Mechanical Design Engineer

GATE Space; Wien; On-site; EUR 50,000 - 61,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Daily company-sponsored lunch

Public transportation ticket

Flexible working hours

Opportunities to collaborate with top

Job summary

GATE Space in Vienna, Austria is seeking a Mechanical Design Engineer to drive advanced mechanical design and 3D CAD modeling for chemical propulsion systems. You will own hardware from concept through flight-ready stages, translating analysis into tangible, well-documented components and drawings.

The role demands hands-on experience with pressure systems, CFD/FEA, and Python-based modeling, plus collaboration across engineering disciplines to meet tight schedules and cost targets.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
• 4+ years industry experience taking complex hardware from concept through multiple iterations to a tested product.
• Proficiency in CAD design (Siemens NX preferred) with a strong portfolio of designed and manufactured components.
• Expertise in mechanical analysis with FEA tools.
• Experience designing and developing pressurized fluid systems, valves, and full combustion devices.
• Solid foundational knowledge of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, combustion, and heat transfer.
• Proficiency in Python or similar tools for numerical analysis and data processing.
• Hands-on experience from assembly and testing of structural, propulsion or robotic systems.

Responsibilities

• Design and optimize complex 3D models and manufacturing drawings, from combustion devices to propulsion systems.
• Lead the complete design lifecycle of propulsion systems, from concept to flight-ready designs.
• Define component specifications and conduct trade-off studies for pressurized and fluid systems.
• Drive design maturation using FEA/CFD and numerical modeling.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align with DFM and manufacturing requirements.
• Translate system-level analyses into tangible hardware and test results.

Skills

CAD (NX)

FEM analysis

CFD

Python

Pressurized systems

Thermodynamics

Fluid mechanics

Heat transfer

Mechanical design

Prototyping

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Siemens NX

FEA software

CFD software

Job description

About Us

At GATE Space, we develop green, chemical in-space propulsion solutions for the NewSpace economy. Drawing on years of experience developing rocket engines, our team is chasing the dream of a thriving economy in space and tackling space engineering problems with a rapid prototyping philosophy. We focus on the development of two products: The GATE Jetpack – a plug-and-play mobility solution for satellite missions – and the GATE Thruster – the world’s first chemical propulsion system capable of highly responsive deep throttling and differential thrust stabilization.

About Us

At GATE Space, we develop green, chemical in-space propulsion solutions for the NewSpace economy. Drawing on years of experience developing rocket engines, our team is chasing the dream of a thriving economy in space and tackling space engineering problems with a rapid prototyping philosophy. We focus on the development of two products: The GATE Jetpack – a plug-and-play mobility solution for satellite missions – and the GATE Thruster – the world’s first chemical propulsion system capable of highly responsive deep throttling and differential thrust stabilization. At GATE Space, we are committed to workforce diversity, equality and inclusion. We want to build a diverse team and welcome and value all applications irrespective of social and cultural background, age, gender, disability, sexual orientation or religious belief.

About Your Role

As a Mechanical Design Engineer at GATE Space, your core focus will be advanced mechanical design and complex 3D CAD modeling. While you will take end-to-end ownership of our chemical propulsion systems—guiding them from clean-sheet concepts to flight-ready hardware—the heart of your day-to-day work will be designing robust, fully iterated models and detailed manufacturing drawings. You will translate system-level numerical analysis and architecture trades into tangible hardware, rigorously applying Design to Cost (DTC) and Design for Manufacturing (DFM) principles. This is a highly collaborative, hands-on role for an engineer who thrives in CAD and wants to see their complex fluid and combustion designs built, tested, and flown.

Your Primary Tasks

• Mechanical Design & CAD: Design and optimize complex 3D models and manufacturing drawings, ranging from combustion devices to full propulsion systems.


• End-to-End Design Ownership: Lead the complete design lifecycle of propulsion systems, components and testing infrastructure. Take ownership of hardware from clean-sheet conceptualization and early architecture trades through to refined, fully iterated, and flight-ready designs.


• Design Trade-Offs & Component Engineering: Define component specifications and execute trade-off studies, selection, and procurement for pressurized and fluid systems, balancing performance with strict Design to Cost (DTC) objectives.


• Analysis & Dimensioning: Drive design maturation and optimization through a rigorous analytical design approach, leveraging Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD).


• Numerical Modeling: Utilize Python to build system-level numerical models, perform sizing trades, and optimize fluid mechanics and pressurized system architectures.


• Design for Manufacturing (DFM) & Team Interface: Collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive design decisions based on Design for Manufacturing (DFM), assemblability, testing feedback, and overall system requirements.

Your Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.


• Proven industry experience (at least 4 years) taking complex hardware from early conceptual design through multiple iteration cycles to a mature, tested product.


• Exceptional proficiency in CAD design (Siemens NX preferred) with a strong portfolio of designed and manufactured components.


• Expertise in mechanical analysis with FEA tools.


• Direct experience designing and developing pressurized fluid systems, valves, and full combustion devices.


• Solid foundational knowledge of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, combustion, and heat transfer.


• Proficiency in Python or similar tools for numerical analysis and data processing.


• Demonstrated hands-on experience from assembly and testing of structural, propulsion or robotic systems.


• Exceptional communication skills with the ability to distill complex technical trade-offs for cross-functional teams.


• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, seamlessly adapting to evolving priorities and timelines.


• [Optional but desired] Hands-on experience with nitrous-oxide-based propulsion systems.


• [Optional but desired] Experience in fluid analysis with CFD and numeric tools.


• [Optional but desired] Development of flight hardware for spacecrafts, propulsion systems and/or thrusters.


• [Optional but desired] Track record of developing and delivering safety critical hardware (aerospace, medical, railway systems).

About Your Employment

We are looking for a full-time employee, starting as soon as possible. This role is in-person in Vienna, Austria with occasional travel to customers all across Europe & the US as well as conferences and industry events globally.

What We Offer

• Minimum annual gross salary of EUR 55,000. A higher salary can be offered depending on qualifications, experience, and professional background.


• A front-row seat in the development and implementation of innovative space missions and technologies.


• The opportunity to help shape a rapidly growing European space company.


• Variable compensation opportunities as part of performance and reward programs


• Daily company-sponsored lunch.


• Public transportation ticket.


• Flexible working hours.


• Direct collaboration with leading industrial, scientific, and institutional partners.


• A highly motivated and ambitious international team working to redefine in-space mobility.

Join us in shaping the future of in-space mobility. If you're excited about pioneering technology, passionate about space exploration, and driven by business growth, together, we'll enable the next generation of space travel and exploration.