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The Exploration Company is seeking a Feed System Functional Engineer to own the functional architecture and performance of the propellant feed system for a storable bipropellant propulsion system (MON3-MMH). This is a hands-on technical role spanning system architecture, development, modeling, verification, and integration across the full mission envelope.
Key responsibilities include:
System Architecture: Define and maintain the functional architecture of the feed system including propellant tanks, lines, valves, filters, thrusters, and instrumentation. Perform system-level sizing, sensitivity analyses, and functional simulations.
System Development: Define functional requirements for subsystems based on propellant system analyses. Identify key verification and validation steps required at system and subsystem levels to demonstrate compliance with specifications.
Modeling & Analysis: Develop and maintain fluid system models (steady-state and transient) to predict pressure drop, flow rates, water hammer, thruster cross-coupling, and priming behavior. Verify compliance between system nominal and off-nominal operation with subsystem operational domains. Analyze failure modes including leakage, contamination, cavitation, and fluid hammer, defining mitigation strategies and design margins.
Verification & Test: Lead functional and performance verification including cold-flow, functional, and hot-fire tests from component to assembly level. Correlate test data against predictive models and update margins/requirements accordingly.
Integration Support: Support integration, qualification, and operations reviews including design reviews, FMEA, and test readiness reviews. Interface across design, test, and operations functions throughout the vehicle lifecycle.
Required qualifications include a Master's or PhD in Aerospace Engineering or related field, proven experience with Python and 0D-1D fluid simulation tools (e.g., EcosimPro), hands-on experience in propulsion system design for launch vehicles or spacecraft with direct exposure to liquid propulsion architectures, version control experience (Git/SVN), and deep understanding of fluid mechanics, heat transfer, and compressible flow. Experience with storable propulsion systems is a plus. Fluency in English required; German or French are assets.
The role is based in Bordeaux with occasional travel to Munich. The company values agility, open collaboration, and a hands-on problem-solving approach within multidisciplinary teams.
