Propulsion Design Engineer - Solid Rocket Motors

Destinus

Payerne or Zurich, Switzerland

As a Propulsion Design Engineer, you will drive the design and development of solid rocket motors and all related components, including cases and pressure vessels, nozzles, TPS, insulation, and structural interfaces. You will be hands-on, applying strong mechanical drafting and detail design skills to deliver robust engineering solutions across the full development lifecycle. This role places you in a fast moving R&D environment dedicated to advancing propulsion systems for cutting edge aerospace applications.

What You´ll Do

Design and develop solid rocket motor hardware, including motor casings (pressure vessels), nozzles, thermal protection/insulation systems, grain support structures, and integration features.
Create high-quality 3D CAD models, detailed manufacturing drawings, assembly models, bills of materials, and technical documentation following aerospace drafting standards.
Perform and document engineering analyses (pressure containment, thermal loads, structural margins, tolerances, material selection) to justify design decisions.
Define manufacturing and prototyping plans for motor components and subassemblies, ensuring manufacturability and alignment with DFM best practices.
Work with suppliers and manufacturers to address technical questions, resolve fabrication issues, and ensure hardware quality during production.
Select materials, fasteners, seals, and propulsion-relevant components in accordance with aerospace standards and environmental requirements.
Mentor junior engineers and interns in mechanical design methodologies, CAD workflows, and drafting standards.
Participate in mechanical and propulsion design reviews, presenting analyses, design trade-offs, and risk considerations.
Collaborate closely with mechanical, propulsion, systems, electrical, and testing teams to ensure proper integration of the rocket motor into the vehicle.
Support testing activities, including instrumentation requirements, test article preparation, and post-test hardware evaluations.

Requirements

What You’ll Need

BSc or MSc in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Design Engineering, or a related field.
Strong experience with mechanical drafting, GD&T, and CAD (ideally Siemens NX) best practices.
3+ years of mechanical engineering experience with close involvement in manufacturing, prototyping, or hardware development.
Demonstrated knowledge of pressure vessel design, relevant standards, and structural/thermal analysis fundamentals.
Ideally, direct experience with solid rocket motor design, including cases, nozzles, insulation/TPS, or other high-pressure/high-temperature propulsion hardware.
Experience across several stages of the product lifecycle - design, build, integration, and test.
Strong communication skills, a proactive mindset, and effective problem-solving abilities.
Ability to work both autonomously and within an integrated, multidisciplinary team.
Comfortable operating in a fast-paced and evolving R&D environment.
Willingness to travel between Swiss facilities (up to 20%).
Fluency in English is required, German is a plus.