Senior Propulsion & Ordnance Engineer
On-siteRio Rancho, New Mexico, United States
Job Summary
Design and develop energetic systems, including rocket motor ignitors, detonators, destruct charges, and linear shaped charges for long-range hypersonic strike vehicles. Lead architecture and detailed design of ignition and ordnance hardware, performing thermal, structural, and energetic analyses to ensure reliable initiation under extreme conditions. Develop ignition systems for consistent motor start and execute ground test campaigns to drive design improvements. Conduct failure analysis, root cause investigations, and ensure compliance with safety and mission assurance requirements. Mentor junior engineers and partner with program leadership to align technical trades with mission success.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, or related field
- 5+ years of experience in propulsion, ignition systems, or ordnance/energetics design for aerospace or defense applications
- Strong background in rocket motor ignitors, detonators, initiation systems, and/or explosive devices such as shaped charges or destruct systems
- Experience with energetic materials, initiation chains, and safe handling practices
- Familiarity with AFTS or flight termination systems and associated hardware
- Experience with ground testing of energetic systems, including instrumentation and data analysis
- Proficiency in analysis and modeling tools (e.g., MATLAB, ANSYS, or equivalent)
- Experience with hardware build, integration, and troubleshooting in a lab or test environment
- Strong problem-solving mindset, thriving in a fast-paced, hardware-rich, high test cadence environment
- Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government–issued security clearance
- U.S. citizenship
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