Senior Launch Automation Engineer

Senior Launch Automation Engineer

Location: United States, Onsite
Compensation Range: 130,000 to 160,000 USD per year, plus equity and full benefits

We are a rocket manufacturing company developing the systems that enable reliable, repeatable and fast launch operations. Our Launch Automation and GNC team is currently very small, and we are looking for a Senior Launch Automation Engineer who can own the modeling, control logic and operational automation required to fuel, pressurize and launch our rockets.

This role is a unique blend of real time physical system simulation, process control engineering, ground operations software and GNC‑adjacent decision logic. We are looking for someone who can model complex cryogenic, pneumatic and hydraulic systems, develop the automated sequences that run countdown and launch, and validate everything in simulation before it touches hardware.

Candidates who excel here typically come from aerospace, propulsion test, chemical engineering with heavy simulation experience, or from industries such as oil and gas where high fidelity real time fluid simulation is core to the work. Pure process engineers without strong modeling and software capability are generally not a fit. We need someone who can build, not just operate.

This is a full time onsite role, highly technical and highly cross functional.

Role Overview

You will own the end to end automation logic that prepares, conditions and loads the rocket during countdown and executes the final launch sequence. Your work will span modeling, controls, ground operations, test automation, safety logic, system validation and direct launch support. You will be the person building the real time simulation environments that prove out our processes before we run them on hardware.

You will interface daily with propulsion, avionics and GNC to define system requirements, model interfaces, and help shape the architecture of our launch systems.

Key Responsibilities

Model

• Develop high fidelity simulations of cryogenic, pneumatic and hydraulic systems that support fueling, pressurization and countdown operations
• Build models that include mass and energy balances, two phase flow behavior, valve dynamics, thermal interactions and line conditioning
• Use these simulations as the truth model for validating launch automation logic

Automate

• Create the algorithms and control sequences that execute a complete countdown, including chilldown, conditioning, fill, pressurization and terminal count
• Define state logic, fault handling, limits, abort criteria and automated safing sequences
• Build the core software logic that runs launch day

Test

• Develop test automation in simulation, in hardware in the loop environments and in integrated system tests
• Use Simulink, Simscape and real time frameworks to validate behavior under nominal and off‑nominal scenarios
• Build CI and test pipelines that support rapid iteration

Partner

• Work closely with propulsion, avionics, GNC and ground systems to define interfaces and system level requirements
• Participate in design reviews, test planning and root cause investigations

Launch

• Support countdown operations from mission control
• Monitor fluid systems, diagnose anomalies and make real time decisions under pressure

Analyze

• Use ground test data and launch data to refine models, improve fidelity and update control sequences
• Drive changes into software and simulation environments quickly and safely

Ownership

• Take end to end responsibility for significant parts of the launch automation system
• Act as the primary technical point of contact across multiple teams for launch automation questions

Why We Value You

• Five or more years of experience modeling and controlling physical systems, ideally fluid or thermal systems
• Advanced degree in chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, physics or equivalent discipline
• Deep experience with MATLAB, Simulink and Simscape
• Understanding of fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, two phase flow and process control
• Experience designing control loops, safety logic and automated system sequences
• Comfortable working in real time modeling environments and integrating with hardware
• Strong communication skills and ability to lead technical discussions
• Interest in working onsite in a fast paced, highly iterative environment building launch systems from the ground up

Desired Multipliers

• Experience modeling cryogenic systems, propellant loading or high pressure gas systems
• Background in chemical or process engineering with heavy modeling emphasis
• Propulsion test experience or experience with ground support equipment
• Hands on experience with hazardous fluid systems, propellant handling or similar high consequence operations
• Experience with hardware in the loop simulation, verification through SIL or HIL, and Monte Carlo analysis

Who Thrives Here

This role is ideal for:

• Chemical or process engineers who want their fluid modeling work to directly run a rocket launch
• Controls engineers who want to model full physical systems, not just automation loops
• Propulsion test engineers who have built fluid and pressurization models and want broader ownership
• Aerospace engineers who enjoy thermal and fluids modeling and want a direct role in launch operations

Darwin Recruitment is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.

Adam Slade