Castelion Is Hiring in Rio Rancho: Inside the 300-Job Hypersonic Campus

RIO RANCHO, NM — The rocket motor campus going up in Sandoval County is past the groundbreaking photos. Castelion, the defense company building Project Ranger in Rio Rancho, now has dozens of New Mexico openings posted, from assembly technicians and facilities electricians to propulsion engineers. The state has also agreed to help cover the pay of 36 of its new hires while they train.

More than 300 permanent jobs are planned at the 1,000-acre site, and Castelion is already hiring. Here's who the company wants, what we know about the pay, and how to get your application in.

Ready to apply? Jump straight to the job links and start searching →

Business	Castelion, Project Ranger campus
Location	Rio Rancho, Sandoval County (1,000 acres)
Investment	More than $220 million planned
New jobs	More than 300 permanent jobs planned
Industry	Defense manufacturing: solid rocket motors and hypersonic strike systems
Status	Under construction; Rio Rancho roles posted now
How to apply	Castelion careers page

What Castelion Is Building in Rio Rancho

Castelion is a California defense startup that builds long-range hypersonic weapons. It picked Sandoval County after a national site search and broke ground on January 21, 2026. The Rio Rancho campus will make solid rocket motors, run static test fires and assemble finished rounds.

The price tag has grown. The state's groundbreaking release from the New Mexico Economic Development Department first put the investment at $150 million and was later updated to $220 million. In September the Albuquerque Regional Economic Alliance said the campus was still under development when it was named the state's Collaborative Impact Project of the Year. The state expected all 21 buildings to be ready for production by the end of 2026. Treat that date as a target, not a promise.

💼 The Rio Rancho Jobs Posted Right Now

This isn't only engineering work. A lot of the Rio Rancho listings are for people who build things, fix things and keep the site safe:

Production floor: assembly and integration technicians, integration and test leads, inventory, shipping and receiving, and hazardous materials logistics.
Facilities trades: electrician, HVAC technician, carpenter, maintenance technician and a construction project manager.
Security and safety: armed security officers, a physical security supervisor, a dispatcher, an industrial hygienist and explosives safety staff.
Engineering: propulsion, propellant and equipment manufacturing engineers, plus avionics, guidance and test engineers.

Castelion's careers page says it has had a strong response from New Mexico applicants and is still working through it. Apply to the one or two roles that really fit you instead of firing off a dozen.

💵 What It Pays

Castelion doesn't post pay ranges on its careers page. The best public number comes from the state. In an October 22 release, the Economic Development Department listed a $1.87 million Job Training Incentive Program award to Castelion in September, covering 36 trainees at an average of $72 an hour. That program pays back at least half of a new hire's wages for up to six months. It's an average across all 36 trainee slots, so don't read it as the starting rate for a technician or warehouse role.

Listed benefits include fully covered employee medical, four weeks of paid time off, a 401(k) and stock incentives.

⚠️ Read This Before You Apply

This is a weapons plant that works with energetic materials. Expect background checks, drug screening and strict safety rules. Defense work like this is often limited by federal export rules, so many postings may ask about U.S. citizenship or clearance eligibility. Armed security jobs come with their own licensing requirements. Read the requirements on each listing before you apply.

🔎 Search Castelion and Defense Manufacturing Jobs Now

Castelion takes applications through its own careers site. Filter by Rio Rancho to see the New Mexico openings.

Castelion Rio Rancho Jobs: FAQ

Is Castelion hiring in New Mexico right now?

Yes. Castelion has dozens of roles posted for Rio Rancho, covering technicians, skilled trades, security, logistics and engineering.

How many jobs will Project Ranger create?

State and company officials say more than 300 permanent jobs. That's the number at full build-out. The company hasn't said how many people it will hire in each phase.

How much do Castelion jobs pay?

No pay ranges are posted. The state's training award covered 36 trainees at an average of $72 an hour. That's an average across every trainee slot, not a starting rate for every job.

Where is the campus?

Castelion is building a 1,000-acre campus in Rio Rancho, in Sandoval County. The company hasn't published a street address.

Get Ready for Rio Rancho's Newest Big Employer

Create your free LocalJobPage profile so you're ready when the right job opens, and browse the Career Center for guides by role.

Employers: Hiring for a manufacturing, trades or tech role in the metro? Post your openings on LocalJobPage.