Fluids Engineer Level 1

Background
Cowboy Space Corporation is building the infrastructure to power and connect the orbital economy. Our modular, scalable satellites collect sunlight in Low Earth Orbit to enable multiple integrated applications: transmitting energy via infrared lasers (space-to-earth and space-to-space), powering on-orbit high-performance computing clusters (GPU/TPU), and providing secure, high bandwidth optical data transport.
Current energy and data systems rely on complex logistics and outdated infrastructure. Cowboy Space Corporation overcomes these challenges by enabling direct, on-demand, secure, and scalable energy distribution and data processing from space. This will revolutionize how we operate in orbit and on Earth, supporting the rapidly expanding space industrial base, ISAM (In-Space Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing) operations, remote regions, and military bases.
Baiju Bhatt founded Cowboy Space Corporation in 2024. Inspired by his father’s work with NASA Langley Research Center, Baiju earned his B.S. in Physics and M.S. in Mathematics at Stanford before co-founding Robinhood, now a public company that has helped over 20 million Americans access the financial system. Cowboy Space Corporation has raised ~$365 million from Index Ventures, Interlagos, Construct Ventures, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, NEA, and others.
This is an ambitious mission that demands extraordinary talent. Cowboy Space Corporation’s team has worked at places like SpaceX, Blue Origin, Stoke Space, Astranis and NASA, and is based in San Carlos, CA. If you're ready to solve complex technical challenges and help build the most important energy company in the world, we want to hear from you.

About the Role

As a Fluids Engineer, you will own a critical fluid system from concept through flight. Depending on your background and team priorities, your assignment will be on Propulsion fluid design (main propulsion valves, throttling valves, Engine fluid routing and manifolding, etc), Vehicle propulsion feed systems (prevalves, propellant feedlines, etc), Vehicle tank pressure controls (vent valves, repress system, etc), or vehicle pneumatic systems (inert gas valves, regulators, fluid routing, and storage for actuation and control). This is a hands-on role at the center of propulsion and vehicle hardware development. You will work closely with propulsion, structures, thermal, avionics, manufacturing, and test operations to design integrated systems, build hardware, and validate through test. You’ll be expected to move quickly, iterate often, and take full ownership of fluid hardware that directly impacts mission success.

Responsibilities

• Own your fluid subsystem from concept through design, analysis, test, and flight.

• Drive fluid component and system designs for minimum mass while meeting pressure drop, proof, burst, leakage, cycle-life, and operating-life requirements across ground, ascent, and on-orbit environments.

• Design valves, fluid routing architectures, and fluid storage hardware for propellant, pneumatic, and thermal fluid service on rocket engines and vehicle fluid systems

• Balance performance, manufacturability, cost, and schedule in every design decision.

• Perform analysis — hand calculations, FEA, tolerance stack-ups — and validate predictions with test and flight data

• Own fluid subsystem layout and integration, ensuring compatibility across propulsion, thermal, and pneumatic systems.

• Define and execute qualification and acceptance test campaigns (proof, burst, leak, flow, cycle life, vibration); author procedures, acceptance criteria, and anomaly dispositions.

• Develop and maintain engineering drawings, models, specifications, interface control documents, and release documentation.

• Work directly on the factory floor with manufacturing and technicians to iterate quickly and resolve build issues in real time.

• Troubleshoot hardware anomalies, perform root cause analysis, and implement design improvements.

• Support engine and vehicle integration, hot-fire and fill/drain operations, ground system interfaces, post-test inspection, and refurbishment planning.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or related field.

• 1+ years of experience designing fluid system hardware (valves, regulators, tanks and pressure vessels, tubing, fittings, or manifolds) for flight vehicles or high-performance hardware. Internships, co-ops, and competition or research team experience count.

• Experience taking hardware from concept through build, integration, and test.

• Strong fundamentals in fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, heat transfer, structural mechanics, materials, and manufacturing processes.

• Experience with fluid system analysis: pressure drop and flow sizing, structural analysis of pressure vessels, or thermal-fluid modeling.

• Proficiency with CAD (NX, SolidWorks, CATIA, or Creo) and creating engineering drawings to ASME Y14.5 GD&T standards.

• Must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.

Preferred Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience designing fluid system hardware for flight vehicles or high-performance hardware.

• Direct experience with rocket engine, launch vehicle, or spacecraft propulsion fluid systems.

• Experience designing or qualifying valves (solenoid, pneumatic, hydraulic, or mechanically actuated) and pressure regulators.

• Familiarity with cryogenic fluid handling, storage, and insulation systems.

• Knowledge of material and seal compatibility with common propellants (LOX, methane, RP-1, etc) and pneumatics (helium, nitrogen), including oxygen-compatible design practice.

• Familiarity with relevant industry standards (AIAA S-080/S-081, ASME BPVC, SAE, and MIL-spec fluid fitting and pressure vessel standards).

• Hands-on prototyping, machining, brazing, or welding experience.

• Experience supporting propulsion hot-fire testing or vehicle fill/drain operations.

• Experience at a fast-moving, hardware-focused startup or early-stage program.

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this position is $100,000 – $135,000 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.

• 401(k) retirement savings plan

• Paid time off

• 10 paid holidays per calendar year

• Paid parental leave

• Relocation assistance if applicable

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.