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The Exploration Company is developing Nyx, a modular and reusable space orbital vehicle designed for cargo transport and eventual human missions, with in-orbit refueling capability. As Senior Propulsion Structural Engineer, you will own the structural design, analysis, and validation of the propulsion system and its interfaces with the primary vehicle structure.
Key responsibilities include: conducting static and dynamic structural analysis (stress, fatigue, vibration, shock) on propulsion components using FEA tools like NASTRAN, with rigorous justification of structural margins per NASA certification standards (NASA-STD-5001, ECSS); collaborating with design engineers to validate mechanical sizing and iterate on propulsion structures, brackets, and joint designs; developing and supporting hardware test campaigns (coupon and sub-assembly testing) to gather analysis inputs and validation data; defining test objectives, success criteria, and instrumentation needs; correlating test results back into analysis models; and investigating anomalies and non-conformances, performing root cause analyses on structural damage or unexpected behavior, then feeding lessons learned back into design standards.
You will work primarily at the Bordeaux headquarters with occasional travel to the Munich office. The role requires 5+ years of hands-on structural analysis experience in launch vehicles, spacecraft, or space capsules, ideally with liquid propulsion system exposure. Essential skills include strong FEA proficiency (NASTRAN or equivalent) combined with solid hand-calculation abilities for static and dynamic load cases; familiarity with structural certification standards and formal review processes; working knowledge of CAD tools (CATIA, NX, or equivalent) to review and propose design changes; experience supporting or running test campaigns; and a track record in anomaly investigations or non-conformance dispositions in hardware-delivery environments. The ideal candidate demonstrates hands-on problem-solving, multidisciplinary collaboration, excellent organizational skills, autonomous work capability with remote teams, flexibility in evolving environments, and effective communication across diverse audiences. The company values commitment, innovation, trust, quality, and teamwork, operating with agility, transparency, and collaborative spirit.
