The Role
Analyze and create fluid system designs for spacecraft propulsion: perform fluids and thermal analyses, size PMDs, run CFD and multi-phase simulations, validate with testing, develop company-wide analysis tools, and mentor peers.
Summary Generated by Built In
As a Senior Propulsion Analyst (Fluids) at Impulse, your core responsibility will be to analyze and create clean sheet designs of spacecraft propulsion fluids systems and components.
Responsibilities
- Perform and document fluids and thermal analyses of liquid propellant rocket engine, tanks and feed systems.
- Size propellant management devices (PMDs), baffles and/or screens with industry standard equations and techniques
- Perform CFD analysis of internal flow geometries
- Perform analysis of propellant tank phenomenon including: zero- and micro-gravity fluid management, propellant slosh and propellant mass gauging
- Assist with validation testing of internal tank propellant management devices (baffles, AVDs, bubble point screens, etc)
- Ensure model predictions are grounded through a practical hands-on approach
- Contribute to developing analysis processes and tools to be used company wide. Achieve buy-in with key stakeholders and provide training for general use
- Provide professional development, mentorship, and technical guidance to peers
Minimum Qualifications
- B.S. degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, or a comparable field
- 4+ years of demonstrated experience with fluid/thermal analysis on liquid propellant rocket engines, rocket stages, spacecraft or similar high-performance systems
- 4+ years of professional experience in fluid analysis with commercial software (e.g. Fluent, CFX, SINDA/FLUINT,) and hand-calc methods
- Basic experience with 3D CAD software (NX preferred)
Preferred Skills and Experience
- Advanced degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, or a comparable field
- Experience working in fast-paced, startup environment
- Strong fundamentals in compressible & incompressible fluid mechanics and heat-transfer, including hand calculation methods
- Advanced proficiency with a commercial CFD tool through all stages of the workflow (geometry prep, mesh generation, setup, convergence, post-processing)
- Familiarity with ANSYS CFX, ANSYS Fluent, and/or Star-CCM+
- Familiarity with multi-phase fluid modeling and acceleration dominated fluid dynamics
- Experience with anchoring CFD analysis to test or flight data
- Experience with waterhammer and fluid network modeling (SINDA/FLUINT or other similar tools)
- Programing experience for creating analysis tools or performing hand-calcs. Python preferred. Matlab or other high-level languages acceptable
- Experience in root-cause analysis
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Additional Requirements:
- Flexible schedule and willing to travel as needed
Additional Information:
Compensation bands are determined by role, level, location, and alignment with market data. Individual level and base pay is determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on job-related skills, education, experience, technical capabilities and internal equity. In addition to base salary, for full-time hires, you may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of stock options, and access to medical, vision & dental coverage as well as access to a 401(k) retirement plan.
Impulse Space’s spacecraft manufacturing business is subject to U.S. export regulations including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR). This position requires applicants to be either U.S. Persons (i.e., U.S. citizen, U.S. national, lawful permanent U.S. resident (green card holder), an individual granted asylum in the U.S., or an individual admitted in U.S. refugee status) or persons eligible to obtain an export license from the U.S. Departments of State, Commerce, or other applicable U.S. government agencies. Learn more about the ITAR here.
Impulse Space is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Impulse Space is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.
About
Impulse Space, the in-space transportation company founded by Tom Mueller, is opening access beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO) with its fleet of in-space transportation vehicles. The high-energy Helios vehicle unlocks orbits beyond LEO with its powerful Deneb engine, dropping off payloads in MEO, GEO, heliocentric, lunar, and other planetary orbits. The flight-proven Mira vehicle uses a nontoxic, high-impulse chemical propulsion system to offer orbital transport, constellation deployment, and precision reentry services to customers throughout LEO. Led by a team that delivered the most reliable rockets in history, Impulse provides economical and efficient in-space transportation by reliably and rapidly getting customers where they want to go.
Skills Required
- B.S. degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, or a comparable field
- 4+ years of experience with fluid/thermal analysis on liquid propellant rocket engines, rocket stages, spacecraft or similar high-performance systems
- 4+ years professional experience with commercial fluid analysis software (e.g., ANSYS Fluent, ANSYS CFX, SINDA/FLUINT) and hand-calculation methods
- Basic experience with 3D CAD software
- NX (3D CAD) preferred
- Programming experience for creating analysis tools or performing hand-calcs (Python preferred; Matlab acceptable)
- Advanced proficiency with a commercial CFD tool through all workflow stages (geometry prep, mesh generation, setup, convergence, post-processing)
- Familiarity with multi-phase fluid modeling and acceleration-dominated fluid dynamics
- Experience anchoring CFD analysis to test or flight data
- Experience with waterhammer and fluid network modeling (SINDA/FLUINT or similar)
- Experience in root-cause analysis
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Flexible schedule and willing to travel as needed
- U.S. Person or eligible to obtain an export license (ITAR/EAR restrictions)
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The Company
What We Do
Impulse enables low-cost and nimble last-mile space payload delivery - access any orbit, reach other worlds.
