Propellant R&D Technician

Destinus; Payerne; Hybrid; CHF 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Destinus is seeking a Propellant Technician to produce solid rocket motors for R&D and test campaigns in a tightly regulated environment. This hands-on role emphasizes process discipline, quality, and meticulous documentation to ensure each motor meets safety and performance standards.

You will run propellant mixes, manage materials, operate casting and curing equipment, and contribute to SOP improvements. Fluent English is required; knowledge of German or French is a plus.

Qualifications

• Background in chemistry or related technical field with hands-on production experience.
• Experience with propellants, pyrotechnics, or explosives manufacturing is an advantage.
• Excellent adherence to SOPs and meticulous documentation in safety-critical environments.
• Fluent in English; German or French is an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Produce propellant mixes, cast grains, and manufacture solid rocket motors per batch records and SOPs.
• Prepare and handle energetic and chemical raw materials in strict safety protocols.
• Operate and monitor production equipment; record process parameters for each batch.
• Complete batch documentation with materials, lot numbers, parameters, deviations, and personnel.
• Perform in-process quality checks and inspections; elevate non-conformances immediately.
• Write and improve SOPs for propellant and motor production operations.
• Support post-test teardown and failure investigations with propulsion engineers.
• Maintain a clean, organized, and fully compliant production area.

Skills

Chemistry background

Hands-on production

Process discipline

In-process quality control

English fluency

Education

Chemistry/chemical technology or related technical field

Job description

About the Role

The Destinus engineering team is seeking a Propellant Technician to produce solid rocket motors for R&D programmes and test campaigns. This is a hands‑on chemistry and production role operating in a tightly regulated, safety‑critical environment – where process discipline, quality, and meticulous documentation are as important as the production work itself.

The ideal candidate is technically grounded, follows procedures exactly, and takes personal accountability for the quality of every motor that leaves their bench.

What You’ll Do

• Produce propellant mixes, cast grains, and manufacture solid rocket motors for R&D programmes and test campaigns, following validated batch records and SOPs
• Prepare and handle energetic and chemical raw materials – weighing, mixing, and processing in strict accordance with safety protocols and operating procedures
• Operate and monitor production equipment (mixers, casting stations, curing ovens); record all process parameters accurately throughout each batch
• Complete batch documentation fully and traceably for every run: materials, lot numbers, process parameters, deviations, and personnel
• Perform in‑process quality checks and dimensional/visual inspection of finished motors; identify and elevate non‑conformances immediately
• Write, maintain, and improve SOPs for propellant and motor production operations; ensure repeatability and safety at every step
• Support post‑test teardown and failure investigation activities alongside propulsion engineers
• Maintain a clean, organized, and fully compliant production area at all times

What You’ll Need

• Background in chemistry, chemical technology, or a related technical field – Chemietechnologe/in, process technician, or equivalent; Chemielaborant EFZ is a plus
• Hands‑on experience in chemical or energetic materials production; experience with propellants, pyrotechnics, or explosives manufacturing is a strong advantage
• Exceptional process discipline – follows SOPs exactly, documents everything, and does not improvise in a safety‑critical environment
• Experience with in‑process quality control and inspection in a production or laboratory environment
• Comfortable working in a small R&D team where priorities shift and production runs vary in scale and complexity
• Fluent in English; German or French is an advantage