Propulsion Engineer Jobs
Propulsion Engineer jobs are open across aerospace, defense, and automotive industries, from entry-level and associate roles to principal and lead engineer positions, with specializations in rocket propulsion, combustion systems, and electric propulsion. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
Find Propulsion Engineer JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 304+ Propulsion Engineer jobs
Description
At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work — and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history.Northrop Grumman’s Space Sector is seeking a Sr Staff Propulsion Engineer for Composite Case Manufacturing to join our team in Clearfield, UT. This position is primarily located in Clearfield, UT but requires travel and support of other Propulsion Systems case manufacturing locations (Promontory, UT, Magna, UT, and Salt Lake City, UT). The primary role of the Sr Staff Propulsion Engineer is to provide technical leadership and oversight for composite case processing operations across multiple manufacturing sites, ensuring that we meet safety, quality, cost, and schedule commitments. This role will also require collaboration with and guidance to other case manufacturers across the NG Enterprise. Their purpose is to better share lessons learned, best practices, and to develop and maintain case manufacturing standards across the enterprise. Close collaboration on new business opportunities with Business Development, Industrial Engineering, and various Program Offices is also expected. This role leads and mentors Process Engineers, as well as other cross-functional departments. This role drives manufacturing excellence through data-driven decision-making, and serves as the focal point for process optimization, equipment changes, facility design reviews, and corrective actions. This position ensures the team meets program objectives, improves operational performance, and ensures compliance with manufacturing standards and engineering requirements.
Job responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Establish, foster, and maintain a culture of Safety First
- Provide technical authority and oversight for the entire Case Manufacturing Process Engineering organization, establishing strategy, standards, and best practices
- Act as the go-to authority for Case Manufacturing across Propulsion Systems
- Act as the technical Point of Contact (POC) to customers, representing Process Engineering in meetings, addressing technical inquiries, and translating customers’ needs into actionable deliverables
- Lead and mentor Case Manufacturing Process Engineering organization, fostering collaboration and high performance
- Conduct Peer Reviews of all planning changes, PFMEAs, CONOPS, MBOMs, and other Process Engineering deliverables as the Case Manufacturing Sr SME
- Interface with cross-functional departments and other campuses, as needed, as the technical POC
- Attend Design, Tooling, and Facility drawing reviews and advise when necessary
- Driver and/or active involvement in CapEx plans and execution
- Driver and/or active involvement in IRAD plan and execution
- Instrumental in creating/reviewing FEO/TCN design criteria for new/modified facilities, equipment, and manufacturing buildings
- Lead or facilitate failure investigations to direct/root cause and develop robust corrective actions
- Lead the team through development and implementation of error-proofing projects
- Drive process improvements across the Case Manufacturing Process team
- Ability to support on-site at Clearfield, Copper Crossing, Promontory, or Bacchus when needed
Basic Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering with 14 years professional experience – or – Master’s degree with 12 years of professional experience – or – PhD with 10 years of professional experience
- Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government security clearance
- Strong understanding of solid rocket motor case design, manufacturing, and test
- Demonstrated success leading high performance, cross-functional technical teams
- Ability to motivate and guide teams and activities with a staff that does not formally report to you
- Demonstrated ability to act as the technical point of contact to Executive leadership and/or Customers stakeholder addressing technical requests and translating into actionable deliverables
- Demonstrated experience supporting multiple programs and sites
- Skilled at steering multiple initiatives simultaneously from conception to delivery
Preferred Qualifications:
- Advanced degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Management or other related fields is preferred
- Active or current Secret or Top Secret security clearance.
