Staff Manufacturing Engineer, Propulsion

What you'll do

• Serve as the subject matter expert for propulsion manufacturing across turbine, ramjet, and solid rocket motor programs.
• Evaluate propulsion designs for manufacturability, assembly, and cost while driving design changes to improve production.
• Select and qualify propulsion suppliers by assessing their manufacturing capabilities, process maturity, and quality systems.
• Conduct supplier audits for specialized processes including casting, brazing, propellant processing, and thermal spray.
• Establish manufacturing process requirements and standards for turbine components, combustor fabrication, and nozzle manufacturing.
• Support propulsion test campaigns by managing hardware preparation, instrumentation integration, and post-test anomaly investigation.
• Develop should-cost models and identify design changes to reduce unit costs during high-rate production.
• Define inspection plans and quality controls for non-destructive testing and material certification of propulsion hardware.

What we're looking for

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related field.
• 12+ years of experience in propulsion manufacturing, propulsion engineering, or a closely related manufacturing discipline.
• Expertise in at least one propulsion type: air-breathing turbines, ramjets, or solid rocket motors.
• Technical knowledge of propulsion-specific processes such as investment casting, combustor fabrication, and solid propellant processing.
• Experience evaluating propulsion designs for manufacturability and qualifying propulsion suppliers.
• Understanding of cost drivers in propulsion production and experience building should-cost models.
• Working knowledge of relevant propulsion standards (MIL-STD, SAE AMS, JANNAF, AIAA).
• Must be a U.S. Person due to export control requirements.
• Master's degree or PhD in a related field (preferred).
• Deep expertise spanning two or more propulsion types (preferred).
• Experience in aerospace or defense propulsion production with flight-critical hardware (preferred).
• Familiarity with AS9100/AS9102 quality management systems (preferred).
• Experience with energetic materials handling and safety requirements (preferred).
• Knowledge of propulsion system qualification processes (preferred).
• Background in advanced materials like superalloys, ceramics, and composites (preferred).
• Proficiency in CAD software such as NX, CATIA, or SolidWorks (preferred).
• Experience with value engineering or formal cost reduction programs (preferred).
• Active U.S. Secret security clearance with Full-Scope Polygraph (preferred).