Castelion
Manufacturing Engineer, Propellant
Rio Rancho, NM +1 · Full-time · Posted Sep 7, 2026
- Location
- Rio Rancho, NM
2601 29th Ave NW, Rio Rancho, NM 87144 - Experience
- 5+ years in manufacturing or process engineering, including at least 3+ years of relevant hands-on experience.
- Education
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related technical field.
- Visa sponsorship
- Employment is contingent on the ability to access applicable export-controlled information without additional export licensing. If designated, the role may require obtaining and maintaining a U.S. Government security clearance or other government authorization, and meeting applicable citizenship or other eligibility requirements.
About the job
Leads development, qualification, and scaling of solid rocket motor propellant manufacturing processes from prototype builds to production.
What you'll do
- Own and improve propellant manufacturing operations, including ingredient preparation, mixing, casting, curing, and finishing.
- Develop process documentation and controls; drive DFM, PFMEA, SPC, yield improvement, and corrective actions.
- Support equipment qualification, safety and regulatory compliance, supplier improvements, and production ramp-up.
What they ask for
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in a related technical field.
- 5+ years of manufacturing or process engineering experience, including at least 3+ years hands-on with solid propellants, energetic materials, or analogous high-hazard chemical/process manufacturing.
- Experience developing or scaling batch/process operations in a regulated environment, with hands-on energetic mixing, vacuum casting, and curing.
- Proficiency with process documentation, statistical tools (Minitab or similar), PFMEA, and root-cause methodologies.
Nice to have
- Direct solid rocket motor propellant manufacturing experience for DoD, NASA, or commercial space/hypersonic programs.
- Experience scaling from lab/prototype to production, or with facility stand-up, equipment commissioning, or production ramp of energetic materials lines.
Tools
Minitab, SPC, PFMEA, DoD 4145.26-M, ATF regulations, ITAR
Model-written summary · the original posting is authoritative