Opportunities in Neuenstadt am Kocher, China

Key responsibilities

Design for Manufacture & Production Readiness

• Embed design-for-manufacture (DFM) and design-for-assembly (DFA) thinking throughout the design process, proactively considering machinability, inspection accessibility, assembly sequence, and tolerance stack-up from the earliest stages
• Engage proactively and often with the production engineering team to sense-check designs against manufacturing capability, raising and resolving producibility concerns before formal drawing release
• Prepare complete and formally controlled design packages for job order handover, including fully detailed drawings with appropriate GD&T, complete BOMs with material specifications and bought-in part references, and any necessary manufacturing notes or special process requirements
• Generation of production and assembly procedures and related documentation necessary to raise job orders for production
• Lead or support production readiness reviews (PRRs), presenting design intent, critical features, and known risks to the production team in a structured and accessible way
• Own drawing and model revisions arising from production queries, non-conformances, or concession requests, turning them around promptly to minimise disruption to the production schedule

Mechanical Design & Analysis

• Develop detailed 3D CAD models and 2D engineering drawings of hybrid rocket motor components including combustion chambers, fuel grain housings, oxidiser injectors, nozzle assemblies and structural interfaces
• Define appropriate materials, surface treatments, and joining methods for components operating in the demanding thermal, chemical, and mechanical environment of a hybrid rocket motor
• Support the creation and maintenance of design requirement documents, interface control documents (ICDs), and design justification reports as required

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work as an active member of the propulsion team alongside propulsion engineers, systems engineers, and test engineers, ensuring quality mechanical design
• Liaise with external suppliers and subcontractors on manufactured and bought-in components, providing clear technical briefs and reviewing supplier drawings and quality documentation
• Coordinate with the procurement team on lead times, material availability, and alternative sourcing options for critical components

Basic Qualification

• Degree in Mechanical Engineering or Aerospace Engineering (BEng minimum; MEng or MSc preferred)
• Proven experience (typically 2–6 years) in detailed mechanical design and drawing release within an engineering environment, ideally aerospace, defence, or high-performance mechanical systems
• Practical familiarity with metallic and composite manufacturing processes — including CNC milling and turning, filament winding, and hand lamination — with an understanding of how each process constrains and informs design decisions around geometry, tolerancing, fibre orientation, and surface finish
• High proficiency in 3D parametric CAD (e.g. CATIA, Siemens NX, SolidWorks, or Creo) and production of fully detailed manufacturing drawings to recognised standards
• Strong command of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T / BS 8888 or ASME Y14.5) and tolerance analysis methods
• Experience preparing complete design packages for handover to a manufacturing or production team, and an understanding of what constitutes a truly production-ready drawing release
• Familiarity with engineering change management processes and working within a controlled PDM or PLM environment

Desired Experience

• Direct experience designing components for rocket motors, jet engines, gas turbines, or other high-temperature, high-pressure propulsion systems
• Knowledge of hybrid or solid propellant systems, oxidiser feed system design, nozzle aerothermodynamics, or combustion chamber structural design
• Familiarity with pressure vessel design codes (e.g. PD 5500, ASME BPVC) or structural analysis in accordance with ECSS or MIL standards
• Hands-on experience with machined metallic components, knowing how design choices translate into real machining operations, tooling constraints, and inspection challenges
• Exposure to composite structure design or non-metallic materials in propulsion or structural applications

What we offer

• €50 monthly Spendit Card – because it’s the little extras that make a difference
• Christmas bonus on top
• Job bike leasing for a sporty and sustainable commute
• €60 gift for special occasions (birthday, wedding, birth of a child)
• Regular team events – from Christmas parties to adventure offsites
• 30 days of vacation to fully recharge
• Flexible working hours (flextime) to match your personal rhythm
• 1 day of remote work per week
• Free coffee, tea & water – fuel for big ideas
• Open, respectful feedback culture at eye level
• Personal development opportunities through trainings, coaching & language courses
• Buddy program with structured onboarding, including a welcome package
• A diverse and inspiring startup environment, where talented people from over 16 nations collaborate to build something extraordinary
• Hands-on involvement across end-to-end development processes in a fast-growing New Space startup

Location

Our location in Neuenstadt in the region of Heilbronn offers an ideal combination of rural charm and urban quality of life. Located in the heart of Baden-Württemberg, the region is characterized by its excellent traffic connections and diverse opportunities for leisure activities. Discover the advantages of this dynamic and liveable environment and benefit from a good work-life balance. 2023, Baden-Württemberg registered by far the most patents in Germany. A total of 16,000 people work in LR BW member companies and generate an annual turnover of around 5 billion euros - and the trend is rising. The strength of Baden-Württemberg's aerospace industry lies in the integrated value chain from the screw to the research satellite.

Equal Employment Opportunity

HyImpulse is committed to building a diverse and inclusive environment. As an equal opportunity employer, all qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, age or disability.

• Degree in Mechanical Engineering or Aerospace Engineering (BEng minimum; MEng or MSc preferred)

• Proven experience (typically 2–6 years) in detailed mechanical design and drawing release within an engineering environment, ideally aerospace, defence, or high-performance mechanical systems

• Practical familiarity with metallic and composite manufacturing processes — including CNC milling and turning, filament winding, and hand lamination — with an understanding of how each process constrains and informs design decisions around geometry, tolerancing, fibre orientation, and surface finish

• High proficiency in 3D parametric CAD (e.g. CATIA, Siemens NX, SolidWorks, or Creo) and production of fully detailed manufacturing drawings to recognised standards

• Strong command of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T / BS 8888 or ASME Y14.5) and tolerance analysis methods

• Experience preparing complete design packages for handover to a manufacturing or production team, and an understanding of what constitutes a truly production-ready drawing release

• Familiarity with engineering change management processes and working within a controlled PDM or PLM environment

• Direct experience designing components for rocket motors, jet engines, gas turbines, or other high-temperature, high-pressure propulsion systems

• Knowledge of hybrid or solid propellant systems, oxidiser feed system design, nozzle aerothermodynamics, or combustion chamber structural design

• Familiarity with pressure vessel design codes (e.g. PD 5500, ASME BPVC) or structural analysis in accordance with ECSS or MIL standards

• Hands-on experience with machined metallic components, knowing how design choices translate into real machining operations, tooling constraints, and inspection challenges

• Exposure to composite structure design or non-metallic materials in propulsion or structural applications