Sr. Thermal & Propulsion Engineer

Fortastra designs and delivers resilient, high-performance spacecraft that safeguard critical orbital assets and ensure freedom of action in space. We integrate advanced autonomy, sensing, and control into systems engineered for reliability, speed, and scale.
Our culture values simplicity, accountability, and disciplined execution. We expect leaders to think systemically, act decisively, and take ownership of mission outcomes. Aggressive innovation. Disciplined execution. Strength among the stars.

You will join Fortastra’s Engineering Division, working at the intersection of propulsion, thermal control, and spacecraft systems. The team is responsible for the design, integration, and flight readiness of core vehicle subsystems that directly determine mission reliability and on-orbit performance.

Fortastra is seeking a Sr. Thermal & Propulsion Engineer to own the design and implementation of our bipropellant propulsion hardware and Thermal Control Systems (TCS). This is a hardware-focused role: you will architect, design, and build propulsion and thermal-fluid systems including thrusters, feed systems (tanks, valves, lines), and thermal management hardware that must operate reliably in the space environment.

You will be responsible for taking systems from concept through detailed design and into assembly and integration, with less emphasis on pure analysis or simulation and more on practical, flight-ready hardware. The ideal candidate brings deep hands-on experience with propulsion and thermal-fluid systems, strong mechanical design instincts, and a track record of delivering hardware that works on the vehicle.

• Own the end-to-end design of bipropellant propulsion hardware, including thrusters, tanks, valves, regulators, filters, and feed system plumbing.
• Architect and implement Thermal Control Systems (TCS) for propulsion and related spacecraft subsystems, focusing on thermal-fluid behavior and hardware-level solutions.
• Define fluid and thermal architectures that ensure reliable performance across all mission phases, including start-up, steady-state, transients, and off-nominal conditions.
• Create detailed CAD models, assemblies, and drawings for propulsion and thermal hardware, including routing, brackets, manifolds, and integration hardware.
• Select, specify, and qualify propulsion and thermal components (valves, sensors, heaters, fittings, insulation, etc.) and drive supplier engagement and design-for-manufacture decisions.
• Work hands-on with technicians and manufacturing partners to build, assemble, and integrate propulsion and TCS hardware into the spacecraft.
• Collaborate with systems, structures, avionics, and GNC teams to define interfaces, loads, and constraints, ensuring robust mechanical and functional integration.
• Support test planning and execution for propulsion and thermal systems as needed, with a primary focus on designing hardware that is robust, testable, and flight-ready from the outset.

• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a closely related field (M.S. is a plus but not required).
• 5+ years of industry experience working on propulsion and/or thermal-fluid systems for spacecraft, launch vehicles, or similar aerospace hardware.
• Demonstrated, hands‑on experience designing and developing propulsion hardware, including bipropellant thrusters and feed systems (tanks, valves, tubing, regulators, fittings).
• Experience designing Thermal Control Systems (TCS) for complex aerospace hardware, with practical application of thermodynamics and heat transfer to hardware-level solutions.
• Proficiency with CAD tools for mechanical design, layout, and integration of propulsion and thermal hardware.
• Strong understanding of fluid…