Mechanical & Structural Engineer

Destinus; Zürich; On-site; CHF 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Destinus seeks a hands-on Mechanical/Structural Engineer to own CAD through hardware and test campaigns for an exo-atmospheric interceptor. You will lead mechanical design, packaging, and CG constraints, and perform structural/FEA analysis for flight loads and environmental conditions.

The role involves coordinating interfaces and planning tests in a small, high‑tech team. Ideal candidates have 10+ years in flight hardware design, strong CAD skills (SolidWorks/CATIA) and proven experience with

Qualifications

• You are a hands-on engineer owning CAD through hardware and testing.
• You can decide when mass, space, performance and schedule constrain you.
• You use analysis to guide design and testing to prove it.
• You thrive in a small, highly technical team with speed and ownership.
• BSc, MSc or PhD in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering.
• 10+ years in mechanical or structural design of flight hardware.
• Strong hands-on CAD experience with SolidWorks or CATIA.
• Strong structural analysis capability including hand calculations and FEA.
• Experience planning and running structural, vibration or environmental tests.
• Experience designing highly constrained systems around mass and CG requirements.

Responsibilities

• Own mechanical design and CAD for the structure and layout, manage packaging, mass and CG constraints.
• Perform structural and stiffness analysis using hand calculations and FEA for flight loads and environment.
• Lead mechanical and thermal integration at vehicle level, coordinating interfaces.
• Plan and execute structural, vibration and environmental tests with fixtures and procedures.
• Analyze test data, compare to models, and feed results back into design.
• Manage mechanical suppliers, drawings, tolerances, and external components.

Skills

SolidWorks

CATIA

Finite Element Analysis

Structural design

Test planning

Education

BSc/MSc/PhD in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

FEA software

CAD tools

Job description

Imagine this, you own the mechanical backbone of an exo-atmospheric interceptor, from its structure and internal layout to the way it survives the loads and environment of flight.

Bliksem Exo is a four-nation European consortium developing an anti-ballistic missile system at operational pace. Destinus is the programme prime and responsible for the exo-atmospheric interceptor, engineered for affordability and production at scale.

In this role, you will take the vehicle from CAD to real, testable hardware. You will own the mechanical design, structural analysis, packaging, and test campaign, using real test data to validate assumptions and continuously improve the vehicle baseline. This is a hands-on position within a small, specialized team where you will design, build or procure, test, and understand the results.

At Destinus, we are revolutionizing the defense industry with cutting-edge Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Our innovative technologies are designed to meet the unique demands of modern defense operations, delivering unparalleled speed, precision, and cost effectiveness. Destinus partners with government agencies and defense organizations worldwide to provide advanced solutions for mission-critical operations, enabling a new era of efficiency and technological superiority. Join us in shaping the future of defense with groundbreaking aerospace innovations.

What You'll Do

• Own the mechanical design, producing and maintaining CAD for the structure and vehicle layout while managing subsystem packaging, mass, and centre-of-gravity constraints
• Perform structural and stiffness analysis using hand calculations and FEA for flight loads, storage, handling, and environmental conditions
• Own mechanical and thermal integration at vehicle level, coordinating interfaces with the specialists responsible for individual subsystems
• Plan and execute structural, vibration, and environmental test campaigns, including test articles, fixtures, procedures, and results
• Analyse test data, correlate results against structural models and requirements, and feed findings directly back into the designManage mechanical suppliers, drawings, tolerances, manufacturing requirements, and externally produced components

Who You Are

• You are a hands-on engineer who wants ownership from CAD through hardware and testing
• You are comfortable making engineering decisions when mass, space, performance, and schedule are all constrained
• You use analysis to guide the design and testing to prove it
• You thrive in a small, highly technical team where speed, ownership, and sound engineering judgement matter

• BSc, MSc, or PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field
• 10+ years of experience in mechanical or structural design of flight hardware such as missiles, spacecraft, aircraft, or comparable high-performance systems
• Strong hands-on CAD experience with SolidWorks, CATIA, or similar tools
• Strong structural analysis capability, including hand calculations and FEA
• Practical experience planning and running structural, vibration, or environmental tests and interpreting the resulting data
• Experience designing highly constrained systems around mass, packaging, structural, and centre-of-gravity requirements