Propulsion Systems Engineer
InspeCity Space Laboratories Pvt. Ltd. is an Indian deep-tech space company dedicated to developing indigenous technologies for satellite life extension, autonomous in-orbit servicing, space robotics and sustainable orbital operations.
Bangalore Site (whiteField)
Position Summary
As a Propulsion Systems Engineer, you will own the requirements baseline and ensure mission objectives and customer requirements are met through structured verification and validation. You will collaborate across mechanical, electrical, thermal, fluidic, software, manufacturing, and test disciplines to deliver integrated solutions.
The role involves stakeholder engagement, creating the technical deliverables, and reviewing the component/sub-system level designs; while focusing on the integrated system architecture and performance. A strong candidate shall undertake full system ownership from concept through flight and operation. By applying propulsion expertise with systems engineering rigor, you will advance next‑generation space propulsion technologies.
Responsibilities
Requirements Management
Translate mission objectives, customer needs, safety constraints, regulatory obligations, and launch-vehicle requirements into propulsion-system requirements and system architecture
Decompose and allocate system-level requirements into subsystem, component, and interface using systems-engineering methodologies
Negotiate, resolve conflict, and converge requirements across stakeholders
Establish effective requirements-baselining, change-control, traceability, and communication mechanisms to keep all stakeholders aligned on requirement updates, deviations, waivers, and non-conformances
Maintain end-to-end requirements traceability and facilitate technical lifecycle reviews including SRR, PDR, CDR, MRR, TRR, and FRR, ensuring continued alignment with mission and system objectives
Subsystem Integration & Interface Definition
Facilitate the negotiation for interfaces among subsystem owners covering structural, thermal, electrical, fluidic, data, software, and operational interfaces; PoC for the latest Interface Control Documents (ICDs)
Ensure compatibility and integration of the propulsion system with satellite structures, thermal control, electrical power, avionics, GNC, communications, flight software, and mission operations
Identify and resolve inter- and intra-subsystem interface conflicts, and system-level incompatibilities throughout the product lifecycle
Launch Vehicle & Qualification Documentation
Own and coordinate analyses, compliance matrices, qualification evidence, and technical documentation required to demonstrate compliance with launch-vehicle and rideshare-provider requirements
Interpret and communicate applicable qualification and safety requirements covering pressurized systems, propulsion hazards, range safety, materials and processes, contamination control, structural/environmental testing, and hazardous operations
Coordinate technical reviews, closure actions, waivers, deviations, and approvals with launch-service providers, customers, and relevant external agencies
Maintain propulsion-system certification and qualification documentation required for spacecraft integration and launch acceptance
Trade Studies & Risk Analysis
Establish, maintain, and periodically review system technical budgets and margins, including mass, power, thermal, data, volume, performance, reliability, and operational constraints
Identify breach against agreed technical budgets and drive cross-functional resolution, mitigation, or requirement renegotiation
Perform and coordinate reliability and risk analyses including FMEA/FMECA, fault-tree analysis, hazard analysis, and system-level risk assessments, as applicable
Support development and maintenance of the System Safety Program Plan (SSPP) and associated hazard-control activities in coordination with the designated Safety Team
Testing, Verification & Validation
Develop and maintain the propulsion-system Verification and Validation Plan, defining verification methods, levels, responsibilities, success criteria, and evidence required for requirement closure
Perform development testing to ensure integrated system performance
Define and maintain verification matrices linking each requirement to the applicable analysis, test, inspection method and its verification evidence
Coordinate test readiness reviews, anomaly resolution, test-data assessment, and verification closure
Maintain an traceable link b/w mission objectives → requirements → architecture/design → system-level qualification and acceptance → FDIR → ground-support operation → propellant loading/unloading → launch readiness → in-orbit operations
Cross-Functional Coordination
Serve as the system-level focal point between propulsion build & research teams, satellite systems; having the final authority on system level conflicts
Ensure effective flow-down and percolation of requirements across engineering and execution teams through structured technical communication, reviews, and documentation
Facilitate resolution of cross-functional technical issues, ensuring decisions, assumptions, actions, and design changes are formally documented and communicated to affected stakeholders
Requirements Management
Translate mission objectives, customer needs, safety constraints, regulatory obligations, and launch-vehicle requirements into propulsion-system requirements and system architecture
Decompose and allocate system-level requirements into subsystem, component, and interface using systems-engineering methodologies
Negotiate, resolve conflict, and converge requirements across stakeholders
Establish effective requirements-baselining, change-control, traceability, and communication mechanisms to keep all stakeholders aligned on requirement updates, deviations, waivers, and non-conformances
