Principal Propulsion Engineer

Astrobotic is at the forefront of advancing space exploration and technology development. Our expertise spans from lunar rovers, landers, and infrastructure to spacecraft navigation, machine vision, and computing systems for in-space robotic applications. To date, the company has been contracted for two lunar missions, and has won more than 60 NASA, DoD, and commercial technology contracts worth more than $600 million.

We recently launched and operated the first American lunar lander mission since the Apollo Program. Beyond helping lead America back to the Moon, Astrobotic developed and operates reusable vertical takeoff, vertical landing (VTVL) rockets and continues to advance next-generation VTVL capabilities and advanced rocket engines. Established in 2007, Astrobotic is headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, with a propulsion and test campus in Mojave, CA.

Astrobotic wants you to be a critical contributor to the design, test, and integration of the propulsion systems for Astrobotic's lunar lander product lines. You will be responsible for working directly on the design and analysis of the propulsion systems, from initial component sizing to system layout and modeling through to supporting mission operations. You will regularly report to the Propulsion Lead on progress.

Job Responsibilities:

• Design and develop innovative spacecraft propulsion systems
• Size components (engines, tanks, valves, tubing, etc.) to meet mission requirements
• Performance modeling using a combination of analytical tools and methods
• Risk assessment and mitigation planning
• Perform component and system trade studies through analysis, testing and integration
• Develop propulsion test plans, conduct the testing, and post-process the results
• Provide real time mission operations support
• Write and present technical reports
• Coordinate between technical partners, suppliers, and other subsystems to assess design progress, schedule, and risks

Required Skills & Qualifications:

• B.S. in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering
• 8 years of relevant experience in spacecraft propulsion system or component development
• Experience designing and analyzing high-pressure fluid and/or pneumatic systems
• Experience with spacecraft systems engineering lifecycle
• Experience managing vendors through component design and delivery.
• Proven capability to develop conceptual designs, perform trade studies, and down select to a design baseline
• Proficient in CAD (SolidWorks preferred) and lifecycle management tools
• Adaptable to a startup environment, able to self-start with minimal guidance
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment with changing needs and requirements

Desired Skills & Qualifications:

• M.S. in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering
• 10 years of relevant experience in spacecraft propulsion system or component development
• Experience designing or building hypergolic propulsion systems
• Experience with transient flow analysis (Easy5 preferred)
• Knowledge of propellant mixing, temperature control and combustion chemistry
• Understanding of pressure vessel specifications and requirements, including AIAA S-081
• Knowledge of Range Safety and Ground Safety requirements
• Experience with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD, ANSYS Fluent preferred)
• Knowledge of scripting languages, such as Python, VBA or Matlab

Note: this position may be filled at multiple levels

The base salary range represents the low and high end of the anticipated salary range for this position. The actual base salary offered for this position will depend on numerous factors including individual performance, business objectives, and the candidates professional experience. Base salary is just one component of Astrobotic’s competitive total rewards strategy.

Benefits include Medical, dental, vision, long and short-term disability, voluntary life insurance, FSA Plans, 401k and open PTO.

Export Control Regulations

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. person which includes U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents, protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) including those individuals granted refugee or asylum status, or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State or the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Astrobotic Technology, Inc. does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.

Affirmative Action and Disability Accommodation 

If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please send a request