Pump Design Engineer – Rocket Turbopumps

ABOUT ASTROBASE SPACE TECHNOLOGIES Astrobase is a pioneering spacetech startup founded by prominent Senior ISRO scientists and IIT Bombay alumni with over 20 years of experience in designing, manufacturing, testing and flying advanced Cryogenic Launch Vehicles. Driven by a vision to make India a Space tech powerhouse, we are developing innovative launch vehicles that will transform space exploration. At Astrobase, you’ll be part of a team creating history in the Indian space industry. Our goal is to become the first private space company from India to land on the moon economically.
ABOUT THE ROLE As Pump Design Engineer, you will own the pump side of our liquid rocket engine turbopumps, from inducer to volute. You will predict how the pump should perform, compare it with test data and drive the design improvements that follow.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES 1. Design the inducer, impeller, diffuser and volute for head, efficiency and suction performance. 2. Own axial thrust balancing of the pump: predict axial loads, design the balance features (balance piston, wear rings, balance holes) and validate them in test. 3. Perform NPSHR and cavitation studies: predict NPSHR across the operating range, assess cavitation breakdown and instabilities, and validate them through suction performance tests. 4. Maintain the pump design baseline: meanline sizing models and performance maps. 5. Provide inputs to CFD and FEA to check flow paths, stresses and design margins. 6. Design and own the sealing requirements for pump side streams (wear-ring leakage, balance flows, bearing coolant and recirculation flows), including clearances that account for cryogenic contraction and centrifugal growth. 7. Correlate test data (pump curves, NPSHR, axial thrust, vibration) with predictions, find root causes of gaps and drive design improvements. 8. Present the pump design at the PDR, TDR and VDR, close out review actions and get clearance, including release for manufacturing. 9. Support cold-flow and hot-fire test campaigns at test sites, including setup, data review and post-test inspection.
REQUIREMENTS 1. B.E./B.Tech or M.E./M.Tech in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering. 2. 2–5 years in pump design (centrifugal pumps, inducers or turbopumps). 3. Strong pump fundamentals: velocity triangles, specific speed, meanline design, cavitation, NPSHR and axial thrust. 4. Understanding of CFD and FEA for pump components, enough to define inputs and review results. 5. Python or MATLAB for analysis and test data correlation. 6. CAD and GD&T skills to take a design change from idea to released drawing.
GOOD TO HAVE • Liquid rocket engine or cryogenic pump experience. • Pump design tools (CFturbo, ANSYS BladeModeler/Vista or Concepts NREC). • Pump test-rig or water-flow test experience.
WORK ENVIRONMENT This role is part of the Turbomachinery Department. It is mainly office-based design work, with occasional travel to the factory and test facility for testing.
WHY WORK WITH US? At Astrobase, we believe in the power of human ingenuity and collaboration to push the boundaries of space exploration. As a team member, you’ll be
1. Creating History: Join us in developing cutting-edge launch vehicles, playing a pivotal role in transforming space access and shaping the future of space exploration. 2. Collaborating with Experts: Work alongside ISRO scientists and industry veterans with decades of experience in designing India’s iconic space missions like Chandrayaan 3 3. Growth Opportunities: As Astrobase scales, you’ll have the chance to take on leadership roles and be part of an expanding organization driving change in the Indian space sector. 4. Pioneering Space Technology: Your contributions will not only impact Astrobase but also influence the global space ecosystem. Be part of something larger than yourself.