Maintain end-to-end requirements traceability and facilitate technical lifecycle reviews including SRR, PDR, CDR, MRR, TRR, and FRR, ensuring continued alignment with mission and system objectives
Subsystem Integration & Interface Definition
Facilitate the negotiation for interfaces among subsystem owners covering structural, thermal, electrical, fluidic, data, software, and operational interfaces; PoC for the latest Interface Control Documents (ICDs)
Ensure compatibility and integration of the propulsion system with satellite structures, thermal control, electrical power, avionics, GNC, communications, flight software, and mission operations
Identify and resolve inter- and intra-subsystem interface conflicts, and system-level incompatibilities throughout the product lifecycle
Launch Vehicle & Qualification Documentation
Own and coordinate analyses, compliance matrices, qualification evidence, and technical documentation required to demonstrate compliance with launch-vehicle and rideshare-provider requirements
Interpret and communicate applicable qualification and safety requirements covering pressurized systems, propulsion hazards, range safety, materials and processes, contamination control, structural/environmental testing, and hazardous operations
Coordinate technical reviews, closure actions, waivers, deviations, and approvals with launch-service providers, customers, and relevant external agencies
Maintain propulsion-system certification and qualification documentation required for spacecraft integration and launch acceptance
Trade Studies & Risk Analysis
Establish, maintain, and periodically review system technical budgets and margins, including mass, power, thermal, data, volume, performance, reliability, and operational constraints
Identify breach against agreed technical budgets and drive cross-functional resolution, mitigation, or requirement renegotiation
Perform and coordinate reliability and risk analyses including FMEA/FMECA, fault-tree analysis, hazard analysis, and system-level risk assessments, as applicable
Support development and maintenance of the System Safety Program Plan (SSPP) and associated hazard-control activities in coordination with the designated Safety Team
Testing, Verification & Validation
Develop and maintain the propulsion-system Verification and Validation Plan, defining verification methods, levels, responsibilities, success criteria, and evidence required for requirement closure
Perform development testing to ensure integrated system performance
Define and maintain verification matrices linking each requirement to the applicable analysis, test, inspection method and its verification evidence
Coordinate test readiness reviews, anomaly resolution, test-data assessment, and verification closure
Maintain an traceable link b/w mission objectives → requirements → architecture/design → system-level qualification and acceptance → FDIR → ground-support operation → propellant loading/unloading → launch readiness → in-orbit operations
Cross-Functional Coordination
Serve as the system-level focal point between propulsion build & research teams, satellite systems; having the final authority on system level conflicts
Ensure effective flow-down and percolation of requirements across engineering and execution teams through structured technical communication, reviews, and documentation
Facilitate resolution of cross-functional technical issues, ensuring decisions, assumptions, actions, and design changes are formally documented and communicated to affected stakeholders
Requirements Management
Translate mission objectives, customer needs, safety constraints, regulatory obligations, and launch-vehicle requirements into propulsion-system requirements and system architecture
Decompose and allocate system-level requirements into subsystem, component, and interface using systems-engineering methodologies
Negotiate, resolve conflict, and converge requirements across stakeholders
Establish effective requirements-baselining, change-control, traceability, and communication mechanisms to keep all stakeholders aligned on requirement updates, deviations, waivers, and non-conformances
Maintain end-to-end requirements traceability and facilitate technical lifecycle reviews including SRR, PDR, CDR, MRR, TRR, and FRR, ensuring continued alignment with mission and system objectives
Subsystem Integration & Interface Definition
Facilitate the negotiation for interfaces among subsystem owners covering structural, thermal, electrical, fluidic, data, software, and operational interfaces; PoC for the latest Interface Control Documents (ICDs)
Ensure compatibility and integration of the propulsion system with satellite structures, thermal control, electrical power, avionics, GNC, communications, flight software, and mission operations
Identify and resolve inter- and intra-subsystem interface conflicts, and system-level incompatibilities throughout the product lifecycle
Launch Vehicle & Qualification Documentation
Own and coordinate analyses, compliance matrices, qualification evidence, and technical documentation required to demonstrate compliance with launch-vehicle and rideshare-provider requirements
Interpret and communicate applicable qualification and safety requirements covering pressurized systems, propulsion hazards, range safety, materials and processes, contamination control, structural/environmental testing, and hazardous operations
Coordinate technical reviews, closure actions, waivers, deviations, and approvals with launch-service providers, customers, and relevant external agencies
Maintain propulsion-system certification and qualification documentation required for spacecraft integration and launch acceptance
Trade Studies & Risk Analysis
