Propulsion Design Engineer (Raptor Engine Systems) Verified today
Propulsion Design Engineer (Raptor Engine Systems)
The Engine Systems Design team is responsible for the top-level design definition of Raptor and the mechanical and fluid interfaces that connect the engine to Starship. The team sits at the intersection of engine design, vehicle integration, manufacturing, test, and configuration management, maintaining a coherent engine design definition as Raptor evolves through design changes, investigations, and increasing production rates.
As a Propulsion Engineer on the Raptor Engine Systems Design team, your scope may include the top-level engine assembly, engine to vehicle interfaces, design change management, and the analysis and testing required to validate new designs. You will maintain high-quality CAD models, engineering drawings, bills of materials, and assemblies, while ensuring engineering work across the department is released completely, accurately, and on schedule. You will support critical interfaces between Raptor and Starship, including structural capability, seals, packaging, and the hardware kits required to install the engine onto the Ship and Booster. Depending on program needs, you may contribute to system-level conceptual design, packaging, routing, and layout work for future engine configurations and ongoing changes where the engine and vehicle must evolve together.
This role requires broad awareness of ongoing engineering changes, investigations, and design activity across the department. You will be involved in driving engineering change reviews, design reviews, and design documentation while holding a high standard for technical quality. You will have opportunities to improve how engine configuration is managed by developing tools and automation to make configuration management, change tracking, and design documentation faster, more reliable, and more scalable.
Responsibilities
- Support management of the top-level Raptor engine assembly across CAD, drawings, bills of materials, and configuration, while ensuring complete hardware is released on schedule
- Maintain the engine fluid schematic as an accurate representation of the latest released engine design
- Support and maintain Raptor-to-Starship interfaces, including structural capability, seals, packaging, and dressout, shipping, and installation kits
- Maintain awareness of open engineering changes, investigations, and design work across the department that could affect the engine assembly
- Lead or support engineering change reviews and maintain current Bill of Design and design-review documentation, including DCR, PDR, and CDR
- Drive a high standard for engineering changes, design documentation, technical quality, and schedule across contributing engineering teams
- Develop automation for configuration management, change tracking, and design documentation where processes are still performed manually
- Develop interface, routing, packaging, and system-level layouts when engine and vehicle designs must change together
- Collaborate with manufacturing, test, analysis, and vehicle teams to resolve integration issues and move hardware from design through release and build
- Contribute to conceptual and system-level design work for future engine configurations and ongoing Raptor design changes as program needs require
Basic Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline
- 2 or more years of professional experience in mechanical design, mechanical integration, or a closely related role, including regular use of 3D CAD
Preferred Skills and Experience
- Experience managing or owning configuration of large mechanical assemblies
- Experience with Siemens NX and Teamcenter
- Experience with fluid systems, heat transfer, or structural design
- Experience with engineering change processes and design-review documentation
- Experience creating production drawings using GD&T
- Hands-on experience in a factory, machine shop, or test environment
- Professional experience with rocket propulsion, vehicle interfaces, or high-pressure fluid systems
- Working knowledge of Python, SQL, MATLAB, or FEA tools such as ANSYS
- Experience with scripting and automation
- Experience with leading large interdisciplinary groups of people to achieve a tangible technical outcome or impact
- Experience with developing plans and schedules for technical teams
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, with experience coordinating technical work across multiple teams
Additional Requirements
- Ability to work extended hours and weekends as needed
- Ability to work directly with hardware on the production floor for extended periods of time
Compensation
Pay Range: Level 1: $100,000 to $130,000 per year. Level 2: $115,000 to $160,000 per year. Actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.
Base salary is one part of your total rewards package. You may be eligible for long-term incentives in the form of company stock or long-term cash awards, as well as potential discretionary bonuses and the ability to purchase additional stock at a discount through an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You will receive comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, paid parental leave, and various other discounts and perks. You will accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation and are eligible for 10 or more paid holidays per year. Employees accrue paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy which satisfies or exceeds the accrual, carryover, and use requirements of the law.
US Person Requirement
To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder), Refugee under 8 U.S.C. Section 1157, or Asylee under 8 U.S.C. Section 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.