Electronics Engineer (m/f/d)

MPI f. Sonnensystemforschung; Göttingen; Hybrid; EUR 65,000 - 78,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

30 days vacation + 4 additional days

Flexible working time and mobile work

Cooperation with child care center

Public transport connection

Corporate health management

Job summary

The Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS) in Göttingen is seeking an Electronics Engineer to develop, test, and document space-qualified electronics hardware. You will work with project teams and external partners in Germany and abroad on high‑voltage control, FPGA development, and instrument calibration.

Requirements include a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, hands‑on testing, and willingness to travel internationally; English fluency and German language skills are

Qualifications

• The candidate holds a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering with strong knowledge of analog and digital circuit design.
• Experience in space-qualified electronics (analog/digital) following ESA standards is required.
• Proven experience in FPGA development, synthesis, and testing.
• Strong understanding of physics and engineering applied to space hardware.
• Willingness to travel internationally and to work in cleanrooms according to regulations.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and test space-qualified analog and digital circuits.
• Develop high-voltage control for particle instrument and TOF mass-spectrometer.
• Contribute to environmental test procedures for electronics and plasma spectrometer.
• Calibrate and operate the plasma spectrometer instrument.

Skills

Analog circuit design

Digital circuit design

Space electronics development

FPGA development

Testing and measurement

Cleanroom compliance

High voltage control

English fluency

German language knowledge

Education

Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Microsemi RTAX FPGA

Xilinx UltraScale

Job description

The Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS) in Göttingen is one of the world's leading research institutions in the fields of solar physics and planetary research, with approximately 300 employees. The interdisciplinary research focus lies in the investigation of the development, diversity, and dynamics of planets, moons, small bodies, the sun, and solar-like stars. MPS develops and operates scientific instruments for current and future space missions (e.g., ESA, NASA) and conducts cosmochemical laboratory investigations of meteorites as well as numerical modeling on state-of-the-art supercomputers.

Electronics Engineer (m/f/d)

This position is subject to financing that has not yet been confirmed. As an electronics engineer, you will work as part of a team on the development of electronics hardware for use in space, as well as its testing, qualification, and documentation. In this role, you will work closely with the project team and external partners both in Germany and abroad.

Your Tasks

• Design, implementation, and test of space-qualified analog and digital circuits electronics
• Develop high-voltage control for particle Instrument and TOF mass-spectrometer
• Contribute to the development and performance of environmental test procedures for the electronics and the plasma spectrometer
• Contribute to the calibration and the operation of a plasma spectrometer instrument

Your Qualification

• Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering
• Extensive knowledge of analog and digital circuit design
• Experience in the independent development of space-qualified electronics (analog/digital) in accordance with ESA standards
• Experience in the development, synthesis, and testing of FPGAs (e.g., Microsemi RTAX or Xilinx Ultrascale)
• Strong understanding of physics and engineering
• Willingness to work in cleanrooms and to comply with the required regulations
• Willingness to travel internationally

You Should Have

• Good hands-on skills for electronics assembly and measurement
• High motivation, problem solving attitude, be a continuous learner, and team player
• Experience in space projects (ESA, NASA, etc.) is of advantage
• Strong communication skills
• Fluency in English
• Good knowledge of the German language

Our Offer

• onboarding, professional development and further training opportunities
• Diverse and varied tasks in an international work environment
• Remuneration according to TVöDBund, based on qualifications and experience, annual bonus and additional pension scheme (VBL)
• 30 days of vacation plus 4 additional days off
• Full-time and part-time employment; flexible working time and possibility of mobile work
• Cooperation with local bilingual Montessori child care center
• public transport connection
• Corporate health management

Additional Information

• The full-time position can be filled starting 4 Jan 2027 or later. Employment is initially limited in time until end of 2030 with a possible extension if the project will be continued and if funding will be available
• The position is rated in acccordance to public service act (TVöD-Bund) as EG 13
• Temporary teleworking can be negotiated
• Social security benefits are in accordance with the public service regulations
• End date for application is 31 October 2026

As a scientific institution, the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research offers an attractive international and sophisticated environment with the possibility of implementing one's own ideas and concepts. Moreover, we offer opportunities to reconcile work and family as well as health promotion.

The Max Planck Society endeavours to achieve gender equality and diversity. Furthermore, the Max Planck Society seeks to increase the number of women in those areas where they are underrepresented and therefore explicitly encourages women to apply. The Max Planck Society is committed to increasing the number of individuals with disabilities in its workforce and therefore encourages applications from such qualified individuals.

Website of the Institute https://www.mps.mpg.de/en