Establish, maintain, and periodically review system technical budgets and margins, including mass, power, thermal, data, volume, performance, reliability, and operational constraints
Identify breach against agreed technical budgets and drive cross-functional resolution, mitigation, or requirement renegotiation
Perform and coordinate reliability and risk analyses including FMEA/FMECA, fault-tree analysis, hazard analysis, and system-level risk assessments, as applicable
Support development and maintenance of the System Safety Program Plan (SSPP) and associated hazard-control activities in coordination with the designated Safety Team
Testing, Verification & Validation
Develop and maintain the propulsion-system Verification and Validation Plan, defining verification methods, levels, responsibilities, success criteria, and evidence required for requirement closure
Perform development testing to ensure integrated system performance
Define and maintain verification matrices linking each requirement to the applicable analysis, test, inspection method and its verification evidence
Coordinate test readiness reviews, anomaly resolution, test-data assessment, and verification closure
Maintain an traceable link b/w mission objectives → requirements → architecture/design → system-level qualification and acceptance → FDIR → ground-support operation → propellant loading/unloading → launch readiness → in-orbit operations
Cross-Functional Coordination
Serve as the system-level focal point between propulsion build & research teams, satellite systems; having the final authority on system level conflicts
Ensure effective flow-down and percolation of requirements across engineering and execution teams through structured technical communication, reviews, and documentation
Facilitate resolution of cross-functional technical issues, ensuring decisions, assumptions, actions, and design changes are formally documented and communicated to affected stakeholders
Must-Have Skills:
Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, Systems Engineering, or a related technical discipline
3+ years of experience managing requirements, verification planning, and system integration activities for a complex engineering hardware product; work experience in an aerospace industry is bonus
Ability to design, analyze, develop, test, and revise a propulsion system from scratch
Ability to perform hand calculations and detailed simulations required for the system including fluid, combustion, and thermal
Familiarity with pressurized system design standards, including ANSI/AIAA S‑080A/81B, ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (BPVC)
Familiarity with aerospace industry standards and spaceflight qualification practices (SpaceX’s Rideshare Payload User Guidelines, ISRO)
Background in reliability engineering and system safety practices, including FMECA and PFMEA/DFMEA
Experience contributing to or leading PDR, CDR, or similar technical reviews
Strong technical documentation and presentation skills
Good-to-Have Skills:
Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related technical discipline
5+ years of experience as a team lead for the development of a hardware product
Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple tasks
Ability to communicate with multidisciplinary engineering teams and customers
Working knowledge of satellite mission analysis and design
Experience with numerical simulation program/libraries/software for pressure drop calculations, two-phase compressible fluid behavior, thermal interaction, converging-diverging nozzle and steady/transient combustion
Experienced with CFD/thermal software (eg ANSYS, Siemens NX, OpenFOAM, etc)
Proficiency with Microsoft Office products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) along with JIRA/Confluence for documentation, analysis, and reporting
Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related technical discipline
5+ years of experience as a team lead for the development of a hardware product
Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple tasks
Ability to communicate with multidisciplinary engineering teams and customers
Working knowledge of satellite mission analysis and design
Experience with numerical simulation program/libraries/software for pressure drop calculations, two-phase compressible fluid behavior, thermal interaction, converging-diverging nozzle and steady/transient combustion
Experienced with CFD/thermal software (eg ANSYS, Siemens NX, OpenFOAM, etc)
Proficiency with Microsoft Office products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) along with JIRA/Confluence for documentation, analysis, and reporting
Work Environment & Other Requirement
On-site role at the assigned InspeCity facility; exposure to high-pressure, electrical, combustion, and propellant-related test environments
Extended hours/weekend availability during critical mission campaigns
Travel between sites (Thane, MH and Bengaluru, KA) required, when necessary
Comfortable operating in a fast-paced development environment where priorities, designs, and schedules may evolve rapidly
On-site role at the assigned InspeCity facility; exposure to high-pressure, electrical, combustion, and propellant-related test environments
Extended hours/weekend availability during critical mission campaigns
Travel between sites (Thane, MH and Bengaluru, KA) required, when necessary
Comfortable operating in a fast-paced development environment where priorities, designs, and schedules may evolve rapidly
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Innovation Across Borders
© 2025
Inspecity Space Laboratories Pvt. Ltd.
Innovation Across Borders
© 2025
Inspecity Space Laboratories Pvt. Ltd.
Innovation Across Borders
© 2025 InspeCity Space Laboratories Pvt. Ltd.
Innovation Across Borders
© 2025 InspeCity Space Laboratories Pvt. Ltd.
Innovation Across Borders