Careers at Pluto

Rocket Development Engineer

Pluto Aerospace | Lafayette, Indiana | In person
Travel required | U.S. citizenship required

About Pluto

Pluto Aerospace builds rockets and solid rocket motors that give customers affordable, rapid access to hypersonic flight testing. We are growing a small team of people who take responsibility, build real hardware, and carry their work through to flight.

Know how to build rockets? We want to hear from you.

Whether your background is professional aerospace, student teams, amateur rocketry, or building hardware on your own, we care about what you can personally design, build, troubleshoot, and get ready to fly.

The role

We are looking for a versatile engineer who can take a task from an initial idea through design, manufacturing, assembly, testing, and launch. You should be comfortable working in CAD, coordinating with suppliers, building hardware, and preparing rockets in the field.

You will work directly with the founder and own meaningful parts of our vehicles and operations. We need someone who can identify what needs to happen, make a practical plan, and follow through.

Pluto moves quickly. This role requires high adaptability, initiative, and comfort with changing priorities. You will often work with incomplete information, learn unfamiliar tasks, and solve problems as they arise. Your work may move from CAD and supplier coordination to hands-on assembly and launch preparation within the same day. We expect you to keep work moving, communicate obstacles early, and maintain safety and quality under pressure.

What you will do

Design rocket components, assemblies, tooling, and ground support equipment using CAD.
Create drawings, select materials and manufacturing processes, and get parts made through outside suppliers or internal capabilities.
Manage supplier communication, manufacturing questions, delivery schedules, and incoming inspection.
Assemble and integrate rockets, payloads, recovery systems, and supporting hardware.
Develop and maintain build records, procedures, checklists, and configuration documentation.
Troubleshoot fit, function, and manufacturing issues and carry improvements into the next build.
Prepare vehicles and equipment for shipment, testing, and launch.
Travel to launch and test sites and participate in preparation, launch operations, recovery, and postflight inspection.
Launch rockets!

What you bring

Demonstrated experience designing and building mechanical hardware.
Proficiency with a professional CAD package and the ability to produce clear manufacturing drawings.
Practical understanding of tolerances, materials, machining, fabrication, and mechanical assembly.
Ability to work independently, learn unfamiliar systems, and move work forward with limited direction.
Strong judgment about when to make a decision and when to ask for help.
Extreme ownership: you track the details, communicate problems early, and stay responsible until the task is complete.
Willingness to work hands-on in the shop and at outdoor test and launch sites.
Ability to work in person in Lafayette, Indiana.
Availability for regular travel, including multiday trips and occasional weekend launch operations.
U.S. citizenship.

An engineering degree or equivalent demonstrated practical experience is required. Rocketry, aerospace hardware, machining, avionics integration, and field testing experience are valuable.

What success looks like

Your designs become hardware. Your hardware arrives ready to integrate. Your rockets arrive at the range prepared to fly. When something goes wrong, you help resolve it and make the next vehicle better.

To apply

Submit your résumé and a brief description of something you personally designed, built, or brought through testing. Include photos, drawings, or a portfolio if available, and explain your specific contribution.

Apply by email

Send your application to hello@plutoaerospace.com.