Senior Propulsion Engineer, Air Vehicles (Ramjet Integration)

Costa Mesa · Costa Mesa, CA (OC-00) · USD 166,000-220,000 · 8+ years experience · Posted Sep 28, 2026

At a glance

The Air Dominance and Strike propulsion integration team is responsible for designing and integrating advanced hardware for Group 5 air vehicles and missile platforms.
Engineers in this role own the full development lifecycle, from concept generation to integration and flight test, for mechanical systems in contested environments.

Serve as a lead or key contributor in the selection, architecting, and integration of ramjets on missile platforms.
Design, fabricate, and test prototype components and control systems.
Plan, instrument, and execute tests of ramjets.
Coordinate with engine vendors, develop strategic partnerships, and manage development projects.
Lead or support critical hardware demonstrations with customers.
Support CAD design and detailed analysis for inlets, combustors, nozzles, support structures, and engine starting.
Travel to test sites as needed.

Bachelor’s or higher degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field.
8+ years of propulsion engineering experience on tactical missiles or air vehicles.
Professional experience with ramjets for defense or aerospace applications, including design, analysis, test and/or qualification of inlets, combustors, and nozzles for high-Mach applications.
Understanding of fundamentals relevant to ramjets including cycle/performance modeling, CFD, thermal-structural coupling, and high-temperature materials.
Proven experience designing complex mechanical hardware using 3D CAD.
Familiarity with manufacturing methods and design for manufacturing and assembly.
Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance.

Experience in NX/Teamcenter, Python, MATLAB.
Hands-on experience with ramjet testing including test practices, instrumentation, and data processing.
Previous work experience at a ramjet OEM or supplier.
Previous work experience with solid-fuel ramjets (SFRJ) or liquid-fuel ramjets (LFRJ).
Familiarity with secondary propulsion technologies supporting boost, transition, or multi-mode concepts.
Expertise in fundamentals relevant to ramjets including cycle/performance modeling, CFD, thermal-structural coupling, and high-temperature materials.