Propulsion Test Bench Intern

PAVE Space SA; Villeneuve (VD); Remote; CHF 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

PAVE Space SA is building LYOBA, a heavy kick stage, and seeks a hands-on engineer to design, build, and commission the test benches for propulsion systems. You will contribute from concept to hardware, defining P&IDs, sizing components, and ensuring safe, compliant operation.

You will work on-site in Villeneuve, VD, with occasional coordination at the Chavalon launch site. Fluency in English is required; French is a plus.

Qualifications

• Hands-on experience designing, building, and operating test benches.
• Solid fluid dynamics knowledge.
• Fluent in reading/writing P&IDs.
• 2D/3D CAD skills (NX and Teamcenter ideal).
• Proven track record delivering hardware from concept to working prototype.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and commission test benches for propulsion systems.
• Create P&IDs, size lines and components, manage procurement.
• Develop test procedures and safety interlocks.
• Prepare safety, quality, and regulatory documentation.
• On-site work at Villeneuve and Chavalon test site.

Skills

Hands-on bench design

Fluid dynamics

P&IDs fluently

2D/3D CAD (NX)

Sensors & piping

Tools

NX CAD

Teamcenter

Job description

Do you want to build the most iconic engine test stand in the Swiss Alps?

PAVE Space is building LYOBA, a heavy kick stage moving up to 4-ton payloads from LEO to high-energy orbits in under 24 hours. None of that gets qualified without the bench that qualifies all the propulsion components .The first of those benches are moving from design to commissioning, and building the rest is the job.

So, why now?

Test benches across the kick stage’s systems are converging on commissioning at the same time, and several more are already in the pipeline. You’ll own them end to end, on a timeline measured in weeks, not quarters. What you build becomes the bottleneck-breaker for the whole propulsion program.

You will own

Design, build, and commission the test benches for our propulsion systems, from rocket engines to components

P&IDs, line and component sizing, selection, procurement, concept to hardware

Test procedures, safety interlocks, and commissioning

Safety, quality, and regulatory documentation that holds up

What we are looking for

Hands-on experience designing, building, and operating test benches

Solid fluid dynamics; you read and write P&IDs fluently

Sensors, fluid components, piping; 2D/3D CAD (NX and Teamcenter ideal)

A track record of taking something from nothing to working hardware

English fluent, French nice to have

You will fit if

You’d rather own one hard thing than touch ten easy ones.

You’re comfortable in a lab or on a test site with your hands on the hardware.

You step outside your discipline when the timeline needs it.

You want to see your work fire, not sit in a spec.

This is hard, early, and fully on-site in Villeneuve, VD along our test site in Chavalon 20 minutes away, because we have a strong on-site culture. Some of what we build won’t work the first time, we’d rather tell you that. What makes it worth it: this is your opportunity to help fire our propulsion systems on the most scenic test stands in the World.

We are building to ship, grounded on real hardware, real funding, real milestones.