Senior Propulsion Engineer – Engine Cooling & Air Systems

Senior Propulsion Engineer – Engine Cooling & Air Systems

Our client is an innovative aerospace company developing next-generation propulsion technology for high-performance flight. Working at the forefront of clean-sheet gas turbine development, they're building advanced propulsion systems in a fast-paced startup environment where engineers have the opportunity to take real ownership while learning from experienced industry experts.

We're seeking a Propulsion Engineer to join the Engine Cooling & Air Systems team, supporting the development of advanced thermal management and secondary air systems for next-generation gas turbine engines.

Unlike many specialist roles, this opportunity is open to engineers with adjacent technical experience who are eager to develop expertise in engine cooling and secondary air systems.

Whether your background is in thermal analysis, heat transfer, compressible flow, aerodynamics, mechanical design, structures, or engineering simulation, you'll work alongside experienced propulsion engineers who will mentor your growth into this highly specialised discipline.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the design and development of engine cooling and secondary air systems for advanced gas turbine engines.
• Analyse engine thermal management and secondary flow performance.
• Contribute to whole-engine models, evaluate system behaviour, and recommend design improvements.
• Work across aerodynamics, structures, thermal engineering, mechanical design, and systems engineering to optimise overall engine performance.
• Develop engineering tools, automation, and multidisciplinary analysis workflows.
• Support engine integration, manufacturing, hardware development, testing, and validation activities throughout the product lifecycle.

What We're Looking For

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related discipline.

Experience in one or more relevant technical areas, such as:

• Heat transfer
• Thermal analysis
• Internal aerodynamics
• Compressible flow
• Mechanical design
• Structural analysis
• Engineering simulation
• Strong desire to develop expertise in engine cooling and secondary air systems.
• Experience using CAD to support engineering integration activities.
• Programming or automation experience using Python or similar languages.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to solve multidisciplinary engineering problems.
• Excellent communication skills and a collaborative engineering mindset.

Nice to Have

• Experience with gas turbine or turbomachinery development.
• Whole-engine modelling or systems analysis experience.
• Familiarity with engine cycle modelling tools such as NPSS, PyCycle, or similar.
• Understanding of engine thermal management, cooling systems, seals, or secondary air architectures.
• Experience correlating analytical models with engine or rig test data.
• Experience developing engineering tools, automation, or analysis methodologies.
• Exposure to turbomachinery software such as AxSTREAM, ADS, or similar.
• Background within aerospace propulsion, industrial gas turbines, power generation, or other high-performance rotating machinery.

Why Join?

• Develop expertise in one of the most technically challenging and sought-after disciplines within gas turbine engineering.
• Learn directly from experienced propulsion specialists while working on a clean-sheet engine development programme.
• Join a collaborative, high-performance engineering team where you'll gain broad exposure across engine design, testing, and integration.
• Work in a fast-moving startup environment that values technical ownership, curiosity, and rapid problem-solving over bureaucracy.
• Competitive compensation, equity, comprehensive benefits, relocation assistance, and flexible PTO.