Propulsion Engineer - Bearing Mechanical Design

5w1 month ago

Boom Supersonic

Centennial, US · Full-time · $107,000 – $203,000

About this role

Boom Supersonic is developing the Symphony supersonic engine to power the Overture airliner, making the world dramatically more accessible through a renaissance in supersonic flight. As a Propulsion Engineer focused on bearing mechanical design, you will integrate rigorous engineering with innovative design to accelerate the fastest development of a large-scale propulsion system in aviation history.

Your day-to-day work involves leading the design, sizing, and development of mainshaft and gearbox bearings for aero gas turbine engines, with a focus on life, load capacity, and thermal behavior under supersonic mission profiles. You will define bearing architecture within the engine, including sump layout, support arrangements, and preload concepts, ensuring compatibility with rotordynamic, structural, and thermal requirements across the operating envelope.

You will collaborate closely with aerodynamics, structures, secondary air/oil, and test engineers to integrate bearing and sump module designs seamlessly into the Symphony propulsion system. This role also involves developing bearing lubrication and cooling strategies to meet durability, efficiency, and certification-driven reliability goals.

At Boom, you will have the opportunity to redefine how power meets speed, working on the first jet engine purpose-built for sustainable supersonic flight. Your contributions will directly reduce cycle times and ensure system reliability, critical metrics for this groundbreaking program.

Requirements

Deep expertise in aero gas turbine bearing technologies, including ball, roller, angular contact, and damped bearing systems.
Strong background in bearing analysis methods, including life, vibration, and thermal assessment, internal load distribution, and lubrication regime characterization.
Proficiency with bearing and rotordynamic simulation tools such as Romax, SKF/Timken tools, XLTRC2, or MADYN.
Proven ability to lead cross-disciplinary propulsion teams around bearing-centric work scopes from concept through certification support.
Adept at troubleshooting bearing-related issues in test or service, including elevated temperatures, vibration signatures, debris indications, and cage/liner wear.
Experience with whole-engine structural, thermal, and secondary air/oil modeling in an aviation gas turbine context.

Responsibilities

Lead the design, sizing, and development of mainshaft and gearbox bearings for aero gas turbine engines, focusing on life, load capacity, thermal behavior, and robustness under supersonic mission profiles.
Define bearing architecture within the engine, including sump layout, support arrangements, preload concepts, fits/clearances, and housings.
Analyze bearing loads and environments using whole-engine rotordynamic and secondary air/oil models to ensure margins against fatigue, skidding, smearing, cage distress, and lubrication breakdown.
Collaborate closely with aerodynamics, structures, secondary air/oil, and test engineers to integrate bearing and sump module designs into the Symphony propulsion system.
Develop and refine bearing lubrication and cooling strategies, including oil supply, scavenging, jets, nozzles, and heat rejection.
Define and execute bearing-focused test programs at rig, module, and engine levels, including test matrices, instrumentation needs, and acceptance criteria.
Lead failure investigations involving bearings and associated hardware, driving data-based corrective actions to improve durability and protect fleet reliability.

Benefits

Work on the first jet engine purpose-built for sustainable supersonic flight.
Contribute to the fastest development of a large-scale propulsion system in aviation history.
Collaborate with a cross-disciplinary team of experts in aerodynamics, structures, and test engineering.
Opportunity to redefine how power meets speed in a groundbreaking aerospace program.