Jobs at Cowboy Space Corporation

Leads occupational safety for a large aerospace manufacturing facility, establishing OSHA compliance, training, PPE protocols, inspections, incident investigations, contractor controls, and equipment safety processes. The role supports facility build-out and operations, makes autonomous high-risk decisions, can stop unsafe work, and builds safety systems and culture from the ground up. Responsibilities include audit readiness, competency verification, hazard assessments, regulatory reporting, and root-cause analysis.

Own spacecraft mechanism subsystems from concept through flight, including structural and kinematic design, analysis, manufacturing, integration, testing, and anomaly resolution. Design HDRMs, solar array deployment systems, deployable structures, or thermal articulation mechanisms. Perform FEA, tolerance analysis, deployment dynamics, and qualification testing. Collaborate with cross-functional hardware teams, work directly with manufacturing and integration teams, and support launch operations and on-orbit commissioning.

Own real-time embedded software for spacecraft avionics, including power distribution and thermal control systems. Responsibilities include board bring-up, low-level driver and control-loop development, hardware/software debugging, command and telemetry integration, firmware updates, fault-tolerant design, automated testing, HITL validation, anomaly investigation, and cross-functional architecture work.

Design, develop, test, and debug software for spacecraft flight, embedded, ground, communications, and mission operations systems. Build simulation and hardware-in-the-loop frameworks, collaborate with hardware and systems teams, resolve integration issues, and contribute to code reviews, documentation, testing, and engineering practices.

Design and own rocket engine TCA hardware through requirements, analysis, manufacturing, testing, and flight qualification. Responsibilities include mechanical design, FEA, tolerance analysis, tooling and fixture design, advanced manufacturing process development, hotfire test execution, documentation, and rapid redesign. The engineer works closely with propulsion, manufacturing, machinists, welders, technicians, and test teams in an onsite shop and laboratory environment.

Establish manufacturing processes for rocket engine hardware and help build a factory from the ground up. Own DFM strategy, production methods, equipment selection, tooling, fixtures, process qualification, supplier coordination, build documentation, and production readiness. Lead hardware delivery, yield, cycle time, configuration tracking, nonconformance disposition, rework, repair, and root-cause resolution. Support facility planning, qualify new processes, and mentor manufacturing engineers.

Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering Intern supporting spacecraft mechanical systems, including structural, thermal, and mechanical design; hardware testing; integration and assembly; test-data analysis; fabrication coordination; engineering documentation; and cross-functional issue resolution. The role is hands-on and on-site in Kent, Washington, contributing to flight hardware for space-based solar power systems.

Own end-to-end sourcing, purchase orders, supplier negotiations, vendor management, and procurement workflows for mission-critical hardware programs. Analyze supplier performance, spend, and delivery metrics using data tools; drive cost reductions, process improvements, and procurement automation. Partner with engineering, finance, and operations to support hardware development and production while ensuring compliant purchasing packages and reliable material availability.

Hands-on launch engineering internship focused on powerpack, mechanisms, fluids, or thrust-chamber systems. Interns own a component, analysis, or test from definition through completion; create CAD models and GD&T drawings; perform calculations and FEA; support hardware fabrication and testing; analyze test data; troubleshoot issues; and present results. Work involves close collaboration with engineers, machinists, and technicians in a hardware development environment.

Own end-to-end purchase order lifecycle and supplier management for complex engineered hardware. Negotiate vendors, mitigate risk, manage procurement workflows and compliance, and drive cost-savings. Build data-driven sourcing tools and dashboards (SQL/Python/BI), automate processes, and partner cross-functionally with engineering, finance, and operations to support hardware development and production timelines.

Owns spacecraft ordnance and energetic systems from architecture and hardware selection through qualification, flight operations, and ground safety. Responsibilities include designing initiation chains, analyzing firing margins and susceptibility, qualifying pyro devices, managing hazard classification and explosive site planning, and ensuring ATF, DOT, DoD, and ITAR compliance. The role also establishes storage, handling, shipping, licensing, and operating procedures for a new ordnance discipline, including reusable-vehicle safing and requalification.

Owns the reliability engineering function for spacecraft vehicles and engines, including FMEA/FMECA, fault trees, single-point-failure identification, common-cause analysis, redundancy trades, and physics-of-failure assessments. Defines reliability processes, test objectives, instrumentation plans, and anomaly corrective actions. Uses Python and lightweight version-controlled tooling for analysis, teaches engineers reliability practices, and supports propulsion, structures, and avionics teams.

Designs and owns spacecraft mechanical hardware from concept through production and flight. Responsibilities include developing structures, mechanisms, thermal systems, drawings, and engineering documentation; performing FEA, thermal, and tolerance analyses; prototyping and testing; supporting integration and launch readiness; troubleshooting hardware; and collaborating with suppliers, manufacturers, and multidisciplinary engineering teams.

Lead propulsion analysis for rocket engines and vehicles using FEA, CFD, thermal, static, dynamic, and fatigue simulations. Develop and enforce modeling standards, collaborate with design, hardware, and test teams, validate models against physical results, drive design improvements, and produce clear technical documentation. The role is onsite in Seattle and requires strong multiphysics simulation, numerical analysis, and thermal/fluid network expertise.

Design, develop, and integrate spacecraft subsystems (structures, power, thermal, avionics). Lead system-level trade studies, CAD/FEA modeling, integration and environmental testing, prepare technical documentation and ICDs, and support PDR/CDR and cross-functional teams through integration and test campaigns.

Own manufacturing and assembly of turbopump hardware from design for manufacturability through production. Define build processes, work instructions, inspection plans, tooling, fixtures, cleanliness controls, and acceptance criteria. Lead floor assembly, dimensional verification, rotor balancing, nonconformance disposition, rework, repair, and root-cause improvements. Improve cycle time, yield, and production readiness while supporting suppliers with process capability, first articles, equipment qualification, and new process development.

Work across spacecraft engineering disciplines—design, build, integrate, test, and operate satellite systems (avionics, power, thermal, structures, GNC, payloads, flight software and ground systems). Hands-on, mission-critical hardware responsibility in a fast-moving startup environment.

Lead design, development, and testing of payload flight software in Rust for attitude/pointing, command handling, telemetry, and data storage. Define architecture and coding conventions, implement FDIR, build automated test infrastructure (simulation/HIL), integrate with GNC/avionics/electrical teams, support integration, launch, and on-orbit ops, investigate anomalies, and mentor other engineers to achieve a near-term on-orbit demonstration.

Design, analyze, develop, and validate rocket engine injectors from concept through hotfire and flight. Lead physics-based sizing, manufacturing selection, test campaign planning and execution, hotfire data analysis, and iterative redesign while partnering with vehicle and test-stand engineers.

Lead end-to-end mechanical design and manufacturing for TCA rocket engine components. Drive DFM-focused design, tooling and fixture creation, implement advanced fabrication (additive, CNC, EDM, specialized joining), develop process parameters, and plan/execute hotfire test campaigns with analysis and rapid redesign for flight qualification.