Motor Design Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

The Technical Fellow for Solid Rocket Motor (SRM) Engineering serves as the organization's preeminent technical authority on all aspects of solid rocket motor design, development, production, and integration for missile programs. Reporting directly to the Vice President of Hardware Engineering within the Air Dominance and Strike division, this role provides division-level technical leadership that spans internal SRM development, external vendor management, and business development support. The Tech Fellow is expected to shape the strategic technical direction of SRM capabilities, mentor and develop engineering talent, and ensure that all SRM solutions meet the highest standards of performance, reliability, and safety.

• Serve as the principal technical authority for all solid rocket motor design, development, testing, and integration activities across the Air Dominance and Strike division missile programs.
• Provide expert guidance on SRM grain design, propellant formulation, nozzle design, case structures, ignition systems, thrust vector control, and insulation/liner systems.
• Establish and maintain technical standards, design practices, and engineering processes for SRM development and integration.
• Evaluate and guide the design of supporting systems including motor integration hardware, ordnance interfaces, safe and arm devices, and environmental protection systems.
• Lead resolution of complex technical challenges related to SRM performance, reliability, producibility, and safety throughout the product lifecycle.
• Provide authoritative technical assessments and risk evaluations for program leadership and executive decision-making.

• Mentor and develop engineering staff at all levels, fostering deep technical expertise in SRM disciplines including propulsion physics, structural analysis, ballistic modeling, and test methodology.
• Establish and lead technical training programs, brown-bag seminars, and design review frameworks to elevate team capabilities.
• Serve as a career advisor and technical coach, helping engineers develop specialization tracks and advance within the technical leadership ladder.
• Cultivate a culture of engineering rigor, intellectual curiosity, and continuous improvement across the engineering organization.

• Lead technical evaluation and review of external SRM vendor proposals, designs, and test data to ensure alignment with program requirements and performance specifications.
• Conduct design reviews, technical interchange meetings, and performance assessments with vendor engineering teams.
• Provide technical oversight of vendor development programs, including milestone reviews, qualification testing, and acceptance criteria definition.
• Assess vendor technical maturity, manufacturing readiness, and risk posture to inform source selection and make/buy decisions.

• Partner closely with the internal SRM division to review and guide proposed motor designs, development plans, and test programs.
• Provide independent technical assessment and constructive challenge of internal SRM solutions to ensure design robustness and mission suitability.
• Facilitate knowledge transfer and technical alignment between the internal SRM division and missile program engineering teams.
• Support the internal SRM division in resolving production issues, anomaly investigations, and continuous improvement initiatives.

• Collaborate with the Business Development team to provide technical expertise in support of proposals, capture activities, and customer engagements for missile programs.
• Contribute to technical volume writing, solution architecture development, and competitive assessments for new business pursuits.
• Represent the organization as a technical subject matter expert in customer meetings, industry conferences, and technical forums.
• Support competitive analysis by evaluating SRM technology trends, emerging propulsion concepts, and the broader solid rocket motor industrial base.

• PhD. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Propulsion Engineering, or a closely related technical discipline (Master's degree with exceptional experience will be considered).
• Minimum of 20 years of progressive engineering experience in solid rocket motor design, development, testing, or production, with a significant portion in missile or defense applications.
• Demonstrated expertise across multiple SRM technical disciplines, including propellant chemistry, internal ballistics, structural analysis, nozzle design, and/or motor integration.
• Proven track record of technical leadership on complex development or production programs for solid propulsion systems.
• Experience leading or contributing to design reviews (PDR, CDR, TRR, QTR) for SRM or integrated missile systems.
• Must be edible to obtain and maintain at least a DoD Secret security clearance.

• Active DoD Secret or Top Secret security clearance.
• Experience with both tactical and strategic missile SRM programs.
• Prior experience in a Fellow, Principal Engineer, Chief Engineer, or equivalent senior technical leadership role.
• Published research or recognized contributions in solid propulsion, energetic materials, or related fields.
• Experience with DoD acquisition processes (MIL-STD, MIL-SPEC) and qualification/certification frameworks for energetic systems.
• Familiarity with insensitive munitions (IM) requirements and compliance approaches for solid rocket motors.
• Experience supporting proposal development and technical capture activities in a competitive defense market.