Principal Propulsion Engineer

ABOUT HEAVISIDE INDUSTRIES

Heaviside Industries builds multi-domain autonomous precision munitions for U.S. and allied special operations and conventional forces. While modern warfare has rapidly evolved with the proliferation of unmanned systems, hyper-precise munitions in contested environments are the future of the battlefield. Economical precision strike capabilities are critical to U.S. and allied war efforts, enabling successful defeat of enemy military assets and infrastructure. Heaviside builds precision munitions designed to operate in GPS-denied and spectrum-jammed battlefields—where traditional systems degrade or fail—without inflated prices or sacrifice to performance.

All engineering and manufacturing is conducted in-house in Heaviside's Los Angeles, CA headquarters and Oslo, Norway office.

Heaviside is backed by Felicis, Hedosophia, Interlagos, Friends & Family Capital, Menlo Ventures, Flume Ventures, Cantos, and others.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

• Set the technical direction for gasoline two-stroke propulsion across Heaviside's air vehicle programs, from concept through rate production

• Own the design, analysis, and qualification of engines, fuel systems, and related subsystems for expendable vehicles that must run reliably in harsh, expendable-mission conditions

• Lead dynamometer and bench testing to characterize power, fuel consumption, thermal behavior, and altitude performance, and turn the data into design changes

• Direct field and flight test campaigns for propulsion, define pass criteria, and drive root cause investigations of failures to closure

• Partner with manufacturing, supply chain, and quality engineers to design engines and components for repeatable in-house production at increasing volume

• Define assembly processes, acceptance test procedures, and inspection criteria for engine builds on the Los Angeles production floor

• Mentor senior and mid-level engineers on propulsion design reviews, failure analysis, and test planning across multiple teams

• Evaluate and qualify vendors for carburetors, ignition modules, cylinders, and castings, and decide when to build in-house versus buy

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering, or equivalent practical experience, with a strong foundation in thermodynamics, combustion, and fluid mechanics

• 8+ years of experience designing, developing, and testing aircraft or small-engine propulsion systems, with deep hands-on work on gasoline two-stroke engines

• Proven record of taking a propulsion system from prototype through qualification and into production, including ownership of design for manufacturing decisions

• Hands-on experience with engine dynamometer testing, data acquisition, and analysis of performance, mixture, and thermal data

• Experience designing, analyzing, and testing propellers for unmanned or small aircraft, including blade geometry, matching the propeller to the engine, thrust and efficiency characterization, and structural and vibration considerations

• Proficiency in CAD such as SolidWorks or NX, plus GD&T and tolerance analysis for precision engine components

• Experience with two-stroke tuning topics such as port timing, expansion chamber design, carburetion or fuel injection, and lubrication and cooling strategy

• Ability to set technical direction, lead design reviews, and influence engineers and managers across disciplines

• U.S. Person as defined by ITAR (22 CFR §120.62)

NICE TO HAVE

• Experience with fixed-wing aircraft or UAV propulsion, including engine installation, fuel systems, and flight test support

• Background in HVAC or thermal systems engineering, especially compressors, heat transfer, or airflow design

• Familiarity with engine simulation tools such as GT-POWER or CFD packages for intake, exhaust, and cooling analysis

• Experience with FMEA, DFMEA, and reliability testing methods such as accelerated life and HALT for small engines

• Experience with additive manufacturing or precision casting for engine components

• Active or prior U.S. security clearance

Additional Information:

Compensation bands are determined by role, level, location, and alignment with market data. Individual level and base pay is determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on job-related skills, education, experience, technical capabilities and internal equity. In addition to base salary, for full-time hires, you may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of stock options, and access to medical, vision & dental coverage as well as access to a 401(k) retirement plan.

Heaviside will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, including arrest or conviction records, consistent with the City of Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, and the California Fair Chance Act. Heaviside intends to review criminal history after a conditional offer. Heaviside reasonably believes criminal history may have a direct, adverse, and negative relationship with the following duties, potentially resulting in withdrawal of the offer: (1) accessing export-controlled technical data and defense articles; (2) handling and maintaining inventory of controlled components, tools, and equipment; and (3) accessing secure facilities, laboratories, and field test sites.

Heaviside is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Heaviside is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, physical disability or any other legally protected status.