Fluids & Propulsion Engineer

As a propulsion and fluid systems engineer, you will support the development of the key enabling technologies for enabling in‑orbit refuelling, including fluidic interface components as well as the wider fluid and propulsion systems that support Orbit Fab’s refuelling missions in development. You will support early phase work as well as later phase development, integration, and testing through to acceptance and delivery. A strong candidate will call upon a breadth of experience developing components and subsystems in space propulsion and related fields, pursuing a hardware‑centric iterative approach to deliver on time and on budget.

We describe here the skills, qualifications, and responsibilities that we need to have as a team. You don’t need all of them. Your aptitude for complex technical challenges and your practical experience designing, building, and testing will trump specific qualification or tools.

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• Define propulsion and fluid system architectures on major UK and European refuelling missions
  
• Interface with propulsion subsystem and component suppliers, ensuring alignment with the overall solution
  
• Establish preliminary fluid and propulsion system designs and analysis
  
• Support BD activities from an engineering perspective as required
  
• Manage and maintain development schedules, systems requirements, and design budgets
  
• Guide systems engineering processes and facilitate technical trades across the system
  
• Support technical reviews and technical decision‑making processes and development
  
• Plan, specify and follow up simulations and test campaigns to verify subsystem and component performance and requirements compliance
  
• Lead hands‑on build and testing of development models of components and subsystems
  
• Support flight AIT activities as required
  
• Identify technical issues and proactively implement resolutions to mitigate schedule and cost impacts
  
• Identify suppliers and oversee component selection
  
• Provide technical mentorship to more junior team members
  

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• Experience taking fluid/propulsion components or subsystems from specification and concept phase through key milestones in prototyping, detailed design, and AIT
  
• Demonstrated collaboration with space systems engineering teams
  
• Experience with generation of verification plans and executing qualification campaigns
  
• Deep knowledge and experience in one or more of the following areas: Propulsion and fluid systems design and development, Fluid components design and development, Propulsion system MAIT
  
• Experience defining customer needs and crafting engineering requirements, including a proven ability to successfully push back on unnecessary or mission‑affecting customer requirements
  
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
  
• BS degree and four years of related engineering experience, or
  
• MS degree or Ph.D. in a related field and three years of related engineering experience
  

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• Experience of cradle‑to‑grave (including flight operations) component and subsystem development
  
• Experience of fluidic analysis tools (eg Ecosimpro, Thermal Desktop)
  
• Understanding of the spacecraft propulsion component supply chain
  
• Experience with both low and high budget space system development
  
• Demonstrated experience working in a multi‑disciplinary team
  

At Orbit Fab, we value respectful debate and people who aren’t afraid to challenge assumptions. We strongly encourage you to apply if you feel you would succeed in the role above.

The UK Orbit Fab office is based at Harwell Campus, the UK’s preeminent gateway to the space industry, and only a short drive from Oxford with convenient access to London.

We offer a range of benefits that can be discussed during the interview process.

Candidate must have right to work in the UK.

Orbit Fab is an equal opportunity employer, committed to being a diverse and inclusive place in which our talent can thrive. As such, Orbit Fab does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, colour, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organisation, retaliation, parental status, military service, other non‑merit factor or any other protected characteristic or protected category recognised by the law of jurisdictions in which we operate. All hiring and recruitment decisions made at Orbit Fab are subject to Orbit Fab’s compliance with all applicable legal and regulatory requirements.