Senior Propulsion Engineer

Your Mission

GITAI is building solid rocket motors in-house through vertical integration to support demanding space and national security missions. We believe the fastest way to build better propulsion systems is to own the critical parts of the development loop ourselves. That means working directly across propellant formulation, motor design, manufacturing, and hot-fire testing, learning quickly from every test, and turning those lessons into the next piece of hardware. Your mission is to lead that cycle. You will make technical decisions, run experiments, build and test hardware, and push the motor forward through rapid iteration until it is ready for the mission.

 

What You’ll Drive

• Own end-to-end solid rocket motor development from formulation and motor build through hot-fire testing and design iteration
• Develop and refine propellant formulations, processing methods, grain configurations, and motor designs
• Plan and execute hot-fire tests, analyze performance and failure data, and turn results into the next hardware iteration
• Identify and resolve technical risks across combustion, materials, manufacturing, and motor performance
• Make independent engineering decisions and drive rapid build-test-learn cycles with mechanical, manufacturing, avionics, and test teams

 

What We’re Looking For

• Bachelor's degree or higher in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, chemistry, or a related technical field
• 5+ years of relevant experience in solid rocket propulsion, energetic materials, combustion, or closely related hardware development
• Demonstrated experience owning end-to-end solid rocket motor development across propellant formulation, motor build, hot-fire testing, data analysis, and design iteration
• Strong understanding of solid propellant combustion, internal ballistics, and motor performance
• Demonstrated ability to make independent engineering decisions and drive rapid build-test-learn cycles
• U.S. citizenship required due to the nature of the national security programs this role may support and the potential need to access classified information

 

Location & Employment Details

• Location: Torrance, CA (onsite). Travel to test sites (including Mojave and the greater Los Angeles area) is expected based on program needs.
• Employment Type: Full-Time, Exempt
• Salary Range: $150,000 – $200,000 per year + equity (commensurate with experience)
• Typical Work Hours: Monday to Friday, approximately 9:00am – 6:00pm (onsite). Flexibility is expected based on mission schedules and program needs.

 

Benefits

• Health Insurance – Platinum medical plan with 100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees; 90% for dependents
• 401(k) Plan – Company match up to 3.5%, with traditional and Roth options
• Equity – Stock option eligibility depending on role
• Relocation Support – Available for qualifying positions
• Time Off – 11 paid holidays per year, 12 days of paid vacation per year, and paid sick leave (in accordance with applicable law)
• Office Perks – Free snacks and drinks, plus regular team events
• Mission-Driven Culture – Work alongside passionate teammates on real space hardware
• Cutting-Edge Work – Direct access to next-gen space robotics and flight hardware

 

GITAI does not accept unsolicited resumes from staffing or recruiting agencies. We work only with recruiting partners that have been specifically engaged by GITAI. No fees will be paid for resumes submitted without a prior agreement.