Propulsion Design Engineer (Raptor Engine Systems)

SpaceX · Hawthorne, CA

  • Junior
  • Full-time
  • $100,000 – $130,000
  • Posted 2026-09-23
  • Confirmed live on 25 September 2026

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Job description

SpaceX was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is out exploring the stars is fundamentally more exciting than one where we are not. Today SpaceX is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal of enabling human life on Mars.

PROPULSION 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 that is required to validate new designs. This includes maintaining high-quality CAD models, engineering drawings, bills of materials, and assemblies, while helping ensure that engineering work across the department is released completely, accurately, and on schedule. Your scope may also include supporting the 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 also 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 with helping to drive engineering change reviews, design reviews, and design documentation while holding a high standard for technical quality across the organization.

The role also provides opportunities to improve how engine configuration is managed. Where configuration management, change tracking, or design documentation is still performed manually, your scope may include developing tools and automation to make those processes 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 helping ensure 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+ 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 extende

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