LEAD ENGINEER - SR. RESEARCH ENGINEER - Spacecraft Propulsion Engineer at Southwest Research Institute

Who We Are:

The Spacecraft Development Department is a group of innovative engineers, program managers, and technicians developing unique spacecraft solutions for challenging space missions. We design and fabricate custom solutions to explore the boundaries of science or solve complex problems not yet delivered by industry using a variety of payloads.

Objectives of this Role:

• Work in multidisciplinary project teams to design, analyze, and build cutting edge spacecraft to enable the next generation of spaceflight exploration.
• Provide technical leadership for spacecraft propulsion subsystem development across the full program life cycle.
• Interface with customers and support design reviews to justify design decisions.
• Support and lead R&D and promotional efforts to develop and implement new technologies; provide innovative technical solutions to design challenges.
• Provide training and mentorship to lower career-level staff.

Daily and Monthly Responsibilities:

• Lead design efforts using CAD for spaceflight technologies including sensors, mechanisms, propulsion systems, and spacecraft.
• Lead supervision and fabrication efforts for spaceflight hardware.
• Test hardware to demonstrate robustness against the environmental conditions of launch and space.
• Develop technical reports for mission status and materials for internal and external reviews; propose and perform internal research to improve technology and establish competitive advantage.
• Mentor junior engineers and develop best practices to aid the development of spacecraft.

Requirements:

• Requires a Bachelors or a Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or related field.
• 5+ years: Propulsion subsystem design experience with demonstrated experience on a spacecraft propulsion subsystem.
• Design experience with Computer Aided Design (CAD) software is required.
• Demonstrated technical excellence through a variety of challenging assignments, work under moderate to minimal supervision, and demonstrated ability for having accountability for completing assignments.
• A valid/clear driver's license is required.