Senior Systems Propulsion Engineer

Accelera; Elkton (MD); On-site; USD 90,000 - 103,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

Short-term disability

EAP program

Commuter benefits

401K plan

Voluntary benefits

Paid leave

Holiday pay

Job summary

Accelera in Elkton, MD seeks a Senior Systems Propulsion Engineer to guide propulsion controls development through CDR readiness. You will coordinate with cross-disciplinary teams, manage verification strategies, and lead risk reviews while stepping into leadership as needed.

This role emphasizes traceable requirements, MBSE practices, and seamless integration of design, analysis, and testing across programs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Systems Engineering, or related STEM.
• Experience executing systems engineering tasks (testing, integration, requirements, or design).
• Experience maintaining traceability from stakeholders to system design and testing.
• Experience participating in or leading SRR, PDR, or CDR.

Responsibilities

• Facilitate technical coordination between engineering teams, management, and external partners.
• Assist the Lead Systems Engineer and step into leadership when needed.
• Create and maintain requirements specs, ICDs, V&V matrices, risk logs, and verification reports.
• Develop strategies to decompose requirements across subsystems and disciplines.
• Assess impact of contract changes on requirements to maintain design integrity.
• Guide technical reviews for PDR and CDR milestones to ensure testability.
• Lead Risk and Opportunity discussions with leadership teams.
• Design verification strategies mapping requirements to methods (analysis, test, demonstration, inspection).
• Delegate verification tasks and ensure accountability among owners.
• Contribute to WBS and technical schedules based on SE needs.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to resolve design challenges.
• Translate technical data into insights for leadership and engineering stakeholders.

Skills

Systems engineering

Requirements management

Traceability

PDR/CDR knowledge

Risk management

V&V planning

Verification techniques

Cross-disciplinary collaboration

Jama/DOORS/JIRA

Analytical thinking

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering

Tools

Jama

DOORS

JIRA

MBSE tools (Rhapsody/Cameo)

SysML

Job description

Drive Innovation in Advanced Propulsion Systems

Compensation: $65.00 – $75.00 per hour

Schedule: Monday through Friday, First Shift | 9/80 Schedule | 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Employment Type: Full-Time | Contract

Work Environment: On-site (Telework is not available)

Travel: None

Clearance: Not required

Shape the Future of Propulsion Engineering

We are seeking a skilled Senior Systems Propulsion Engineer to join a premier aviation industry leader in Elkton, Maryland. This role offers a unique opportunity to influence the development of complex propulsion controls and systems. You will play a pivotal role as programs advance through Critical Design Review (CDR), ensuring that design, verification, and technical requirements are seamlessly integrated. Working alongside the Lead Systems Engineer, you will help guide two major programs and have the chance to step into technical leadership responsibilities as needed.

Your Impact

In this collaborative environment, you will utilize systems thinking to plan and execute essential technical milestones throughout the product development lifecycle.

Core Responsibilities

• Facilitate technical coordination between engineering teams, management, and external partners to ensure project alignment.
• Assist the Lead Systems Engineer and step into a primary leadership capacity when necessary to drive team success.
• Create and maintain essential documentation, including requirements specifications, ICDs, V&V matrices, risk logs, and verification reports.
• Establish and manage strategies for decomposing requirements across all subsystems and engineering disciplines.
• Assess the impact of contract changes on existing requirements to maintain design integrity.
• Guide technical reviews for PDR and CDR milestones to help ensure all requirements are testable, consistent, and complete.
• Manage Risk and Opportunity discussions on behalf of the technical and program leadership teams.
• Design robust verification strategies that map requirements to specific methods like analysis, test, demonstration, and inspection.
• Delegate and oversee verification tasks to ensure accountability among technical owners.
• Contribute to the development of the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and technical schedules based on systems engineering needs.
• Partner with multidisciplinary teams to resolve complex integration and design challenges.
• Translate intricate technical data into clear insights for program leadership and engineering stakeholders.
• Foster consensus and build strong, productive working relationships across the entire organization.

Required Qualifications

We are looking for an engineer with a robust systems perspective and a proven track record of supporting complex technical initiatives.

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related STEM field.
• Professional background in executing systems engineering tasks such as testing, integration, requirements, or design.
• Experience in managing clear, measurable, and testable requirements while upholding a controlled baseline.
• Experience in maintaining full traceability from stakeholder needs through to system design and testing.
• Experience participating in or leading formal design reviews like SRR, PDR, or CDR.
• Experience managing formal Risk Review Boards.
• Experience in the creation and contribution to Verification and Validation (V&V) plans.
• Knowledge of verification techniques including demonstration, inspection, analysis, and testing.
• Experience conducting impact analysis for requirements changes.
• Demonstrated ability to work across engineering disciplines to help resolve design and requirements conflicts.
• Proficiency with requirements management software such as Jama, DOORS, JIRA, or similar tools.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills to identify technical risks and implement effective mitigations.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to effectively present technical information to diverse stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications

Candidates with the following experience will be prioritized:

• Background in U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, strategic deterrence, or similar defense programs.
• Experience with energetic systems, propulsion systems, or solid rocket motors, including environmental or performance testing.
• Experience working with legacy system redesigns and established standards.
• Experience within hands-on manufacturing settings.
• Familiarity with DoD contracting procedures.
• Experience developing subsystem-level V&V plans, including FMEA and data review.
• Proficiency in Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) and SysML.
• Experience with Rhapsody, Cameo/MagicDraw, or similar MBSE platforms.
• Experience linking system models with requirements management tools like DOORS.
• Experience with Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems such as Siemens Teamcenter.
• Experience developing and coordinating Contract Data Requirements Lists (CDRLs) and technical deliverables.

Why Join Us?

Apply your systems expertise to a program where your technical decisions directly influence mission success.

You will work alongside talented professionals at a leader in the aviation industry. This position is about more than just maintaining requirements; it is about helping multidisciplinary teams transform complex needs into integrated propulsion solutions.

In this role, you can expect:

• Competitive hourly compensation of $65.00 – $75.00.
• Exposure to high-level propulsion and systems engineering programs.
• Opportunities to provide meaningful technical leadership.
• Collaboration with experienced program management, manufacturing, and engineering professionals.
• Direct involvement in major milestones, including Critical Design Review.
• The chance to grow your expertise in configuration control, V&V, and complex system integration.
• A culture that prioritizes technical excellence, accountability, and collaborative problem-solving.

Ready to Engineer What Comes Next?

If you are a systems-oriented engineer who understands the vital connections between requirements, design, verification, and mission success, this is your opportunity to contribute. Bring your leadership and problem-solving skills to a team tackling high-stakes propulsion programs.

This position requires access to facilities or information subject to Export Administration Regulations (EAR) and/or International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). These regulations may restrict access to controlled technologies to U.S. Persons (including U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and specific categories like asylees or refugees) or to foreign nationals who have obtained an export license.

Compensation Details: $65.00 – $75.00 per hour.

Available benefits for our associates include medical, dental, and vision insurance, life insurance, short-term disability, an EAP program, commuter benefits, a 401K plan, and additional voluntary benefits. These offerings provide the flexibility to select coverage that suits your personal needs. Additionally, associates may be eligible for paid sick leave or other mandated paid leave, as well as holiday pay where applicable.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled. Military-connected talent is encouraged to apply.

The company evaluates qualified applicants with conviction and arrest records in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws, including the California Fair Chance Act and relevant local ordinances in Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Massachusetts Candidates: It is illegal in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment. Violations of this law are subject to civil liability and criminal penalties.