Head of Analysis

Cowboy Space Corp. is building the infrastructure to power and connect the orbital economy. Our satellites operate in Low Earth Orbit to collect sunlight and enable a new class of capabilities—from powering on-orbit compute, to transmitting energy via infrared lasers (space-to-earth and space-to-space), to delivering secure, high-bandwidth optical data. By rethinking how energy and data are generated and distributed in space, we’re unlocking entirely new ways to operate both in orbit and on Earth.

Founded in 2024 by Baiju Bhatt (co-founder of Robinhood), Cowboy Space Corp. is backed by leading investors and built by a team from top aerospace and defense organizations. We’re moving quickly to solve complex technical challenges and build a new category of space infrastructure.

About the Role:

We are looking for a Head of Analysis to build and lead the analysis organization within our Launch & Propulsion division. Reporting to the Head of Launch & Propulsion, you will be the technical authority for all analytical substantiation of our engines and vehicle structures—owning the methods, tools, standards, and team that produce the structural, thermal, and fluid dynamics analyses underpinning every design decision and flight-readiness argument. You will set the margins philosophy, define what “analyzed” means for this program, develop the toolchain that lets your team move at hardware speed, and build a world-class group of analysts who can substantiate aggressive designs with confidence and rigor.

Responsibilities:

• Define and own the analysis philosophy for the program: factors of safety, margin policy, model fidelity requirements, and the standards that govern when a design is analytically cleared for build, test, and flight.

• Develop the analysis-versus-test strategy with other leaders to make hardware within a high-test cadence understood and safe.

• Build, lead, and develop a team of structural, thermal, and CFD analysts; establish roles, hire across experience levels, set career paths, and create a culture of analytical rigor when needed paired with engineering speed.

• Lead structural analysis efforts across engines and vehicle systems—static strength, fatigue, fracture, buckling, dynamics, and life assessment—ensuring methods are appropriate to failure mode, hardware criticality, and program phase.

• Lead thermal analysis for propulsion components (combustion devices, turbomachinery, nozzles, valves, etc) and vehicle systems (cryogenic insulation, TPS, avionics thermal management); define thermal models, boundary conditions, and correlation strategies.

• Lead CFD efforts for internal and external flow: combustion modeling, injector analysis, nozzle performance, aerodynamic heating, base environments, and fluid system flow characterization.

• Develop and maintain the analysis toolchain—commercial codes (such as ANSYS, Fluent, others), in-house solvers, automated workflows, and AI/ML-augmented methods—to enable rapid iteration and keep analysis cadence matched to design cadence.

• Establish and analysis documentation standards: model descriptions, assumptions registers, verification and validation (V&V) evidence, and margin-of-safety reporting formats that support design reviews and flight-readiness arguments.

• Own the correlation of analytical predictions with test and flight data; drive model updates when predictions diverge from reality, and maintain a lessons-learned database that prevents repeated errors.

• Coordinate with design, test, manufacturing, and mission assurance teams to ensure analysis products arrive on schedule, inform design trades early, and close action items from reviews without bottlenecking hardware flow.

• Present analysis substantiation at program milestones (PDR, CDR, TRR, FRR); represent the analysis organization to leadership, customers, and certification authorities with clarity and technical authority.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, or related engineering field

• 10+ years of experience in structural, thermal, or fluid dynamics analysis for aerospace or propulsion hardware, with at least 5 years in a technical leadership role managing a team of analysts.

• Deep expertise in at least one analysis domain (structural, thermal, or CFD) with strong working knowledge of the other two—sufficient to set standards, review work, and make judgment calls across disciplines.

• Proven ability to define analysis methodologies, factors of safety, and margin policies for flight hardware programs; experience substantiating designs through analysis for qualification and flight certification.

• Proficiency with analysis software tools (e.g., ANSYS, Fluent, Star-CCM+, Nastran, Abaqus, Thermal Desktop, Sinda)

• Experience onboarding analysis software tools and infrastructure and building or directing automated analysis workflows.

• Track record of building and scaling an analysis team: hiring, mentoring, establishing processes, onboarding analysis tools, and delivering high-quality analysis products on aggressive schedules.

• Strong communication skills: ability to present complex analytical results clearly at design reviews, defend margins and assumptions to chief engineers, and translate analysis findings into actionable design guidance.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced degree (MS or PhD) in Aerospace, Mechanical, or related engineering field

• Direct experience analyzing rocket engines or propulsion components: combustion chambers, nozzles, turbopumps, injectors, or hot-gas manifolds—including coupled thermal-structural assessment under extreme temperature gradients and pressure loads.

• Experience defining and executing model correlation campaigns using test data (strain gauges, thermocouples, DIC, modal survey); demonstrated ability to update models based on empirical results and quantify residual uncertainty.

• Background in developing in-house analysis tools, parametric solvers, or AI/ML-augmented analysis methods (surrogate models, reduced-order models, automated meshing, or optimization loops) to accelerate the design-analysis cycle.

• Familiarity with fracture mechanics, damage tolerance, and life-management programs for reusable propulsion and vehicle hardware (NASA-STD-5019, NASGRO, or equivalent).

• Knowledge of relevant analysis and material standards: MMPDS/CMH-17 for allowables, NASA-STD-5001 for structural design, JANNAF for propulsion environments, and AIAA verification/validation guidelines.

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this position is $220,000 – $272,373 annually. The actual base salary offered will depend on factors such as job-related skills, experience, qualifications, and internal equity.

• Equity in Cowboy Space Corp.

• Employees and their eligible dependents may enroll in medical, dental, and vision insurance

• 401(k) retirement savings plan

• Paid time off

• 10 paid holidays per calendar year

• Paid parental leave

• Relocation assistance if applicable

• Daily lunch in the office and a fully stocked kitchen with beverages and snacks

ITAR Requirements

• Export Control Requirement: To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), applicants must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about ITAR here.

Disclaimer

This job description is a summary of the primary duties and responsibilities of the job and position. It is not intended to be a comprehensive or all-inclusive listing of duties and responsibilities. Contents are subject to change at Cowboy Space Corp.’s discretion.

Cowboy Space Corp. is an equal employment opportunity employer. We consider individuals for employment or promotion according to their skills, abilities and experience. Cowboy Space Corp. is committed to complying with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religious creed, age, national origin, ancestry, physical, mental or developmental disability, sex (which includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and medical conditions relating to pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding), veteran status, military status, marital or registered domestic partnership status, medical condition (including cancer or genetic characteristics), genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, as well as any other category protected by federal, state or local laws.