Senior System Engineer

Destinusgroup in Zürich seeks a Senior System Engineer to lead system development for missile and rocket products, applying agile V-model processes and military standards. The role involves managing requirements, system architecture, verification, and supplier coordination in defense and aerospace projects.

The Senior System Engineer plays a key role in advancing Destinusgroup’s mission to revolutionize the defense industry through cutting-edge Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). This position oversees the full agile system engineering lifecycle, from initial requirements to verification and validation, ensuring mission-critical systems meet military standards and operational needs. The role supports Destinus’s partnerships with global defense organizations by coordinating complex, multidisciplinary development efforts.

Responsibilities

• Lead the management of system requirements from customer inputs, translating them into formal system and product specifications for missile and rocket systems.
• Apply an agile V-model approach to trace requirements through design, implementation, and verification/validation stages.
• Define system-of-systems architecture and decompose it into subsystems, including rocket/missile, launcher/platform, command and control, and radar/target detection components.
• Coordinate closely with engineering peers in propulsion, mechanical, electrical, software, and safety disciplines.
• Oversee the product development lifecycle, leading design reviews such as SRR, PDR, and CDR.
• Manage the verification and validation phase, ensuring all system elements are tested and validated.
• Implement system engineering guidelines early and continuously to support environmental qualification and regulatory certification under military standards.
• Perform risk assessments and FMEA analyses, while maintaining systematic configuration management for all product variants.
• Draft Statements of Work (SoW) to manage supplier collaborations and serve as the technical point of contact for external partners.
• Plan and execute field test campaigns for integration, verification, and validation of rocket and missile systems.
• Manage and produce technical documentation, including user manuals, test reports, and maintenance procedures.
• Mentor and guide junior system engineers in the team.
• Contribute innovative ideas to maintain Destinusgroup’s missile and rocket products at the forefront of technology.
• Oversee both structured product development and rapid prototyping within the engineering department.
• Help shape and improve the system engineering processes at Destinusgroup.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field.
• At least 7 years of experience in a system engineering role, ideally within defense or aerospace industries.
• Proven experience in test planning, defining procedures, and executing hands-on testing.
• Familiarity with engineering and requirement management tools such as Jama, Jira, and Confluence.
• Experience with military standards (MIL-STD, STANAG) and airworthiness regulations.
• Strong communication abilities, with experience leading test activities and coordinating multidisciplinary teams.
• Proactive, ownership-driven mindset with excellent problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a fast-paced, dynamic, international, and multidisciplinary team.
• Fluency in English is required.

Nice to have

• Prior experience in a tier 1 defense supplier company, with direct interaction with military customers.
• Knowledge of technical domains relevant to missile and rocket systems, including propulsion, communication protocols, tactical data links, firing control, radar sensors, and safety systems.
• German language skills are an advantage.

About the company

Destinusgroup is transforming the defense industry with advanced Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), delivering mission-critical solutions to government and defense organizations worldwide. The company fosters a culture of collaboration, systems thinking, and leadership, emphasizing ownership, problem-solving, and alignment with stakeholders in project execution.

• Collaborative and multidisciplinary work environment.
• Emphasis on systems thinking and technical leadership.
• Encouragement of ownership and proactive problem-solving.
• Focus on stakeholder alignment and effective project execution.