Senior Turbopump Manufacturing Engineer | Job Description

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), powering on-orbit compute 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:

Own how the turbopump hardware gets manufactured and pumps get built. You own all the way from directing DfM for new and existing components, to setting the direction for manufacturing of the components and the final assembly of the turbopumps.

Responsibilities:

• Bring a culture of creativity to every design and manufacturing challenge, ask the hard questions, and own each fix or improvement with true accountability, and see it through to completion.

• Own build process definition for turbopump hardware: routings, work instructions, process specifications, and the inspection plan at each step.

• Own turbopump assembly on the floor—fit-up, clearance and stack-up verification, rotor balance, torque and preload control, and final acceptance of the built unit.

• Design and build tooling and fixtures for machining, assembly, and handling of rotating and static hardware at the component fabrication and assembly levels.

• Drive design iteration for DfM and cost

• Own cleanliness and contamination control for pumps, including cleaning processes, verification, and packaging.

• Disposition nonconformances, lead rework and repair development, and eliminate issues at their root.

• Own build cycle time, yield, and rate readiness—identify the constraint, fix it, and scale the process from first article to repeatable production.

• Support suppliers on process capability, first article, and lead qualification of new processes and equipment brought in house.

Basic Qualifications:

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

• Working knowledge of precision machining, geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T), tolerance stack-ups, and dimensional inspection including but not limited to coordinate measurement machines (CMM).

• Hands-on ownership of build and assembly processes on the floor.

• Experience dispositioning nonconforming hardware and developing rework or repair workscopes.

Preferred Qualifications:

• 8+ years of manufacturing or development/production engineering experience on precision mechanical, rotating, or propulsion hardware.

• Experience building liquid rocket engine turbopumps or comparable high-speed rotating assemblies.

• Experience with rotor balancing, bearing and dynamic seal installation, and assembly clearance control.

• Experience with welding, brazing, or additive manufacturing process development and qualification, including non-destructive evaluation (NDE).

• Experience authoring work instructions and process specifications, and qualifying them through verification and validation.

• Experience designing, analyzing, and procuring tooling for manufacturing and assembly.

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this position is $180,000 – $210,000 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.