Staff Propulsion Engineer
$161,000–$241,100 year
On-sitePalm Beach Gardens, Florida, United States
Job Summary
Provide cross-functional technical leadership and direction to engineering teams across aerodynamics, combustion, thermal/structures, materials, controls, and systems engineering on active propulsion programs. Own the propulsion technical baseline for airbreathing systems, including requirements, architecture, interfaces, performance, and margins from concept through qualification and sustainment. Plan, review, and interpret analysis and modeling to guide design trades and risk reduction, while providing design oversight to ensure propulsion and integrated vehicle requirements are met. Lead and resolve complex technical issues, oversee test activities including component, sub-system, wind-tunnel, system-level, and flight testing, and provide technical leadership for failure investigations. Serve as the primary propulsion technical interface to the program manager and customer, clearly articulating technical status, risks, and opportunities and their cost/schedule impacts. Establish and maintain strong working relationships with cross-functional disciplines to ensure timely execution of engineering tasks. This Staff Propulsion Engineer role serves as the technical engineering lead for advanced propulsion system programs supporting the next generation of weapons and air vehicles at Northrop Grumman's Palm Beach Gardens, Florida location.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in engineering or a STEM-related discipline
- Master's degree in engineering
- PhD in engineering
- At least 12 years of relevant experience
- At least 10 years of experience
- At least 8 years of experience
- Demonstrated technical leadership (technical lead, IPT lead, deputy chief engineer, or equivalent) on complex aerospace or weapon system programs
- Experience with aerospace propulsion systems, with strong emphasis on high‐speed airbreathing applications or closely related systems
- Experience leading the design, integration, and/or production of complex systems or subsystems, including coordination across multiple engineering disciplines
- Proven ability to make sound technical judgments with limited information, balancing technical performance risk, cost, and schedule
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with demonstrated ability to communicate effectively at multiple levels within the program, organization, and with customers
- Prior experience guiding and mentoring junior or mid‐level engineers
- Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Secret clearance
- U.S. Citizenship
- Ability and willingness to travel 10–25% as program needs dictate
Desired Qualifications
- Significant experience in airbreathing propulsion for missiles or high‐speed air vehicles (e.g., ramjet, scramjet, dual‐mode ramjet, or related high‐Mach propulsion systems)
- Experience as a chief engineer or principal technical authority for a subsystem or program
- Experience in ramjet and scramjet airbreathing propulsion systems, including design, analysis, and/or test of inlets, combustors, and nozzles for high‐Mach applications
- Familiarity with relevant propulsion tools and methods (e.g., cycle/performance modeling, CFD, thermal‐structural coupling, high‐temperature materials and cooling strategies)
- Experience with mechanical design of propulsion components or fluid systems (valves, manifolds, ducts, thermal management hardware)
- Experience with manufacturing techniques, including traditional machining and additive manufacturing, and an understanding of design for assembly / design for manufacturing (DFA/DFM)
- Background in secondary propulsion technologies (e.g., solid rocket motors, ducted rockets, or hybrid solutions) supporting boost, transition, or multi‐mode concepts
- Current active Secret (or higher) security clearance
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