Senior Fluids Engineer

Kent, Washingtonfull timeOn Site

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senior

$160k–$185k

H1B: no

Cowboyspace Senior Fluids Engineer owning design and development of fluid system hardware for propulsion, fluids, and thermal management architectures. Responsible for valves, regulators, fluid storage, routing, and integrated subsystems through full lifecycle from concept to flight.

Responsibilities

Design valves (flow control, isolation, regulation, check, and relief) for propellant, pressurant, and thermal fluid systems used on propulsion and launch vehicle systems.
Develop fluid storage hardware including propellant tanks, pressure vessels, and accumulators from concept through qualification.
Design fluid routing architecture: tubing runs, manifolds, fittings, flex lines, and quick-disconnects for vehicle integration.
Own fluid subsystem layout and integration, ensuring compatibility across propulsion, thermal, and pneumatic systems.
Perform hydraulic and pneumatic analysis (pressure drop, flow distribution, water hammer, thermal transients) to size components and verify system performance.
Perform structural analysis (FEA, hand calcs) and validate with test and flight data.
Select materials compatible with propellants, pressures, and operating environments (cryogenic, high-pressure, corrosive).
Generate detailed component and assembly drawings, specifications, and interface control documents.
Support and execute component-level and system-level test campaigns (proof, burst, flow, leak, cycle life).
Work directly with manufacturing and technicians to resolve build issues, improve producibility, and support rapid iteration.
Support vehicle integration, fill/drain operations, and ground system interfaces.
Contribute to anomaly investigation, post-flight inspection, and design improvements for reuse and reliability.

Qualification

Bachelor’s degree in MechanicalExperience with fluid system analysisProficiency with CAD tools (NX

Required

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Chemical, or related engineering field.
3+ years of experience designing fluid system hardware (valves, regulators, tanks, tubing, or fittings) for flight or high-performance applications.
Experience with fluid system analysis: pressure drop, flow sizing, structural analysis of pressure vessels, or thermal-fluid modeling.
Hands-on experience taking hardware from design through build and test.
Proficiency with CAD tools (NX, CATIA, or SolidWorks) for detailed part and assembly design.

Preferred

Experience with launch vehicle or spacecraft propulsion fluid systems.
Familiarity with cryogenic fluid handling, storage, and insulation systems.
Experience designing or qualifying valves (solenoid, pneumatic, or mechanically actuated).
Knowledge of material compatibility with common propellants (LOX, methane, hydrazine, NTO) and pressurants (helium, nitrogen).
Experience with additive manufacturing or advanced fabrication methods for fluid components.
Familiarity with relevant industry standards (AIAA, SAE, MIL-spec, ASME pressure vessel codes).
Experience supporting propulsion hot-fire testing or vehicle fill/drain operations.