Space Propulsion Test Engineer — On-Stand Lead

Cowboy Space Corp.; Kent (WA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity in Cowboy Space Corp.

Medical, dental, vision insurance

401(k)

Paid time off

10 paid holidays

Paid parental leave

Relocation assistance

Daily lunch and stocked kitchen

Job summary

Cowboy Space Corp. is seeking an experienced test engineer to design, build, and operate fluid, mechanical, instrumentation, and control systems for propulsion test programs.

You will create P&IDs, write procedures, and troubleshoot complex assemblies from stand to operation, including cryogenic and high-pressure environments. The role demands strong fundamentals in fluids, thermo and structures, 4–8 years of relevant experience, and the ability to own schedules and communicate results clearly.

Qualifications

• 4-8 years of relevant test experience: propulsion, fluids, energetics, or industrial systems where a mistake had physical consequences.
• First-principles depth in fluids, thermo, and structures, enough to reason about a system on a whiteboard before opening a tool.
• Experience creating P&IDs and building the system they describe.
• Experience integrating and troubleshooting mechanical and electronic systems together, because that's where the failures live.
• Experience with high-pressure or hazardous environments, and the habits that come with it.
• Experience writing and operating test procedures.
• Enough software to be dangerous: data reduction, control sequences, scripting. Python preferred.
• Self-direction: you'll often be the only person who knows the state of your system.
• Strong writing. A procedure and a test report are both writing jobs.
• Willingness to own large and small tasks alike, with a humble and positive attitude.
• Bachelor's degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering, or similar.

Responsibilities

• Design and build fluid, mechanical, instrumentation, and control systems for component, engine, and stage-level test.
• Write test procedures and P&IDs and take fluid system designs from schematic through procurement, fabrication, and checkout.
• Operate, maintain, and troubleshoot those systems once live, including the electrical and software side.
• Safely operate high-pressure and cryogenic systems: LOX, LNG, high-pressure gas.
• Develop procedures people can follow under pressure, then run them as test conductor.
• Perform hazard analysis and set the safety controls, exclusion zones, and abort criteria for your setups.
• Instrument tests so they answer the question: sensor selection, calibration, DAQ, and sample rates that survive the actual event.
• Reduce and present test data, and drive anomalies to root cause rather than a retest.
• Own your stand project schedules, especially the long-lead items nobody else is watching.

Skills

Test experience

Fluid dynamics

P&IDs

Mechanical integration

High pressure safety

Test procedures

Python scripting

Self-direction

Technical writing

Ownership mindset

Bachelor's degree in mechanical or aer

Education

Bachelor's degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering

Job description

Cowboy Space Corp. is seeking an experienced test engineer to design, build, and operate fluid, mechanical, instrumentation, and control systems for propulsion test programs.

You will create P&IDs, write procedures, and troubleshoot complex assemblies from stand to operation, including cryogenic and high-pressure environments. The role demands strong fundamentals in fluids, thermo and structures, 4–8 years of relevant experience, and the ability to own schedules and communicate results clearly.