{"id":3435342,"url":"https://alion.io/job/wardstone-lead-propulsion-engineer","title":"Lead Propulsion Engineer","company":{"id":3806068,"name":"Wardstone","domain":"wardstone.space","url":"https://alion.io/company/wardstone-2","size_band":"51-200","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Gem","truth_index":{"grade":"B","score":75,"open_postings":4,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":1,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":null,"computed_at":"2026-11-01T06:10:25Z"}},"role":"Aerospace","role_family":"Aerospace","seniority":"lead","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["El Segundo, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":180000,"max":240000,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":240000},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":8,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"MIL-STD-810","optional":true}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-10-28T23:59:52Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-29","last_verified_at":"2026-11-01T08:51:52Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":3,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":3},"description":"The Role\nYou will own propulsion for our first two interceptor platforms. This includes: the solid rocket motor that gets it to the target, and the divert and attitude control system (DACS) that lets it maneuver for the intercept. You’ll lead a team of >6 propulsion engineers. You’ll report to the CTO.\nBoth systems have to deliver high performance from a small, lightweight package while surviving launch, storage, and flight environments, and they have to fit the size limits of existing launchers. The DACS also has to respond quickly and precisely enough for terminal guidance. You’ll work directly with the founders and with the GNC, mechanical, aerodynamics, and avionics engineers, and you’ll take propulsion hardware from concept through static fire to flight.\nWhat You’ll Do\nLead the propulsion team\nLead, mentor, and grow the propulsion team, including hiring, setting priorities, and reviewing designs.\nSet the team’s engineering standards for analysis, design reviews, test procedures, and documentation.\nOwn the propulsion schedule and technical risks, and give clear tradeoffs to the founders and other teams.\nOwn the propulsion architecture\nDefine the propulsion architecture for the interceptor, including how the motor and DACS work together and divide the mission.\nWork with GNC and aerodynamics to set propulsion requirements, including total impulse, thrust profiles, ΔV budgets, control authority, and response time.\nLead make-vs-buy decisions for propellants, motors, thrusters, and other components, and manage key propulsion suppliers.\nDevelop the solid rocket motor\nGuide the Senior Propulsion Engineer’s motor development, including grain, case, nozzle, and igniter design.\nReview internal ballistics and performance predictions, and make sure test data validates them.\nDevelop the DACS\nLead the DACS architecture trade, comparing options such as [solid gas generator, cold gas, or liquid systems].\nDevelop the thrusters, valves, and pressure systems, with the response time and repeatability GNC needs.\nWork with GNC on thrust models, firing logic, and impulse timing for the 6DOF simulation and flight software.\nTest and keep it safe\nPlan and lead propulsion test campaigns, including static fires, DACS hot-fire tests, and environmental tests.\nOwn the propulsion test safety program, including procedures for handling, storing, and testing energetic materials, and relationships with test ranges and facilities.\nLead propulsion through qualification and flight test, including pre-flight predictions and post-flight analysis.\nIntegrate with the vehicle\nWork with mechanical on motor cases, DACS packaging, mounting, and structural loads.\nWork with avionics on ignition and valve control electronics, safe-and-arm devices, and safety interlocks.\nWork with aerodynamics on plume effects and thruster interaction with the airflow.\nRequired Qualifications\nB.S. in Aerospace, Mechanical, or Chemical Engineering, or a related field. M.S. preferred.\n8+ years of propulsion development experience, including hardware that reached static fire or flight.\nExperience leading engineers or owning a major propulsion system from design through test.\nHands-on solid rocket motor development experience.\nExperience with, or strong working knowledge of, fast-response thruster systems such as DACS or reaction control systems.\nStrong grasp of internal ballistics, combustion, fluid dynamics, heat transfer, and pressure system design.\nExperience running propulsion test campaigns and safety programs for energetic materials.\nMust be a U.S. person as defined by ITAR (U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or protected individual). [Must be eligible to obtain a U.S. security clearance.]\nNice to Haves\nPropulsion experience on tactical missiles, interceptors, or kill vehicles.\nHands-on DACS or gas generator development experience.\nExperience with fast-acting valves and high-pressure systems.\nExperience with motor qualification, environmental testing (e.g., MIL-STD-810), or insensitive munitions testing.\nExperience working with GNC on thrust models and control allocation.\nPrior early-stage startup experience.\nCompensation\nThe base pay range for this role is $180,000 - $240,000 per year.","description_format":"text","description_chars":4210,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":8,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":true,"languages":[]},"benefits":[],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Air Defense","Defense AI"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-10-29T02:34:09Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":86,"band":"hot","label":"Hiring now","p_open":1,"p_active":0.86,"p_room":1,"age_days":3,"expected_fill_days":30,"reasons":["conf:1","win:early"],"computed_at":"2026-11-01T06:10:25Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":240000,"is_top_pay":true},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/wardstone-lead-propulsion-engineer","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/wardstone-lead-propulsion-engineer.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-11-01T11:14:46Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":17370,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-11-02T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":3806068},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=3806068"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fwardstone-lead-propulsion-engineer"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fwardstone-lead-propulsion-engineer"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fwardstone-lead-propulsion-engineer"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/wardstone-lead-propulsion-engineer\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fwardstone-lead-propulsion-engineer"}],"agent":{"mcp":"https://alion.io/mcp/jobs","mcp_open":"https://alion.io/mcp/open","next":[{"tool":"get_job","arguments":{"id":3435342}},{"tool":"search_jobs","arguments":{"company":"wardstone.space","detail":"compact"}},{"tool":"match_people","arguments":{"job_id":3435342},"note":"people open to offers who fit this vacancy"}],"note":"The same data through MCP tools: https://alion.io/mcp/open needs no sign-in (compact searches, postings, people); https://alion.io/mcp with an Alion account has everything. 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