Senior Propulsion Engineer, Tanks

Employer description

The future of aerospace and defense starts here. 

Ursa Major was founded to revolutionize how America and its allies access and apply high-performance propulsion, from hypersonics to solid rocket motors, satellite maneuvering and launch. We design and deliver propulsion and defense systems that solve the most urgent and critical national security demands. 

Ursa Major is seeking a Senior Propulsion Engineer, Tanks to lead the technical definition, integration, and execution of propulsion systems and take ownership of tank architecture from ideation to qualification. 

The ideal candidate brings deep propulsion experience, strong systems thinking, and the ability to drive technical decisions in fast-paced, hardware-centric programs. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Complete ownership of tank architecture from ideation to qualification
• Clean sheet design of fluid & mechanical tank systems 
• Support rapid development cycles of new designs and changing requirements including testing, data analysis and hands-on hardware work
• Collaborate with the manufacturing, analysis, and test teams to optimize performance, meet requirements and reduce part-to-part variation
• Assemble and test first article prototypes
• Lead propulsion subsystem architecture and requirements definition for hypersonic vehicles
• Own trades, performance margins, and integration decisions
• Serve as the technical authority for tanks and interfaces with vehicle structures, thermal and mission engineering
• Collaborate closely with vehicle and systems engineers to ensure mission and performance alignment
• Support ground test and flight test planning, execution, and post-test data analysis
• Identify system risks and drive mitigation strategies across design, manufacturing, and test
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to early- and mid-career engineers
• Support customer technical reviews, design reviews, and technical interchange meetings 

Required Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field
• 5-8+ years of experience in propulsion systems engineering or propulsion-focused vehicle development
• Demonstrated experience supporting hypersonic, missile, or high-performance aerospace vehicles
• Strong understanding of propulsion system architecture and integration, vehicle-level performance and propulsion impacts
• Experience working across disciplines in a systems engineering environment
• Demonstrated proficiency with computer aided design and drafting 
• Experience with geometric dimensioning and tolerancing per ASME Y14.5
• Working knowledge of and hands-on experience with fluid, mechanical, and electrical systems
• Strong understanding of industry standards and requirements
• Desire to take ownership and help wherever needed on the team
• Able to delegate tasks and lead large project scope
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and stay flexible based on customer demands and company priorities along with daily firefighting
• Ability to make sound technical decisions under schedule and performance pressure
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Security Clearance 

Preferred Qualifications 

• Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering or related field
• Experience with hypersonic propulsion architectures (e.g., SRM, liquid rocket, advanced boost systems)
• Experience supporting flight test or demonstration programs
• Familiarity with thermal, structural, and aero integration challenges in hypersonic regimes
• Experience in analysis of fluids systems
• Experience operating in ISO 9001 or AS9100 certified organizations
• Experience with AIAA S-080 or SMC-S-016 Test Requirements
• Experience with fluids, structural and thermal analysis using Ansys software
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