Exploration

Nyx Crew Propulsion Engine Principal

Houston, Texas · Principal · Contract

Sponsorship not specifiedDetected 39 days ago

Computer VisionProcurementAvionicsSystems EngineeringMechanical DesignLeadershipCollaborationMentoring

About the role

It's a wonderful and rare opportunity, are YOU up for the challenge?
Please submit your CV now for immediate consideration and we will be in touch shortly.
The Exploration Company is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity.

Lead the end-to-end development of high-thrust hypergolic rocket engines from concept through flight readiness.
Lead preparation and execution of major program reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, etc.), supporting certification activities and customer reviews.
Establish engine architecture and drive key design decisions.
Conduct trade studies, simulation, and analytical assessments to optimize engine performance, reliability, manufacturability, and cost.
Own propulsion technical requirements and contribute to long-term propulsion technology strategy and innovation roadmaps.
Lead development and qualification, including verification, validation, certification, and flight-readiness activities.
Identify and mitigate technical risks, resolve anomalies, and deliver qualified flight hardware aligned with program milestones.
Build, lead, and develop a high-performing multidisciplinary propulsion team.
Lead technical interactions with suppliers, development partners, and external stakeholders, including component selection, procurement, oversight, and acceptance activities.
Collaborate closely with systems engineering, avionics, MAIT, and program teams to ensure successful propulsion system integration.

10+ years of relevant engineering experience.
Working knowledge of throttleable high thrust hypergolic engines.
Knowledge of environmental testing, such as vibration, shock, acoustic, and/or vacuum.
Due to federal regulations (e.g., ITAR/EAR), applicants must be U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents (e.g., current Green Card holders).
If applicable, you will receive an email from Zinc upon acceptance of your offer with a link to a secure portal where you can provide the required information to Zinc.
B.S. in Aerospace, Mechanical Design, Engineering, Engineering Technology, or similar related discipline
10+ years of relevant engineering experience. Relevant advanced degrees will be considered in lieu of equivalent experience.
Demonstrated experience designing, analyzing, integrating, and testing engines for space vehicles.
Demonstrated experience in developing human rated systems.
Experience working with external customers such as commercial companies and government agencies (NASA, AFRL, DARPA, etc.) and component suppliers.
Why you should join us!
What makes us special here at The Exploration Company and why we think you will enjoy working here is:
We're Agile - we make decisions fast whilst keeping our goals and systems in mind
We're Open and Collaborative - we are transparent about risks and obstacles, so that we can cooperate to overcome them

Relocation assistance is provided for those willing to relocate including visa sponsorship where applicable.

This listing is sourced directly from Exploration's careers page and normalized into a canonical job model.