Sky Limit Systems · 1 day ago
Propulsion Engineer
Houston, TX
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level, Lead/Staff
$85K/yr - $120K/yr
10+ years expSky Limit Systems is seeking a Propulsion Engineer to lead the propulsion subsystem’s progression through design reviews and testing. The role involves defining system-level requirements, coordinating with various teams, and overseeing supplier selection and compliance with industry standards.
Staffing & Recruiting
Responsibilities
Lead the propulsion subsystem’s progression through design reviews, qualification, system fabrication, acceptance testing, and integration, ensuring alignment with SEI, human-rating, and milestone review requirements
Define propulsion system-level requirements, decompose to components, and maintain full traceability through interface control documentation and verification plans
Coordinate with systems engineering, safety/mission assurance, and external partners to ensure the propulsion system satisfies safety, performance, and reliability requirements
Manage component- and system-level test plans, direct ground test campaigns, oversee anomaly resolution, and ensure generation of verification evidence for review boards
Oversee supplier selection, procurement, and qualification of propulsion components such as thrusters, valves, regulators, tanks, and feed systems
Direct or review analyses and simulations of propulsion system behavior including fluid dynamics, thermal loads, and structural coupling using industry tools such as GFSSP, Easy5, ANSYS/Fluent, Thermal Desktop, or similar
Lead human-rating compliance activities, including fault tolerance verification, FMEA, FTA, hazard analyses, redundancy validation, and control of catastrophic hazard risks
Ensure compliance with NASA and industry hardware standards
Mentor propulsion engineers, fostering technical excellence, system-level understanding, and accountability throughout the program lifecycle
Qualification
Required
BS or MS in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering from an accredited engineering school (MS preferred)
10+ years of experience in propulsion development, with significant experience in human rated or NASA-class systems
Deep familiarity with human-rating and crewed systems engineering processes, standards, certification flow, and SEI products
Strong knowledge of propulsion system fundamentals, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and combustion processes, including but not limited to high-pressure plumbing, hypergolic propellants, high-temperature systems, valves, and regulators
Proven track record of taking propulsion hardware from design through build, test, and flight
Hands-on or oversight experience with hardware fabrication and testing at component and system levels
Working familiarity with analytical and simulation tools, with the ability to interpret results and guide their application
Strong technical writing, data presentation, and review capabilities
Excellent communication skills, comfortable engaging with government reviewers and supplier partners
Preferred
Previous role as propulsion or subsystem lead in a human-rated program
Experience overseeing flight hardware manufacturing, acceptance, and integration under human-rating standards
Experience with propulsion hardware testing, certification, and supplier qualification
Company
Sky Limit Systems
At Sky Limit Systems, we pride ourselves on forging meaningful connections between top-tier candidates and forward-thinking companies, ensuring that both sides experience the highest level of personalized service.
2-10 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Early StageCompany data provided by crunchbase