Vehicle Fluids Engineer I

About the Team: 

The Stage Fluids team is responsible for the design and delivery of the propellant, pressurant, pneumatics, and other fluid systems that turn structures into functioning rockets! The team has full ownership across design, production, test, and flight, maintaining a holistic view of Terran R, focused not on isolated parts but integrated functionality. Working on-site at the factory means you’re never far from the hardware, enabling rapid iteration and tight feedback loops across design and manufacturing. You won’t just be handed requirements: you’ll be expected to ask the right questions, collaborate with partners across the company, and ultimately find the best solutions for Terran R. 

About the Role:

• In this role, you will be responsible for the hardware design and implementation of the vehicle fluid architecture, ensuring a reliable and efficient operation of our Terran R launch vehicle. Your primary tasks will be focused on:
  • Fluid routing and system-level trade studies 
  • Mechanical verification of fluid system hardware (hand calculations and FEA)
  • Structural design of pressure components, mounting hardware, and tubing
  • Hardware testing, validation, and health assessment
  • Basic fluid system analysis and general architecture support
  • Production support, on-floor troubleshooting and incorporation of direct feedback to improve hardware designs
  • To succeed in this role, you will bring a solid foundation in fundamental physics and the ability to apply first-principles thinking to complex problems. You are self-motivated, adaptable, and thrive in a fast-paced, highly integrated and collaborative vehicle development environment
• This role offers the opportunity to directly contribute to vehicle stage hardware while accelerating your professional growth in a culture that values collaboration, ownership, technical rigor, and calculated risk-taking

About You:

• The right person for this role will need to be someone who enjoys collaboration in a highly dynamic team environment. They will have end to end ownership of their designs and immediately see hardware you designed come to fruition. They must be flexible to changes in strategic direction and willing to take full ownership of their projects to ensure we as a company produce the best possible product. About You:
• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical or an equivalent engineering discipline
• Hardware design and ownership experience in industry, internships, or school projects
• Project experience with at least 3 of the following: 

  • Experience with fluid system components (fittings, seals, valves, regulators, etc.) and system testing
  • Experience with fluid system operation or design 
  • Experience with FEA tools to analyze structural margins
  • Experience with a commercial CAD package (NX, CREO, Solidworks) 

Nice to haves but not required:  

• 1+ years of related experience