- Deep knowledge (the how and why) of the details and hands-on experience of all case manufacturing processes, which include but are not limited to: Molding, Wound Elastomer Insulation (WEI), Composite Winding and Cure, Composite Machining, Hand Operations / Bracketry, Hydro and Structural Testing, Non-Destructive Testing (NDT), Case Handling / Shipping
- Experience with new manufacturing building designs, including evaluation and selection of facilities to meet design and rate demands of our customers
- Experience leading and/or being a lead investigator in a failure investigation, driving to find root cause and implementing effective corrective actions to prevent future failures
- Experience with evaluating CapEx needs and developing business justification plans for capital expenditure
- Deep understanding of command media, and practice with developing/writing/updating command media where needed
- Experience with Design of Experiment (DOE), Statistical Process Control (SPC), and 6 sigma concepts for process development and control
- Strong knowledge of GD&T tolerance analysis
- Excellent written / oral communication, time management, and organizational abilities
Description
At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work — and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history.Northrop Grumman’s Space Sector is seeking a Sr Staff Propulsion Engineer for Composite Case Manufacturing to join our team in Clearfield, UT. This position is primarily located in Clearfield, UT but requires travel and support of other Propulsion Systems case manufacturing locations (Promontory, UT, Magna, UT, and Salt Lake City, UT). The primary role of the Sr Staff Propulsion Engineer is to provide technical leadership and oversight for composite case processing operations across multiple manufacturing sites, ensuring that we meet safety, quality, cost, and schedule commitments. This role will also require collaboration with and guidance to other case manufacturers across the NG Enterprise. Their purpose is to better share lessons learned, best practices, and to develop and maintain case manufacturing standards across the enterprise. Close collaboration on new business opportunities with Business Development, Industrial Engineering, and various Program Offices is also expected. This role leads and mentors Process Engineers, as well as other cross-functional departments. This role drives manufacturing excellence through data-driven decision-making, and serves as the focal point for process optimization, equipment changes, facility design reviews, and corrective actions. This position ensures the team meets program objectives, improves operational performance, and ensures compliance with manufacturing standards and engineering requirements.
Job responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Establish, foster, and maintain a culture of Safety First
- Provide technical authority and oversight for the entire Case Manufacturing Process Engineering organization, establishing strategy, standards, and best practices
- Act as the go-to authority for Case Manufacturing across Propulsion Systems
- Act as the technical Point of Contact (POC) to customers, representing Process Engineering in meetings, addressing technical inquiries, and translating customers’ needs into actionable deliverables
- Lead and mentor Case Manufacturing Process Engineering organization, fostering collaboration and high performance
- Conduct Peer Reviews of all planning changes, PFMEAs, CONOPS, MBOMs, and other Process Engineering deliverables as the Case Manufacturing Sr SME
- Interface with cross-functional departments and other campuses, as needed, as the technical POC
- Attend Design, Tooling, and Facility drawing reviews and advise when necessary
- Driver and/or active involvement in CapEx plans and execution
- Driver and/or active involvement in IRAD plan and execution
- Instrumental in creating/reviewing FEO/TCN design criteria for new/modified facilities, equipment, and manufacturing buildings
- Lead or facilitate failure investigations to direct/root cause and develop robust corrective actions
- Lead the team through development and implementation of error-proofing projects
- Drive process improvements across the Case Manufacturing Process team
- Ability to support on-site at Clearfield, Copper Crossing, Promontory, or Bacchus when needed
Basic Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering with 14 years professional experience – or – Master’s degree with 12 years of professional experience – or – PhD with 10 years of professional experience
- Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government security clearance
- Strong understanding of solid rocket motor case design, manufacturing, and test
- Demonstrated success leading high performance, cross-functional technical teams
- Ability to motivate and guide teams and activities with a staff that does not formally report to you
- Demonstrated ability to act as the technical point of contact to Executive leadership and/or Customers stakeholder addressing technical requests and translating into actionable deliverables
- Demonstrated experience supporting multiple programs and sites
- Skilled at steering multiple initiatives simultaneously from conception to delivery
Preferred Qualifications:
- Advanced degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Management or other related fields is preferred
- Active or current Secret or Top Secret security clearance.
- Deep knowledge (the how and why) of the details and hands-on experience of all case manufacturing processes, which include but are not limited to: Molding, Wound Elastomer Insulation (WEI), Composite Winding and Cure, Composite Machining, Hand Operations / Bracketry, Hydro and Structural Testing, Non-Destructive Testing (NDT), Case Handling / Shipping
- Experience with new manufacturing building designs, including evaluation and selection of facilities to meet design and rate demands of our customers
- Experience leading and/or being a lead investigator in a failure investigation, driving to find root cause and implementing effective corrective actions to prevent future failures
- Experience with evaluating CapEx needs and developing business justification plans for capital expenditure
- Deep understanding of command media, and practice with developing/writing/updating command media where needed
- Experience with Design of Experiment (DOE), Statistical Process Control (SPC), and 6 sigma concepts for process development and control
- Strong knowledge of GD&T tolerance analysis
- Excellent written / oral communication, time management, and organizational abilities
Propulsion Engineer Jobs by Experience Level
See All 304+ Propulsion Engineer Jobs
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Find Propulsion Engineer JobsPropulsion Engineer Job Market
Who's Hiring
- Blue Origin27
- Firefly Aerospace12
- Stellantis10
- Impulse Space10
- Apex Technology10
Top Industries Hiring
- Automotive
- Aerospace & Defense
- Transportation & Logistics
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in propulsion engineer jobs.
