JR Spaceflight Hardware Propulsion Engineer (Aerospace)

Location: Houston, TX, US

Company

Intuitive Machines is a space company developing cislunar missions and spacecraft systems for public and private customers, including NASA lunar missions.

What you will do

• Apply fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, heat transfer, materials, structures, and machine-design principles to propulsion and spacecraft pressure systems.
• Support the design, analysis, architecture studies, technical trades, material selection, fabrication planning, and assembly of propulsion components and systems.
• Develop models, calculations, and data-analysis tools using Python, MATLAB, or comparable engineering software; create or review CAD drawings and three-dimensional models.
• Participate in propulsion-hardware assembly, spacecraft and test-vehicle integration, laboratory or cleanroom activities, and component- and system-level testing.
• Support acceptance, qualification, environmental, and space-representative testing; review test data and investigate anomalies, nonconformances, and unexpected results.
• Coordinate technical work with engineers, technicians, analysts, suppliers, and contractors; prepare technical updates and support mission simulations, vehicle checkouts, flight operations, and required travel.

Requirements

• Minimum bachelor's degree in Engineering; the position may be considered at different levels depending on experience, requirements, and business needs.
• Foundational knowledge of fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, mechanical systems, and engineering materials.
• Ability to apply engineering principles, interpret technical drawings, requirements, test procedures, and engineering data.
• Familiarity with engineering analysis, programming, or data-processing tools.
• Clear written and verbal technical communication, strong organization, and attention to detail.
• Ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams and willingness to perform both analytical and hands-on engineering activities.
• Ability to learn unfamiliar systems, software tools, and engineering processes and to move among branch assignments as priorities change.
• Ability to work safely and maintain technical discipline in laboratory, test, integration, and operational environments.
• Ability and willingness to travel when required by the assignment.

Nice to have

• Academic, internship, research, or professional experience with propulsion, fluid, pressure, thermal, or spacecraft systems.
• Familiarity with Python, MATLAB, CAD software such as Creo, valves, regulators, tanks, filters, sensors, pressure vessels, or other fluid-system components.
• Experience with test-data collection, processing, reduction, or interpretation; laboratory testing, hardware assembly, or prototype development.
• Familiarity with aerospace materials, manufacturing, fabrication, requirements verification, hazard analysis, configuration management, or flight-hardware certification.
• Exposure to acceptance, qualification, thermal-vacuum, vibration, or other environmental testing.
• Interest in human spaceflight, small-spacecraft development, or spacecraft mission operations.

Culture & Benefits

• Full-time engineering position supporting NASA, private customers, and cislunar space missions.
• Work includes laboratory, test, integration, operational, and potentially cleanroom-like environments.
• Travel to supplier, test, integration, launch, or program locations may be required.
• Equal Opportunity employment is provided without regard to protected characteristics listed in the posting.