Vehicle Design Engineer

Longshot Space Technologies Corporation; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 94,050 - 141,550; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Dynamic startup environment

Opportunities for growth and innovation

Collaboration on real-world engineering projects

Job summary

A space technology company in San Francisco is seeking a Projectile Design Engineer responsible for designing and optimizing projectiles for hypersonic launches. This hands-on role requires collaboration with various engineering teams, and candidates should have a degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering along with experience in design. Join us to work on state-of-the-art space technologies that have real-world impact.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of experience in projectile or launch vehicle design.
• Experience with wind tunnel testing or kinetic devices is a plus.
• Familiarity with structural FEA and aero principles for hypersonic bodies.

Responsibilities

• Design and optimize projectiles for hypersonic launch.
• Integrate simulation results into designs.
• Support prototyping and testing of flight articles.

Skills

CAD tools proficiency

Mechanical intuition

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

NX

Job description

Longshot Space Technologies is at the cutting edge of low-cost space access and hypersonics. We are developing a novel space launch system that accelerates mass over a long distance. Using our technology, we plan to provide affordable launch services for satellites, cargo, and future space infrastructure. We aim to enable a future where humans can reach for the stars.

Position Overview

We are seeking a creative and detail-oriented Projectile Design Engineer to join our core engineering team. In this role, you will be responsible for designing, analyzing, and iterating on the projectile geometry, structures, and materials that must survive and thrive under hypersonic launch conditions. You will interface directly with simulation, test, and mechanical teams to ensure your designs are performant, testable, and manufacturable.

This is a high-impact, hands-on role at the intersection of mechanical and aerospace engineering. You’ll have the opportunity to shape the core flight systems of our kinetic launch platform and directly influence key decisions on hardware development and test campaigns.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and optimize projectiles for hypersonic launch and stable high-altitude flight.
• Work with CFD/FEA engineers to integrate aero and structural simulation results into designs.
• Develop and evaluate configurations of in atmosphere and spacecraft.
• Support prototyping, testing, and validation of flight articles, including material selection and structural design.
• Collaborate with TestOps to integrate sensor suites and other internal payloads.
• Produce detailed CAD and technical documentation for prototypes and flight hardware.
• Contribute to test planning and data review for design validation.

Preferred Experience & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s in Mechanical, Aerospace, or related field.
• 2+ years of industry or academic experience in projectile, missile, or launch vehicle design.
• Proficiency with CAD tools (e.g., SolidWorks, NX) and design for manufacturability.
• Familiarity with structural FEA and aero principles for supersonic/hypersonic bodies.
• Experience with wind tunnel testing, launch systems, or kinetic devices a plus.
• Strong mechanical intuition, curiosity, and attention to detail.
• Excellent cross-disciplinary communication and teamwork skills.

What You’ll Gain

• A direct role in shaping the future of launch system architectures.
• Close collaboration with simulation and test teams to validate your designs.
• Work on challenging, real-world engineering problems at the frontier of space technology.
• A role in building and testing hardware with real-world impact.
• A dynamic startup environment with room for growth and innovation

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Entry level

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Engineering and Information Technology

• Industries

  Aviation and Aerospace Component Manufacturing

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