[Nyx Earth] Component Manufacturing Engineer

The Exploration Company; Bordeaux; On-site; EUR 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Visa sponsorship where applicable

Job summary

The Exploration Company in Bordeaux is seeking a Component Manufacturing Engineer to own the manufacturing processes for solenoid isolation valve components used in a storable propulsion system. You will oversee machining, assembly, cleaning, and supplier coordination to ensure flight-ready hardware.

You will develop tooling, drive continuous improvement, and ensure strict cleanliness and inspection standards across production, with occasional travel to Munich for collaboration and site

Qualifications

• B.S. in mechanical, manufacturing, or aerospace engineering; experience manufacturing precision flight hardware is a strong plus.
• Hands-on experience with machining, welding/brazing, or precision assembly processes.
• Experience with cleanliness and contamination control for propellant-wetted hardware; storable/hypergolic propellant experience is a strong plus.
• Familiarity with GD&T and inspection methods (CMM, leak testing).
• Experience working with suppliers and production quality processes.
• Familiarity with AS9100 or similar aerospace quality systems is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Define and develop manufacturing processes for solenoid isolation valve components — machining, welding/brazing, coil winding, seal installation — ensuring compatibility with storable propellants.
• Develop and qualify tooling and fixtures to ensure repeatable, high-precision assembly of valve components.
• Drive continuous improvement of yield, cycle time, and cost through process optimization.
• Define and enforce precision cleaning and contamination control procedures compliant with cleanliness requirements for storable-propellant-wetted components.
• Support valve assembly and integration operations, ensuring build standards and travelers are followed; troubleshoot manufacturing issues — leaks, misalignment, seal damage — and implement corrective actions.
• Coordinate manufacturing activities with the internal machine shop and external suppliers for machined and specialty parts (solenoid coils, seals, seats).
• Support make-or-buy decisions and supplier qualification for valve components.
• Provide manufacturing input during design reviews to ensure manufacturability of new valve designs.
• Define inspection plans and acceptance criteria for valve components (dimensional, NDI, leak check).
• Maintain manufacturing documentation, work instructions, and travelers, ensuring traceability and configuration control.
• Support root-cause investigations for manufacturing non-conformances and drive corrective and preventive actions.

Skills

Machining

Welding/Brazing

Assembly

Cleanliness/Contamination control

Supplier coordination

GD&T

AS9100 knowledge

Documentation

Problem solving

Education

B.S. in mechanical, manufacturing, or aerospace engineering

Tools

CMM

Leak testing

Job description

Here at The Exploration Company, we are developing, producing, and operating Nyx, a modular and reusable space orbital vehicle that can eventually be refuelled in orbit and that can carry cargo - and potentially humans in the longer run.

As a talented Component Manufacturing Engineer, you will own the manufacturing processes that turn solenoid isolation valve designs for our storable propulsion system into flight hardware — from precision machining and assembly through cleaning,
inspection, and supplier coordination..

Role Overview

Manufacturing Process Development & Optimization

• Define and develop manufacturing processes for solenoid isolation valve components — machining, welding/brazing, coil winding, seal installation — ensuring compatibility with storable propellants.

• Develop and qualify tooling and fixtures to ensure repeatable, high-precision assembly of valve components.

• Drive continuous improvement of yield, cycle time, and cost through process optimization.

Assembly, Cleaning & Contamination Control

• Define and enforce precision cleaning and contamination control procedures compliant with cleanliness requirements for storable-propellant-wetted components.

• Support valve assembly and integration operations, ensuring build standards and travelers are followed.
  Troubleshoot manufacturing issues — leaks, misalignment, seal damage — and implement corrective actions.

Supplier & Production Support

• Coordinate manufacturing activities with the internal machine shop and external suppliers for machined and specialty parts (solenoid coils, seals, seats).

• Support make-or-buy decisions and supplier qualification for valve components.

• Provide manufacturing input during design reviews to ensure manufacturability of new valve designs.

Quality, Inspection & Documentation

• Define inspection plans and acceptance criteria for valve components (dimensional, NDI, leak check).

• Maintain manufacturing documentation, work instructions, and travelers, ensuring traceability and configuration control.

• Support root-cause investigations for manufacturing non-conformances and drive corrective and preventive actions.

Key Responsibilities

Location

You will perform your duties principally at the Company's premises in Bordeaux and may be required to travel from time to time to our company’s premises in Munich in the course of your duties.

What we would love to see from you

• B.S. in mechanical, manufacturing, or aerospace engineering, with experience manufacturing precision flight hardware — valve or fluid-component experience is a strong plus.

• Hands-on experience with machining, welding/brazing, or precision assembly processes.

• Experience with cleanliness and contamination control for propellant-wetted hardware; storable/hypergolic propellant experience is a strong plus.

• Familiarity with GD&T and inspection methods (CMM, leak testing).

• Experience working with suppliers and production quality processes.

• Familiarity with AS9100 or similar aerospace quality systems is a plus.

Skills and Behaviours:

• A hands-on approach to problem-solving, combined with a collaborative mindset to work across multidisciplinary teams

• Excellent organizational skills and ability to multitask

• Capability of working autonomously whilst collaborating productively with remote teams

• Positive and flexible attitude in a constantly evolving environment

• Grit to get the job done

• Ability to communicate effectively with a wide variety of audiences

• Behaviors consistent with The Exploration Company’s core values of Commitment, Innovation, Trust, Quality, and Teamwork

Why you should join us!

What makes us special here at The Exploration Company and why we think you will enjoy working here is:

• We’re Agile - we make decisions fast whilst keeping our goals and systems in mind

• We’re Open and Collaborative - we are transparent about risks and obstacles, so that we can cooperate to overcome them

• We have a lot of Fun - we refuel our energy knowing we are democratising space. It’s a wonderful and rare opportunity, are YOU up for the challenge?

The Exploration Company is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability status. Relocation assistance is provided for those willing to relocate including visa sponsorship where applicable.

All offers are contingent upon the successful completion of a background check, which will be subject to the country, role, and project you applied for. By submitting your application, you acknowledge and agree that any offer of employment may be conditional upon successful condition of this check. The Exploration Company partners with Zinc Work Limited located in the UK (Zinc), a third-party provider, to ensure this process as efficient and transparent as possible.

If applicable, you will receive an email from Zinc upon acceptance of your offer with a link to a secure portal where you can provide the required information to Zinc.