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Description

We are seeking a Senior Structural (Thermal) Engineer with a strong background in spacecraft structural design to join our high-performing engineering team.

Dawn Aerospace provides standard and bespoke propulsion systems and modules to a variety of customers with unique missions. Often our propulsion systems interface closely with spacecraft structures and can be a driver for spacecraft structural design. Understanding and anticipating structural challenges of our customers helps us deliver better and faster.

In this role, you will not just be dealing with one project, but owning the process by which we tackle dozens of projects and products. This role requires a systems-level thinker who thrives in a dynamic, fast-paced environment and is passionate about building space hardware at an industrial level.
You will be responsible for leading the structural aspects of design, analysis, and testing of our propulsion systems from concept through delivery.
We have fast turn-around times
in design, build, test and deployment.

Note: This role is primarily focused on structural engineering, but the ideal candidate would also bring to the table thermal analysis experience with potential for the scope of this role to extend to cover thermal
analysis of our systems.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the design, analysis, and validation of propulsion system structures.

• Own and maintain the processes by which we conduct analyses, both technically and organisationally.

• Perform structural simulations (FEA, static, dynamic, modal, thermal, etc.) to ensure mission performance and reliability.

• Work closely with cross-functional teams (system design, manufacturing, AIT, R&D) to design
  structural components.

• Collaborate closely with customer engineering teams to interpret, validate, and ensure compliance with structural and system-level requirements throughout the project.

• Support hardware prototyping, development testing, and qualification campaigns.

• Develop and maintain
  our internal processes for tackling structural and thermal problems, and how we interact with customers to support in collaborative design/analysis.

• Develop and maintain
  detailed documentation including design reports, analysis justifications, and test plans.
  

Basic Qualifications:

• 5+ years of experience in structural design and analysis, with at least 3 years specifically focused on spacecraft or satellite subsystems.

• Proficiency in structural analysis tools such as ANSYS, NASTRAN, or Abaqus, and CAD software such as SolidWorks.

• Understanding of spaceflight environments: launch loads, vibration, shock, thermal, and microgravity conditions.

• Experience with the full product lifecycle: concept, design, analysis, build, test, and launch support.

• Experience working directly with customers such as satellite integrators.

• Excellent communication, and cross-discipline collaboration skills with remote colleagues and customers.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working in startups or small engineering teams.

• Hands-on experience with structural testing (vibe, modal, proof pressure, thermal vacuum, etc.).

• Experience and understanding of thermal analysis, particularly in the space environment.

About Dawn Aerospace

Dawn Aerospace is a space transportation company with a purpose.
Our mission is to enable the next generation of space users by providing sustainable and scalable ways to access and move around in space. We believe this access, in the form of a transportation network, will fundamentally change what’s possible from space. We currently focus on two areas of space transportation:

• In-space propulsion
  We're a leading supplier of turnkey green propulsion systems for various classes of satellites. Our systems utilise safe, accessible propellants and we have over 150 of these propulsion units on 34 operational satellites already. A further 200 units are in production.

• Space launch
  Our Mk-II Aurora spaceplane demonstrator has completed over 50 successful flights and we recently completed campaigns utilising our in-house rocket engine. Mk-II is unique in that it combines the performance of a rocket and the rapid reusability and economic model of an aircraft.

Our international teams are distributed across four locations: the Netherlands, France, New Zealand, and the USA.

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Important!

If you think you have what it takes but are unsure that you check every box, we still want to hear from you.

To all recruitment agencies: Dawn Aerospace does not accept agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to our job’s alias, our employees, or any other company location. Dawn Aerospace will not be responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.