Spacecraft Propulsion Architect & Systems Lead

ClearSpace; Renens; On-site; CHF 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

ClearSpace is seeking a Spacecraft Propulsion Architect to join the Mechanical, Thermal and Propulsion team. You will act as the technical authority for propulsion design and support architecture decisions for the platform.

The role may lead coordination across Mechanical, Thermal, and Propulsion domains on missions, ensuring coherent spacecraft design solutions and effective interactions with customers and suppliers.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in spacecraft propulsion engineering.
• Proven experience in propulsion architecture or senior technical leadership.
• Expertise in chemical and/or electric propulsion systems.
• Experience leading propulsion design trade-offs at spacecraft level.
• Understanding of fluid systems and propulsion hardware.
• Experience with propulsion sizing analyses and architecture definition.
• Managing propulsion requirements and interfaces.
• Ability to lead multidisciplinary technical discussions.
• Track record of delivering complex spacecraft developments.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management.

Responsibilities

• Own propulsion architecture throughout the mission lifecycle.
• Lead propulsion concept definition and justification.
• Drive propulsion trade-offs considering performance and mission constraints.
• Establish propulsion budgets, margins and allocations.
• Define propulsion subsystem architectures including fluid systems.
• Lead propulsion sizing analyses and system-level studies.
• Manage propulsion requirements and interfaces across subsystems.
• Coordinate propulsion analyses to justify design.
• Define propulsion verification strategies for qualification and launch readiness.
• Mentor engineers and contribute to propulsion standards.

Skills

Propulsion architecture

Spacecraft propulsion

Propellant management

Propulsion sizing

System-level trade-offs

Environmental testing

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Multidisciplinary discussions

Delivery of complex spacecrafts

Education

MSc or PhD in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering

Job description

ClearSpace is seeking a Spacecraft Propulsion Architect to join the Mechanical, Thermal and Propulsion team. You will act as the technical authority for propulsion design and support architecture decisions for the platform.

The role may lead coordination across Mechanical, Thermal, and Propulsion domains on missions, ensuring coherent spacecraft design solutions and effective interactions with customers and suppliers.