Senior Propulsion & Ordnance Engineer — Ignite Systems Lead

Castelion; Rio Rancho (NM); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Paid time off

Company holidays

Health benefits

Parental leave

Fitness stipend

Onsite EV charging

Catered meals

Meals during high demand

Fully stocked kitchen

Job summary

Castelion is seeking a Senior Propulsion & Ordnance Engineer to design and deliver ignition and energetic systems for long-range hypersonic strike vehicles. You will work hands-on with multidisciplinary teams to design, analyze, build, and validate ignitors, detonators, and related systems.

This role focuses on ensuring reliable initiation, rigorous testing, and robust integration with vehicle architecture in a fast-paced hardware-driven environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's/Master's/PhD in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, or related field.
• 5+ years of propulsion, ignition systems, or ordnance/energetics design experience for aerospace/defense.
• Strong background in rocket motor ignitors, detonators, initiation systems, or energetic devices.
• Experience with energetic materials, initiation chains, and safe handling practices.
• Familiarity with AFTS or flight termination systems and related hardware.
• Experience with ground testing of energetic systems and data analysis.
• Proficiency in analysis and modeling tools (MATLAB, ANSYS, or equivalent).
• Experience with hardware build, integration, and troubleshooting in lab/test environments.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop energetic systems including ignitors, detonators, and charges for stage separation.
• Lead architecture and detailed design of ignition and ordnance hardware and integration with vehicle systems.
• Perform thermal, structural, and energetic analyses for reliable initiation and performance under extreme conditions.
• Develop ignition systems ensuring consistent motor starts across operating ranges.
• Collaborate with propulsion, AFTS, structures, avionics, and safety teams for seamless integration.
• Support energetic material selection, handling, and processing with materials/manufacturing teams.
• Plan and execute ground test campaigns and analyze results to drive design improvements.
• Conduct failure analysis and root cause investigations on ignition performance or ordnance function.
• Ensure compliance with safety, handling, and mission assurance requirements for energetic systems.
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to best practices in propulsion and ordnance design.
• Partner with program leadership to make technical trades aligned with mission success.

Skills

Propulsion design

Ignition systems

Energetic devices

Energetic materials

Flight termination

Ground testing

MATLAB/ANSYS

Hardware integration

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's/Master's/PhD in Aerospace/Mechanical/Materials Science

Tools

MATLAB/ANSYS

Job description

Castelion is seeking a Senior Propulsion & Ordnance Engineer to design and deliver ignition and energetic systems for long-range hypersonic strike vehicles. You will work hands-on with multidisciplinary teams to design, analyze, build, and validate ignitors, detonators, and related systems.

This role focuses on ensuring reliable initiation, rigorous testing, and robust integration with vehicle architecture in a fast-paced hardware-driven environment.