Solid Rocket Motor Engineer

Castelion is bringing a new approach to defense development and production: one that focuses on short, iterative design cycles, rapid testing in development, and modern commercial manufacturing strategies for production ’re designing, building, and testing next generation long range strike weapons systems to give America and its Allies a definitive edge and deter future conflicts.

Solid Rocket Motor Responsible Engineer (All Levels)

We are seeking experienced engineers with a background in solid rocket motor (SRM) design, build, and test to join our propulsion team. Ideal candidates will have hands-on experience in one or more of the following areas:

• Motor components: nozzles, throats, insulators, liners, insulation, cases, igniters
• Propulsion performance: internal ballistics, grain design, burn rate analysis, thrust curves
• Manufacturing & production: propellant casting, cure cycles, safety procedures, and certification
• Testing & qualification: SRM hot-fire testing, data analysis, failure investigation, and DoD/military certification processes
• Safety & compliance: familiarity with energetic material handling, propellant safety standards, and quality assurance practices

Responsibilities

• Lead and contribute to the design, build, and test of solid rocket motors for missile applications
• Collaborate closely with materials, mechanical, and systems engineers to integrate propulsion subsystems
• Develop, review, and validate analytical models for motor performance and structural integrity
• Support test campaigns, including hot-fire tests and flight tests, ensuring results drive rapid iteration and improvement
• Provide subject-matter expertise on SRM safety, certification, and qualification for DoD customers

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, or related engineering field
• 5+ years of hands-on SRM engineering experience
• Proven ability to take designs from concept through production and test
• Knowledge of SRM materials and processes (nozzles, insulators, liners, internal insulation, case bonding, etc.)
• Experience with SRM performance analysis and test data reduction
• Strong safety mindset and experience working with energetic materials

Location and Relocation

Candidates should expect that this role will require relocation to:

Relocation support is available.

Why Castelion

This is a unique opportunity to join an early-stage defense company where your work will have a direct impact on programs critical to national security. You’ll collaborate with a team of elite engineers, move fast, and solve some of the hardest problems in aerospace.

If you are passionate about solid rocket motors and want to help build something that truly matters, we’d love to talk.

Leadership Qualities

Bias to Action and Creative Problem Solving. Desire and experience questioning assumptions in ways that lead to break through ideas that are ultimately implemented. Successfully bring in applicable processes/concepts/materials from other industries to achieve efficiency gains. Ability to personally resolve minor issues in development without requiring significant support.

High Commitment, High Initiative. A successful candidate will have a genuine passion for Castelion’s mission and consistently look for ways to contribute to the company’s technical goals and prevent hardware blockers. Ability to work in a fast paced, autonomously driven, and demanding atmosphere. Strong sense of accountability and integrity.

Clear Communicator. Proactively communicates blockers. Trusted in previous roles to be voice of company with regulators, suppliers, gate keepers and customers. Capable of tactfully managing relationships with stakeholders to achieve company-desired outcomes without compromising relationships. Emails, IMs and verbal interactions are logical, drive clarity, and detailed enough to eliminate ambiguity.

• To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Employment with Castelion is governed on the basis of competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.