**Manastu Space** is an Indian space-tech company founded by IIT Bombay alumni **Tushar Jadhav** and **Ashtesh Kumar**. It develops hydrogen peroxide-based green propulsion systems for satellites and launch vehicles that enable safer maneuvering that is cost-effective and helps in debris collision avoidance with sustainable end-of-life deorbiting, thus address the growing needs and challenges of an increasingly crowded space environment.
Our work sits at the intersection of advanced engineering, applied research and mission-critical systems, requiring deep technical capability and long-term thinking.
Our work sits at the intersection of advanced engineering, applied research, and mission-critical systems, requiring deep technical capability and long-term thinking.
Website: https://www.manastuspace.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/manastu-space/
Email: careers@manastuspace.com
**Role Objective**
Establish and standardize the sustainable production and testing protocols for the various polymer components and polymer coatings that will be in direct contact with highly oxidizing fuels to enable safe, reliable, and long-duration storage of hydrogen peroxide–based propellants. The role involves understanding, executing, and mitigating the challenges associated with the manufacturing of complex polymer components including elastomer sealing and polymer coating that is used for the storage of Hydrogen Peroxide based propellant. It involves deep understanding of degradation kinetics, propellant - material interactions that governs storage stability in propulsion systems, and translating these insights into compatibility limits, and predictive models required for flight-qualified propulsion hardware.
**Role Overview**
We are seeking a Polymer Engineer to join our growing aerospace organization facility in Navi Mumbai, with strong expertise in high-performance engineering polymers like Fluoropolymers. This role focuses on understanding and standardization for the manufacturing and production of polymer-based components, from raw material selection to final product realization, in accordance with design requirements and specifications for qualification in flight systems operating in continuous contact with H₂O₂-based propellants under practical engineering constraints.
The role also includes conducting laboratory-scale experiments and translating the findings into engineering solutions to identify polymer materials that enable extended propellant storage life within the propulsion system. You will work at the intersection of chemistry, materials science, and propulsion hardware, contributing
to the development of stable, reliable, and flight-ready peroxide-based propulsion systems.
**Key Responsibilities**
• Identify the technical challenges and risks associated with the formulation and manufacturing of polymer components intended for storage of highly oxidizing chemicals, and develop mitigation strategies through R&D.
• Develop potential vendors for the procurement and production of the raw material and finished flight quality components.
• Plan, design, and perform experiments to address technical challenges and drive product development improvements.
• Conduct ageing studies at coupon and product levels under H2O2 based propellant environment to assess material compatibility and predict shelf life.
• Identify the scope of polymer product quality improvement opportunities from raw materials to finished polymer or polymer coated products.
• Modify and optimize polymer formulations to enhance compatibility and shelf life of the polymer components in contact with highly oxidizing chemicals like H2O2.
• Establish the processes and protocols for the QA of various polymer components such as elastomer sealing, polymer coating on metal including dimensional measurements, mechanical strength analysis, thermal performance aspects, and morphological characterization.
• Streamline and enhance the existing product quality assurance (QA) protocols to ensure process consistency, product reliability, and performance validation for elastomer sealing and polymer coating on metal components.
• Identify, analyze, and evaluate technical problem statements related to product development, performance and functional reliability, and develop data-driven solutions.
• Foster relationships with vendors to support product development, testing, and efficient supply chain collaboration.
• Establish relationships with vendors and frequent visits to vendor facilities to identify, discuss, and resolve the challenges in the production process of components.
• Ensure the proper functioning and maintenance of the experimental instruments used for the polymer QA including regular calibration, inspection of working conditions, and accuracy of the instruments.
• Track and manage materials, including inventory control, proper storage, and handling protocols.
• Create comprehensive technical reports and presentations on experimental findings, insights and recommendations, and effectively communicate with the team.
• Collaborate across departments and thorough understanding of the requirements and problem statements.
**Experience & Background**
• Candidates must hold a master's degree in the relevant fields including Polymer Science, Plastic Engineering, Rubber Technology, Polymer coating, and Physical Chemistry from an accredited institution.
• Candidates shall have 3-4 years of experience in the field of engineering plastics, polymer coating, and synthetic elastomers.
• Proficiency in different polymer characterization techniques UTM, DSC, TGA, NMR, SEM, and ATR-FTIR.
• Experienced with testing protocols for polymers with fuels environments, preferably, oxidizing fuels.
• Experience in modifying elastomer formulation based on the end-application performance needs.
**Ideal Candidate Profile**
• Understanding structure-property relationships of high-performance engineering polymers and elastomers.
• Hands-on experience in executing and interpreting tests in accordance with ASTM and ISO standards.
• Laboratory experience in polymer coating of metal substrate including surface preparations and adhesion considerations.
• Capability of carrying out in-depth literature survey, process and method development, and the establishment of SOPs.
• Excellent communication skills, capable of conveying technical challenges and solutions to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
If you are motivated by building enduring technical institutions and solving complex hiring challenges at scale, we would like to hear from you (careers@manastuspace.com)
Deep-tech Work India