Mechanical Design Engineer

Alt; Germany; On-site; EUR 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Relocation support

Meals provided daily

Company housing

Job summary

Alt, a Germany-based rocketry startup, seeks a Mechanical Design Engineer to own concepts through detailed design, release, and integration on real hardware. You will shape rocket structures and manufacturing tooling, delivering lightweight, reliable designs while collaborating with production and test teams.

The role emphasizes hands-on execution, fast pace, and autonomy, with opportunities for relocation and equity as the company scales toward orbital propulsion projects.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in mechanical/aerospace engineering.
• At least two years of mechanical or aerospace hardware-design experience.
• Strong design skills with hand calculations and engineering judgement.
• Solid CAD skills with robust assemblies and accurate drawings.
• Fluent English.

Responsibilities

• Develop concepts for rocket structures and advance to detailed design.
• Lay out and size structural components, joints and interfaces.
• Design tooling, mandrels and fixtures for composite manufacturing and testing.
• Evaluate options to reduce weight and simplify hardware.
• Create release-quality 3D models, assemblies and drawings with tolerances.
• Collaborate with manufacturing and test teams to realise hardware.

Skills

Design skills

English

Hands-on

Cross-functional

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in mechanical/aerospace engineering

Tools

CAD software

Job description

We are looking for a Mechanical Design Engineer to design our rocket structures, manufacturing equipment, and test hardware. You will own your designs from the first concept through detailed design, release, manufacture, and integration on real hardware.

Good structures start with good ideas. You will shape how our rocket and manufacturing equipment look and work, developing solutions that make hardware lighter, simpler, more reliable, and faster to build.

About us

We’re a Germany-based rocketry startup currently in stealth mode, scaling up rapidly to meet the demand for high-performance, reliable, and scalable solid propulsion technologies for space and defense applications.

We are already launching suborbital and ballistic rockets on a regular basis, have just crossed €10m in revenue for our first operating year and are applying our knowledge toward the development of an orbital rocket.

We are working hard to build something truly spectacular.

To thrive here you will need to be comfortable working at pace, with the autonomy to make decisions and execute on them quickly. If you’re excited by hard technical challenges and want a role where you will make a real difference each day to the future of the company, we may be the place for you.

Key responsibilities

• Develop design concepts for primary and secondary rocket structures and take them through to detailed design.

• Lay out and size structural components, joints, and interfaces in collaboration with structural analysis.

• Design tooling, mandrels, and fixtures for composite manufacturing, CNC machining, and testing.

• Evaluate design options and trade-offs, developing solutions that make hardware lighter, simpler, and easier to build.

• Create release-quality 3D models, assemblies, drawings, and tolerances while maintaining the CAD baseline.

• Work directly with manufacturing, the workshop, and test teams to take designs through to real hardware.

What we are looking for

• A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, or a related discipline.

• At least two years of mechanical or aerospace hardware-design experience; strong student-team experience will also be considered.

• Strong design skills, including the ability to develop concepts, lay out and size parts, perform hand calculations, and apply sound engineering judgement.

• Solid CAD skills, with clean modelling practices, robust assemblies, and accurate drawings and tolerancing.

• Fluent English.

• A practical, hands‑on approach and the ability to work effectively with design, manufacturing, workshop, and test teams.

Desirable experience

• Composite or filament-wound pressure‑vessel design.

• Tooling, mandrel, or fixture design for composite manufacturing.

• Ability to interpret FEA results and perform basic FEA.

• Working proficiency in German.

Benefits and important information:

• We offer top-decile compensation packages, bonuses and meaningful equity, to attract exceptional aerospace talent.

• Every employee is awarded stock options in the company, you will directly benefit from your own hard work and success.

• Comprehensive relocation support including flights, shipping and visas.

• Lunch, dinner and drinks provided everyday

• Free access to shared company housing

Please note, we are a fast paced, hyper-scaling startup. You will need to be comfortable working extended hours with high levels of autonomy, ownership, and flexibility, with contracts structured around a 48-hour working week.

We are committed to building an equitable and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued, has equal access to opportunity, and can thrive. We welcome different perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences—and believe our differences make us stronger.