- Bachelor's degree or higher in aerospace, mechanical, or chemical engineering
- Experience with propulsion system design, analysis, or testing in industry or research
- Proficiency in CFD tools such as ANSYS Fluent, OpenFOAM, or equivalent combustion simulation software
- Hands-on experience with engine test stand operations, data acquisition, and performance analysis
- Familiarity with propellant handling, safety protocols, and AIAA or MIL-SPEC standards
- Active or eligible U.S. security clearance preferred for defense and government contract positions
Tips for Your Propulsion Engineer Job Search
Tailor your resume to propulsion disciplines
Hiring managers scan for specific propulsion keywords like combustion modeling, nozzle design, or electric propulsion. Match your resume language to each posting's technical stack so your experience registers quickly against automated screening tools.
Quantify test and validation outcomes
Propulsion roles emphasize empirical results. Replace vague project descriptions with measurable outcomes, such as thrust improvements, fuel efficiency gains, or cycle time reductions from engine test campaigns, to give reviewers concrete evidence of your engineering impact.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists propulsion engineer openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Filter openings by clearance requirements early
Many defense and space propulsion roles require an active or eligible security clearance. Check clearance requirements before applying so you spend time only on roles your current status can support, and flag your clearance level prominently on your resume.
Prepare for technical case interviews on propulsion cycles
Expect whiteboard or take-home problems on thermodynamic cycles, nozzle performance, or propellant mass fractions. Refresh your Tsiolkovsky equation derivations and be ready to walk through trade studies aloud, showing your reasoning as clearly as your answers.
Negotiate based on system complexity, not just title
Propulsion compensation varies significantly by the complexity of systems you've owned, whether small thrusters or full launch vehicle engines. Frame your negotiation around the propulsive stages and mission classes you've worked on, not only your years of experience.
Propulsion Engineer Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most propulsion engineers?
The companies hiring the most propulsion engineers right now include Blue Origin, Firefly Aerospace, and Stellantis, with the largest share of openings in California, Texas, and Washington, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Aerospace primes and commercial launch companies tend to post the highest volume of roles.
How many propulsion engineer jobs are remote?
About 24% of propulsion engineer openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, which is lower than most engineering fields because the discipline depends heavily on lab access, test stand operations, and hardware integration. Systems engineering, analysis, and modeling roles within propulsion are most likely to offer remote or hybrid flexibility.
How do you become a propulsion engineer?
You typically start with a bachelor's degree in aerospace, mechanical, or chemical engineering, then build hands-on experience through internships, cooperative programs, or graduate research focused on combustion, fluid dynamics, or propulsion systems. Many roles require familiarity with CFD tools and engine test methods. A master's degree strengthens your candidacy for research-heavy or advanced development positions at major aerospace organizations.
How do you get hired as a propulsion engineer with little experience?
Target roles explicitly labeled associate or junior propulsion engineer, which are designed for candidates transitioning from academic or internship environments. Highlight university capstone projects, thesis work, or research assistantships involving propellants, combustion rigs, or rocket test campaigns. Demonstrating you can interpret test data and contribute to a design-analysis cycle matters more to most hiring teams than commercial project years alone.
What does the propulsion engineer interview process look like?
The process typically involves an initial recruiter screen followed by a technical phone or video interview where you'll walk through your design or testing experience. Later rounds usually include a panel interview with engineers covering propulsion fundamentals, a take-home or whiteboard problem on system performance or thermodynamics, and for senior roles, a presentation of past project work. Background and clearance checks follow for defense-related positions.
Where can I find and apply to propulsion engineer jobs?
You can find and apply to propulsion engineer jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States. Search the listings to find roles that match your discipline, experience level, and location preference, then apply directly to each posting that fits.
See All 304+ Propulsion Engineer Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Propulsion Engineer Jobs