Propulsion Engineer, Thermal & Fluid Analysis (Starship)

Starbase, TX Aerospace Full-time Posted Aug 12, 2026
Apply on SpaceX (opens in a new tab) Sourced via boards.greenhouse.io · Posted 2026-08-12

About this role

SpaceX is hiring a Propulsion Engineer, Thermal & Fluid Analysis (Starship), full-time, on-site in Starbase, TX, in the Aerospace sector.

SpaceX was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is out exploring the stars is fundamentally more exciting than one where we are not. Today SpaceX is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal of enabling human life on Mars.

PROPULSION ENGINEER, THERMAL & FLUID ANALYSIS (STARSHIP)

As a Propulsion Engineer on the Starship Thermal & Fluids analysis team, you will ensure that fluid consumables are in the right place and at the right conditions for the Starship program. You will make engineering decisions to improve vehicle performance and reliability to help create a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry both crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Run pre-mission analysis on attitude control systems, propellant conditions, tank pressurization systems to maximize performance while staying robust.
  • Automate the workflow above to reduce engineering investment in per-mission analysis.
  • Pursue performance/robustness improvements.
  • Pursue operational simplicity and seek to reduce burden on other groups at SpaceX.
  • Produce quality documentation of your work to reduce miss-rate and improve efficiency.
  • Review peer work.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline.
  • 1+ years of experience using engineering simulation software such as MATLAB (student project team and internship experience qualifies).

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

  • Master’s degree in an engineering discipline.
  • 2+ years of professional experience with thermal or fluid analysis.
  • Strong understanding of spacecraft and/or launch vehicle propulsion systems and fluid components.
  • Experience with 0-D and 1-D thermal/fluid networks.
  • Working knowledge of scripting languages (specifically Python).
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills.
  • Ability to deliver against an aggressive schedule.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

  • Must be available to work extended hours and weekends as needed.

ITAR REQUIREMENTS:

  • 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. Learn more about the ITAR here .

Description from SpaceX's official posting. Always confirm details on the company careers page.

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About SpaceX

SpaceX

Designs, manufactures, and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft. Starlink and Starship. Hawthorne, CA.

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Larry Sherwood Jr.

About Larry Sherwood Jr.

Talent Acquisition Leader specializing in mobility, EV, and frontier tech. 1,000+ hires across roles ranging from production technicians to VPs, including 48 hires for the AFEELA U.S. launch at Sony Honda Mobility (98% offer acceptance, $1.5M+ agency savings). SHRM-CP certified. Build recruiting functions from scratch, no agencies.

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Curated by Larry Sherwood Jr. on the free Mobility Jobs board. Pulled nightly from company applicant tracking systems. Apply directly on the source link above to be considered.