Senior Propulsion Design Engineer — Aerospace Startup
Full-time | On-site (San Francisco, CA) | $140k–$225k + Equity

About the Opportunity
A next-generation aerospace company is developing the world’s first turboelectric adaptive jet engine—designed for both high efficiency and performance across all speeds. Backed by over $27M in funding, the team is building flight-ready propulsion systems to power the future of supersonic flight.

They’re now seeking an experienced Senior Propulsion Design Engineer to take full ownership of key propulsion hardware—leading design efforts from concept through to flight qualification and aircraft integration. This is a hands-on, system-aware engineering role where your work will directly influence the configuration and performance of a novel engine architecture.

What You’ll Do

• Lead design efforts for propulsion hardware, balancing performance, manufacturability, and integration constraints

• Conduct design trade studies with system-level thinking

• Own CAD modeling, drawing generation, and documentation

• Support structural, thermal, and fluid analysis to validate your designs

• Assemble prototypes, design test and manufacturing tooling, and develop work instructions

• Participate in hardware testing and analyze performance data

• Troubleshoot and solve design or manufacturing challenges from first principles

What We’re Looking For

• 10–15 years of mechanical design experience in aerospace, propulsion systems, or related hardware

• Strong hands-on experience designing and testing fluidic/mechanical components

• Previous work in startups or small, fast-moving engineering teams is a plus

• Proficiency with CAD (Siemens NX preferred), GD&T, and drawing generation

• Must be able to work on-site in San Francisco (no visa sponsorship; Canadian TN only)

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary: $140,000 – $225,000

• Competitive equity package

• Full healthcare, dental, and vision coverage

• Flexible time-off policy

• Work alongside a highly technical, mission-driven team

About the Company
This 19-person aerospace startup is building the propulsion core for future supersonic aircraft—from national defense to commercial aviation. The team combines deep engineering rigor with a fast-paced, pragmatic culture. Operating with a flat structure and strong individual ownership, they’re turning ambitious ideas into flight-ready hardware faster than ever before.