Propulsion Test Traineeship/ Internship

Destinus; Payerne; Vor Ort; CHF 60.000 - 90.000; Vollzeit

Zusammenfassung

Destinus is seeking a motivated Propulsion Test Trainee/Intern to support solid rocket motor and igniter testing. The role emphasizes hands-on readiness, procedural rigor, and safety to ensure reliable testing of energetic propulsion systems.

Ideal candidates have some rocket propulsion exposure from student teams or similar backgrounds. Join a fast-paced engineering team and contribute to test planning, instrumentation validation, and documentation.

Qualifikationen

• BSc or MSc in aerospace or mechanical engineering or related discipline.
• 1–2 years on rocket propulsion in student teams preferred.
• Solid understanding of rocket propulsion; solid motors a plus.
• Experience with propulsion testing and ignition systems is a plus.
• Experience in test planning and hands-on execution.
• Familiarity with propulsion instrumentation and data acquisition is a plus.
• Calm, decisive during ignition and firing operations.
• Strong communication to lead test activities and coordinate teams.
• Fluency in English; German is a plus.

Aufgaben

• Support planning, coordination, and execution of solid motor and igniter tests.
• Assist test conductor during live firings, manage safety zones and decisions.
• Define and validate instrumentation and data acquisition needs.
• Oversee test setup, dry runs, and functional verifications of systems.
• Assist investigations of anomalies, misfires, or incidents and implement corrective actions.
• Produce test plans, risk assessments, reports, and lessons learned.
• Collaborate with propulsion, mechanical, electrical, software, and systems engineers.
• Support development and improvement of test infrastructure and safety systems.

Kenntnisse

Test planning

Data acquisition

Instrumentation

Safety procedures

Communication

Team coordination

Problem solving

Autonomous work

English fluency

German (plus)

Ausbildung

BSc./MSc. in Aerospace Engineering

Mechanical Engineering or related field

Tools

Test instrumentation

Jobbeschreibung

The Destinus engineering team is seeking a highly motivated, operations-focused Propulsion Test Trainee/ Intern to support the safe planning, execution, and continuous improvement of solid rocket motor and igniter testing. This role is strongly hands-on and centered on test readiness, procedural rigor, and operational safety, ensuring reliable, repeatable, and compliant testing of energetic propulsion systems. The ideal candidate has first hands on experience owning test campaigns from student teams or similar.

What You’ll Do

• Support the planning, coordination, and execution of solid rocket motor and igniter test campaigns
• Support the test conductor during live firings, coordinating personnel, enforcing safety zones, making technical decisions to ensure test objectives are achieved, and responding to off-nominal or abort conditions
• Support the definition and validation of instrumentation and data acquisition requirements to ensure test objectives are met.
• Oversee test setup integration, inspection, dry runs, and functional verifications of motors, igniters, firing circuits, and safety interlocks.
• Support test anomaly, misfire, or incident investigations, including root cause analysis and implementation of corrective actions.
• Produce high-quality test documentation, including test plans, risk assessments, test reports, and lessons learned.
• Collaborate closely with propulsion, mechanical, electrical, software, and systems engineers to ensure alignment between test objectives, design maturity, and operational constraints.
• Support the development and improvement of test infrastructure, firing stands, remote operations, and safety systems for solid rocket motor testing.

What You’ll Need

• BSc. or MSc. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Ideally, you bring 1-2 years of experience in a student team working on rocket propulsion
• Strong understanding of rocket propulsion is required, with experience specifically in solid rocket motors considered a plus
• Experience in propulsion testing, such as static firing or ignition system validation, is a strong plus.
• First experience in test planning, procedural definition, and hands-on test execution.
• Familiarity with propulsion test instrumentation and data acquisition systems is a plus
• Ability to operate calmly and decisively during time-critical ignition and firing operations.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to lead test activities and coordinate multidisciplinary teams.
• Proactive, ownership-driven mindset with strong problem-solving capabilities.
• Ability to work autonomously and as part of a fast-paced, multidisciplinary development team.
• Fluency in English is required; German is a plus.