burn rate pressure exponent, temperature sensitivity, and erosive burning behavior under the wide operating temperature ranges (–65°F to +160°F) required of tactical systems. Lead ballistic anomaly investigations and author formal disposition packages. Participate in motor performance margin analysis and support trade studies during proposal and PDR/CDR phases.

Structural Analysis

Perform advanced structural and thermal analyses using Finite Element Analysis (FEA) tools (e.g., ANSYS, Abaqus, NASTRAN) to evaluate stress, strain, fatigue, vibration, buckling, and thermal loads under extreme operating conditions.

Testing, Characterization & Data Ownership

Design and execute comprehensive characterization programs covering mechanical properties (JANNAF strain invariant failure theory, uniaxial tensile, stress relaxation), burn rate (Crawford bomb, strand burner), and aging (HTPB hydrolysis, AP recrystallization, surveillance coupon programs). Analyze and interpret test data with statistical rigor, author technical reports, and present findings to program leadership and government customers. Serve as the technical point of contact for propellant‑related CDRLs and data submittals.

Technical Leadership & Mentorship

Provide day‑to‑day technical guidance to junior and mid‑level propellant engineers. Review and approve formulation and process documentation. Represent the team in integrated product team (IPT) settings and customer technical interchange meetings (TIMs). Contribute to IRAD initiatives, white papers, and proposal technical volumes. Help define and maintain the organization’s composite propellant technology roadmap. Assist with manufacturing and quality improvement processes. Assist with facility design and build‑out where expertise is relevant.

Safety & Regulatory Compliance

Serve as a senior resource for explosive safety compliance. Lead or support PHA, FMEA, and FTA activities for new propellant formulations and processing operations. Maintain awareness of ESD controls, friction/impact sensitivity protocols, and cook‑off behavior relevant to tactical motor environments. Participate in or lead mishap investigations and corrective action boards as required.

Required Qualifications

• B.S. in Mechanical, Chemical, or Aerospace Engineering, or closely related field
• 5+ years of progressive experience in propulsion design, propulsion manufacturing, performance characterization, with a minimum of 2 years focused on composite propellant systems for tactical applications
• Demonstrated technical authority on at least one tactical motor development or qualification program from formulation through full‑scale testing
• Experience with knowledge of additive manufacturing and its application to propulsion components
• Proficiency in CFD tools (ANSYS Fluent, STAR‑CCM+) for coupled fluid-structural analysis
• Experience with solid rocket motor MIL‑SPEC standards, STANAG 4170, and DoD explosive safety regulations
• Familiarity with MATLAB, Python, or equivalent for data reduction and statistical analysis

ITAR

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) refugee under 8 U.S.C.1157, or (iv) asylee under 8 U.S.C.1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

• U.S.C.1157, or
• U.S.C.1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.