Pyrotechnics & Energetic Material Engineer

Thales; Herstal; On-site; EUR 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Thales in Herstal, Belgium seeks a Pyrotechnic & Energetic Materials Engineer to work on energetic materials systems, including propulsion, detonation and pyrotechnic devices for defense applications. You will collaborate with customers, design offices, production and suppliers to ensure safety, performance and quality across the lifecycle.

The role requires a Master’s or Bachelor’s degree in engineering and at least 5 years in energetic materials, with strong technical and communication skills

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in engineering or related field.
• Minimum 5 years’ proven experience in energetic materials and pyro products.
• Knowledge of energetic materials, chemical reactions, mechanical design.
• Experience with full lifecycle product development in aerospace/defense.
• Strong project management and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication in English; French is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Develop and improve rocket motor, warhead and fuze pyrotechnic products from concept to production.
• Collaborate with customers to define needs and develop specifications.
• Specify material requirements to suppliers and oversee development and quality.
• Conduct testing and evaluation of energetic and inert materials in-house and externally.
• Maintain technical docs for homologation according to standards (STANAG, AOP).
• Support production of in-service pyrotechnic products and drive improvements.
• Participate in design reviews, ECPs and failure investigations.
• Create documentation to track project development and design process.
• Stay current with industry trends and advancements in energetic materials.

Skills

Energetic materials

Pyrotechnics

Mechanical design

Project management

English

French (optional)

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Engineering

Energetic materials/chemistry/physics

Job description

Lieu : Herstal, Belgium

MISSION

Thales is a world leader in precision guided rocket system for helicopters and jet aircraft. As a Pyrotechnic & Energetic Materials Engineer at Thales, you will face a wide variety of challenges including all aspects of energetic materials, from propulsion to detonation, initiation and pyrotechnical compositions. You will be responsible for the development, design and testing of energetic materials systems and pyrotechnics device (motors, warheads and fuzes) used in defense applications, including their mechanical or electronical sides. You will work closely with customers, design office, industrial methods, production and suppliers to ensure that energetic materials systems meet performance, safety, and quality requirements. You will be part of a multidisciplinary team and will have the opportunity to work on cutting-edge technologies.

RESPONSABILITY

• Develop and improve rocket motor, warhead and fuze pyrotechnic products, from concept to production, from an energetic and inert material point of view
• Work closely with customers to understand their needs and requirements, and develop product specifications accordingly
• Specify energetic and inert materials requirements to suppliers and manage their development, production and quality control
• Conduct testing and evaluation of energetic and inert materials products, both in-house and at external test facilities
• Evaluate final product’s overall performance, reliability and safety
• Set up and maintain technical documentation for the homologation of energetic materials and formulations according to relevant standards (ex. STANAG, AOP)
• Develop and maintain pyrotechnic-related documentation such FMECA, safety, reliability analysis
• Support production of in-service pyrotechnic products, including resolving quality issues and developing improvements
• Participate in technical reviews: design reviews, engineering change boards and failure investigations
• Perform detailed documentation to track project development and design process
• Stay current with industry trends and technological advancements related to energetic materials

PROFILE

• Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Engineering, Energetic Materials, Chemistry, Mechanics, Physics or related field
• Min 5 years of proven experience in energetic materials and pyro products in aerospace & defense industry
• Knowledge of energetic materials, chemical reactions, mechanical design and manufacturing processes
• Experience with design and execution of a full lifecycle product development (design, develop, test prototypes, manufacture and implement)
• Strong project management and problem-solving skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with cross-functional teams
• Familiarity with industry standards and regulations related to energetic and aerospace materials
• You are self-motivated and like to take initiatives.
• English (spoken and written)
• French (spoken and written) is a plus