Senior Warhead Design Engineer

STEM Boomerang; Rio Rancho (NM); On-site; USD 125,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee equity

Paid time off 4 weeks

100% employee medical

Dental & Vision coverage

FSA/HSA options

401k plan

Paid parental leave

Team meals

Snacks & beverages

Fitness stipend

EV charging onsite

Job summary

Castelion in Rio Rancho, NM, is building next-generation hypersonic weapon systems. We seek a hands-on Senior Warhead Design Engineer to lead the design, development, and integration of advanced systems for long-range strike vehicles in a fast-paced, hardware-rich environment.

The ideal candidate has deep experience in energetic devices and safe-and-arm mechanisms, strong DoD/NASA standards knowledge, and hands-on testing in high-consequence settings; active U.S. security clearance is preferred.

Qualifications

• B.S. or M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field.
• 5+ years of experience in ordnance or energetics design, analysis, and test.
• Familiarity with relevant DoD and NASA standards (e.g., MIL-STD-1316, MIL-STD-1901A, etc.).
• Hands-on test experience in high-consequence environments.
• Strong communication and documentation skills.
• Active or eligible for a U.S. security clearance.

Skills

Energetics design

Hypersonics

Mechanical design

DoD/NASA standards

Testing in high-consequence env

Documentation

Security clearance eligibility

Education

B.S./M.S. in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

CAD (SolidWorks)

FEA tools

Job description

Rio Rancho, United States | Posted on 08/06/2026

Castelion was founded to restore America’s ability to field advanced weapons at speed and scale. Inspired by the engineering urgency of the WWII and Apollo eras, we combine rapid iteration, vertical integration, and scalable manufacturing to deliver affordable, high-performance strike systems. Our mission: rebuild industrial agility to strengthen national security and outpace evolving threats.

About the Role

Castelion is designing and building next-generation hypersonic weapon systems that restore stability through credible deterrence. We are seeking a hands-on, mission-driven Senior Warhead Design Engineer to lead the design, development, and integration of advanced next-generation systems for our long-range hypersonic strike vehicles.

This is a high-impact role for someone with deep expertise in energetic devices and safe & arm mechanisms, who thrives in a fast-paced, hardware-rich development environment.

Requirements

Basic Qualifications

• B.S. or M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field.
  
• 5+ years of experience in ordnance or energetics design, analysis, and test
  
• Familiarity with relevant DoD and NASA standards (e.g., MIL-STD-1316, MIL-STD-1901A, etc.).
  
• Hands-on test experience in high-consequence environments.
  
• Strong communication and documentation skills.
  
• Active or eligible for a U.S. security clearance.
  

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Experience working with DoD customers and navigating military qualification processes.
  
• Background in hypersonics, missile systems, or space launch vehicles.
  
• CAD and mechanical analysis experience (e.g., SolidWorks, FEA tools).
  
• Experience with additive manufacturing tools and capabilities. Prior experience working at a defense startup or fast-moving development organization.
  
• Employee Equity: Meaningful equity forall full-time employees - share value has increased 150x in three years
  
• Personal Time Off: Four (4) weeks of paidtime off to unplug, reset, and come back sharp—velocity matters,burnout doesn't
  
• Medical: We offer plans at 100% employeecovered and 80% of dependent coverage
  
• Dental & Vision: We cover 90%employees and 80% for dependents to ensure you and your family haveaccess to quality preventive and ongoing care
  
• FSA/HSA: To support long-term health andfinancial resilience, we offer FSA and HSA options that allowemployees to set aside pre-tax dollars for eligible medical anddependent care expenses
  
• Retirement: 401k plan offered to supportlong term financial growth along side high-impact, high-velocity work
  
• Paid Parental Leave: We support growingfamilies with meaningful time to bond and recover. Birthing parentsare eligible for up to 10 weeks of paid leave, while non-birthingparents may take up to 4 weeks of paid leave. This time can be usedfor pre-natal care, pregnancy, childbirth, and related medicalneeds—ensuring every parent has the support they need during thisimportant life moment.8-weeks of paid parental leave for allparents. Additional paid pregnancy leave for CA employees
  
• Meals & Catering: Frequently cateredlunches and team meals, plus company-covered meals when extra timeor effort is required
  
• Snacks & Beverages: Fully stockedkitchen with unlimited snacks and drinks to keep you fueledthroughout the day
  
• Performance & Fitness: $100 monthlyfitness stipend to support peak performance and health, both insideand outside of work
  
• EV Charging: Onsite electric vehiclecharging available for employees