Principal Propulsion Engineer (Aerospace)

Location: On-site in Seattle, Washington, United States. U.S. Citizenship or ability to comply with ITAR requirements is required; ability to obtain Secret clearance is required.

Salary: $260,000–$400,000 per year, plus bonus, benefits, and equity for full-time regular employees.

Company

Venture-backed defense-tech organization developing intelligent systems, including autonomy software, unmanned aircraft, and simulation technologies.

What you will do

• Own the design of propulsion components and subsystems from concept through production release for UAV platforms.
• Create and maintain CAD models, detailed drawings, and assemblies in Siemens NX with fully applied GD&T.
• Write and enforce propulsion design standards and contribute to company-wide design practices.
• Collaborate with machine shop, production, technician, and engineering personnel to support builds, resolve non-conformances, and implement improvements.
• Develop work instructions, assembly guidance, and design documentation for repeatable and scalable production.
• Support engineering analysis, configuration management, BOM control, design reviews, interface control, and root-cause investigations.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
• 7+ years of experience in mechanical design for aerospace; direct propulsion hardware experience is preferred.
• Expert-level CAD modeling and drawing creation, preferably in NX, with application of GD&T.
• Ability to work cross-functionally with production, machine shop personnel, and technicians to solve real-time hardware issues.
• Experience with design for manufacturing, including machining processes, surface modeling, stack-up analysis, and fabrication limitations.
• Hands-on experience developing assembly work instructions, troubleshooting build issues, and implementing hardware-driven design changes.
• Experience with configuration management, PLM systems such as Teamcenter, and BOM structure.
• U.S. Citizenship or ability to comply with ITAR requirements, plus ability to obtain Secret clearance.

Nice to have

• Experience with GFSSP, REFPROP, ANSYS, FEA, or other mechanical and thermal analysis tools.
• Ability to write Python scripts for design automation, data analysis, or simulation support.
• Proficiency in interface control and tolerance stack-up analysis for complex assemblies.
• Knowledge of fastening methods and joint design for high-vibration aerospace environments.
• Familiarity with high-temperature materials and design practices for thermally stressed components.
• Experience designing internal-combustion, turbine, or rocket propulsion hardware, particularly in development or test environments.
• M.S. or Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.

Culture & Benefits

• Full-time regular employee package includes salary within the listed range, bonus, benefits, and equity.
• Offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check.
• Equal opportunity and affirmative action workplace with reasonable accommodation available for disabilities or special needs.
• Artificial intelligence tools may support recruiting processes, while final hiring decisions are made by humans.