Senior Structural & Thermal Engineer

We're looking for a hands-on Structural & Thermal Engineer to take full ownership of structural analysis and thermal subsystem design for our instruments. You'll turn CAD into analysis models, tell us whether the design survives launch and orbit, and shape the hardware when it doesn't. From the first FEM mesh to the last thermal-vacuum cycle, this is your domain.

Structural

• Define requirements and load levels for payload units

• Build structural FEM models of satellite systems and subsystems directly from CAD

• Run static, modal, random vibration, sine and shock analyses at the relevant qualification and acceptance levels

• Feed results back to the mechanical engineers and drive design changes where margins aren't there

• Own, plan and run environmental test campaigns (vibration, shock, thermal cycling, thermal vacuum): test plans, fixtures, facility coordination, execution and test-to-model correlation

Thermal

• Build and run satellite thermal models based on CAD, thermal interfaces and power consumption profiles

• Evaluate power and heat balance across hot and cold cases and mission phases

• Feed results back to mechanical and electrical engineers and drive design changes where margins aren't there

• Define the thermal control strategy, including MLI design, manufacturing and integration

• Decide where temperature sensors and heaters go, and size the heater circuits

• Document analyses and test results to support design reviews and launch provider requirements

• Bachelor's or Master's in aerospace or mechanical engineering, or a related field

• 4+ years of experience in structural and/or thermal analysis for space hardware

• Hands-on FEM experience (e.g. NX, Ansys, Femap/Nastran, Abaqus) including modal, random vibration and shock analysis

• Thermal modelling experience with tools such as ESATAN-TMS, Thermal Desktop or Systema

• Experience planning and running environmental qualification or acceptance tests

• Working knowledge of ECSS standards and launcher environment requirements

• Comfortable working from CAD (e.g. SolidWorks, Siemens NX) and owning decisions end-to-end

• Fluent English

• Flight heritage: you've seen your hardware through launch

• Experience with small satellites or airborne payloads

• Test-to-model correlation of both structural and thermal models

• Scripting (Python) to automate analysis and post-processing

• Optical or detector thermal stability requirements (e.g. LiDAR, hyperspectral instruments)

• Real ownership: the structural and thermal design of our satellites is yours

• Hardware that flies, on a mission that matters for the climate

• A small, hands-on team where your analysis directly changes the design

• Benefits such as Gym and Deutschlandticket subsidy. 
  

• Office in the heart of Berlin

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