Stress Engineer - Pressure Vessels

Destinus seeks a Senior Stress Engineer in Payerne, CH, to lead structural analysis and sizing of pressure-loaded components for next-generation rocket motors.

This role focuses on the structural integrity of advanced rocket motor systems. The engineer will define how these systems perform under extreme pressure and temperature conditions, ensuring reliable and high-performance designs for future flight applications.

Responsibilities

• Direct the structural sizing and stress evaluation of pressure-bearing rocket motor components, including metallic and composite motor cases.
• Conduct analytical and numerical stress assessments, covering linear and nonlinear behaviors, buckling, fatigue, fracture, and damage tolerance for high-pressure and high-temperature environments.
• Establish and oversee load cases and operational environments relevant to rocket motors, such as internal pressure, thermal gradients, mechanical loads, ignition transients, and dynamic effects.
• Create and implement analysis methodologies for composite motor structures, utilizing laminate theory, failure criteria, and appropriate knockdown factors.
• Assist in material selection and structural concept development, emphasizing mass efficiency, strength, thermal compatibility, and manufacturability.
• Verify that designs comply with required safety factors, margins, and applicable aerospace standards for pressure-loaded rocket hardware.
• Support and interpret structural testing, including proof, burst, cyclic, or hot-fire testing, and correlate analytical predictions with test data.
• Participate in and lead stress reviews, providing clear justification of assumptions, margins, and trade-offs.
• Collaborate closely with propulsion, materials, manufacturing, and systems teams to ensure structurally sound and producible rocket motor designs.
• Author and review stress reports, analysis documentation, and verification evidence.
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to the continuous improvement of structural analysis methods and tools.

Requirements

• MSc. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline.
• 5+ years of experience in stress or structural analysis of pressure-loaded aerospace components.
• Demonstrated experience with metallic and composite pressure structures.
• Strong proficiency in FEA tools (ANSYS, Abaqus, Nastran, or equivalent) and classical hand calculations.
• Solid understanding of composite materials, laminate theory, and composite failure criteria.
• Experience supporting structural testing and analysis correlation.
• Familiarity with aerospace structural design practices and safety margins for high-energy systems.
• Ability to take technical ownership and work independently on complex structural problems.
• Strong communication skills and ability to clearly present analysis results.
• Fluency in English required; German is a plus.

Nice to have

• Experience with rocket motor structures (e.g. motor cases or similar pressure-loaded propulsion hardware) is highly desirable.

What the company offers

• Work on cutting-edge projects that redefine aerospace.
• Collaborate with top engineers from all over the world.
• Experience the rush of working in a rapidly expanding company.
• Your work won’t be theoretical—it will shape the future of flight.

About the company

Destinus is revolutionizing the defense industry with cutting-edge Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). The company partners with government agencies and defense organizations worldwide to provide advanced solutions for mission-critical operations. Employees thrive in a fast-paced environment where innovation moves at lightning speed. The culture emphasizes taking responsibility, moving fast with discipline, and holding oneself to the highest standards of technical excellence and integrity.

• Revolutionizing the defense industry with cutting-edge Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).
• Partners with government agencies and defense organizations worldwide to provide advanced solutions for mission-critical operations.
• Thrive in a fast paced environment where innovation moves at lightning speed.
• Take responsibility, move fast with discipline, and hold yourself to the highest standards of technical excellence and integrity.