Solar Panel Engineer

Aerospacelab; Toulouse; On-site; EUR 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Career progression

Direct impact on growth

Fast-paced environment

Flexible ways of working

Job summary

Aerospacelab in Toulouse is seeking a Solar Array Engineer to design photovoltaic systems powering our satellites. You will own the solar array architecture from cell selection to panel layout and define tests for flight qualification.

This purely technical role collaborates with our system, power, thermal, structures, AIT and production teams, with no people management responsibilities.

Qualifications

• Define the qualification and acceptance test philosophy, write the test plans and specifications for each environment, and set the pass/fail criteria.
• Follow the campaigns through with the team that runs them, then review and interpret the results against your design.
• Design space solar array assemblies, from cell and CIC selection through panel layout and string configuration and electrical interfaces.
• Build power budgets and orbital energy-balance models with the system team, accounting for the mission profile and degradation over life.
• Define how the array interfaces with the spacecraft power system, covering bus voltage compatibility, string sizing, bypass and blocking diodes, harness routing, and grounding.
• Run and review the electrical analyses of the array, from cell and string behaviour to the effects of the space environment on its performance.
• Write the design specifications, interface control documents (ICDs), and qualification reports, and share what you learn with the wider engineering team.

Responsibilities

• Define the qualification and acceptance test philosophy, write the test plans and specifications for each environment, and set the pass/fail criteria.
• Follow the campaigns through with the team that runs them, then review and interpret the results against your design. If bench work appeals to you, there is room to take the measurements yourself.
• Design space solar array assemblies, from cell and CIC selection through panel layout and string configuration and electrical interfaces.
• Build power budgets and orbital energy-balance models together with the system team, accounting for the mission profile and for degradation over life.
• Define how the array interfaces with the spacecraft power system, covering bus voltage compatibility, strings sizing, bypass and blocking diodes, harness routing, and grounding.
• Run and review the electrical analyses of the array, from cell and string behaviour to the effects of the space environment on its performance.
• Write the design specifications, interface control documents (ICDs), and qualification reports, and share what you learn with the wider engineering team.

Skills

Solar array design

Power budgets

Orbital energy balance models

Test philosophy

Tools

Power supplies

Data acquisition systems

I-V curve tracers

Job description

Our mission is supported by an ambitious vertically integrated approach: design & manufacture of small satellites combined with development of earth observation services.

Since its creation in 2018, the company has already grown substantially. Our team gathers more than 25 engineering expertise, from hardware design to software development & data science.

In 2026, Aerospacelab counts offices in Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium), Toulouse (France), Lausanne (Switzerland) and US West Coast with more than 450 full-time employees, with the ambition to position itself as the European leader in small satellites.

Your mission

Aerospacelab is looking for a Solar ArrayEngineer to design the photovoltaic systems that power our satellites, across allour different programs and to define the tests that qualify them for flight.You will own the solar array architecture, from cell selection to stringconfiguration and panel layout, build the power and energy-balance modelsbehind it, and turn that design into a qualification program. This is a purelytechnical role with no people-management responsibilities, working closely withour system, power, thermal, structures, AIT, and production teams.

Key responsibilities

• Define the qualification andacceptance test philosophy, write the test plans and specifications for eachenvironment, and set the pass/fail criteria.
• Follow the campaigns throughwith the team that runs them, then review and interpret the results againstyour design. If bench work appeals to you, there is room to take themeasurements yourself.
• Design space solar arrayassemblies, from cell and CIC selection through panel layout and stringconfiguration and electrical interfaces.
• Build power budgets and orbitalenergy-balance modelstogether with the system team, accounting for the mission profile and fordegradation over life.
• Define how the array interfaceswith the spacecraft power system, covering bus voltage compatibility, stringsizing, bypass and blocking diodes, harness routing, and grounding.
• Run and review the electricalanalyses of the array, from cell and string behaviour to the effects of the space environmenton its performance.
• Write the designspecifications, interface control documents (ICDs), and qualification reports,and share what you learn with the wider engineering team.

Must have

• Define the qualification andacceptance test philosophy, write the test plans and specifications for eachenvironment, and set the pass/fail criteria.
• Follow the campaigns throughwith the team that runs them, then review and interpret the results againstyour design. If bench work appeals to you, there is room to take themeasurements yourself.
• Design space solar arrayassemblies, from cell and CIC selection through panel layout and stringconfiguration and electrical interfaces.
• Build power budgets and orbitalenergy-balance modelstogether with the system team, accounting for the mission profile and fordegradation over life.
• Define how the array interfaceswith the spacecraft power system, covering bus voltage compatibility, stringsizing, bypass and blocking diodes, harness routing, and grounding.
• Run and review the electricalanalyses of the array, from cell and string behaviour to the effects of the space environmenton its performance.
• Write the designspecifications, interface control documents (ICDs), and qualification reports,and share what you learn with the wider engineering team.

Nice to have

• Hands-on with electrical testequipment such as power supplies, data acquisition systems, and I-V curvetracers, and able to troubleshoot from test data.
• Experience in an aerospace,space, or other highly regulated hardware environment.

What we offer

Build your own career path

Direct impact on the growth of the company

Fast-paced environment

Flexible ways of working

Salary package consistent with your experience