The posting
About Rocket Factory Augsburg
At Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA), we have one clear goal: to create low-cost, flexible, and reliable access to space. We specialize in building small launch vehicles designed to deploy satellites into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and beyond. Together with you, we aim to revolutionize space services and help improve life on Earth. Sounds interesting? Then join our journey and become part of the team driving the New Space movement in Europe.
About the Team
Join a highly driven engineering team developing the next generation of launch vehicles through rapid prototyping, iterative development, and ambitious test campaigns. As a Structural Analysis Engineer, you will work at the forefront of aerospace innovation, helping transform concepts into flight-ready hardware under demanding timelines and real-world conditions. This role offers a unique opportunity to influence vehicle design from early development through testing and flight. You will collaborate closely with design, manufacturing, testing, and systems engineering teams to solve complex structural challenges, validate critical hardware, and continuously improve vehicle performance. Your analyses will directly impact some of the most important engineering decisions across our programs. If you thrive in fast-paced development environments, enjoy solving challenging engineering problems, and want to see your work tested and flown, we would love to hear from you.
Your Tasks
- Perform structural analyses of development, test, and flight hardware using analytical methods, hand calculations, and finite element simulations.
- Partner closely with design engineers to rapidly iterate and optimize structures for performance, mass efficiency, manufacturability, and reliability.
- Develop structural verification strategies, define test plans, and evaluate test results to validate compliance with requirements and specifications.
- Define, analyze, and review structural requirements in collaboration with systems engineering, manufacturing, testing, and other technical disciplines.
- Perform aerospace-specific analyses including static, dynamic, vibration, shock, fatigue, thermal, and load environment assessments.
- Develop and maintain Python- or MATLAB-based tools to automate analysis workflows, test-data processing, and validation activities.
- Support design reviews, test campaigns, anomaly investigations, and flight readiness assessments through data-driven engineering recommendations.
Your Qualifications
- Degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Structural Engineering, or a comparable technical discipline.
- 5 years of professional experience performing structural analysis in aerospace or another high-performance engineering industry.
- Demonstrated experience taking hardware from design through testing, verification, and operational deployment.
Must-Have Skills
- Ability to perform structural analyses using first-principles engineering methods, hand calculations, and finite element analysis (FEA).
- Strong understanding of structural mechanics, continuum mechanics, material behavior, load paths, stress analysis, and failure mechanisms.
- Experience evaluating hardware performance under static, dynamic, thermal, vibration, and operational load environments.
- Proficiency with industry-standard FEA tools such as NX Nastran, Femap, ANSYS, or equivalent simulation software.
- Ability to translate engineering requirements into verification approaches and analytical evidence.
- Experience interpreting test data and correlating analytical models with real-world results.
- Programming skills in Python and/or MATLAB for engineering analysis, automation, and data processing.
- Strong technical communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively across multiple engineering disciplines.
- Professional fluency in English, both written and spoken.
Nice-to-Have Skills
- Experience in launch vehicles, spacecraft, aerospace, defense, or other highly demanding engineering environments.
- Knowledge of vehicle-level load development and flight environments.
- Experience with nonlinear analysis, buckling analysis, fatigue, fracture mechanics, or structural optimization.
- Familiarity with design for manufacturing (DfM) and production-oriented engineering approaches.
- Experience supporting hardware qualification, acceptance testing, or flight certification activities.
- Knowledge of scripting, data visualization, or advanced engineering automation workflows.
We Offer
Atmosphere: Experience life in an international & dynamic New Space start-up
Flexibility: Fit your working schedule to your needs with flexible working hours
Home Office: Full-time employees benefit from one day per week home office
Health: Sweat, stretch or squat it out with EGYM Wellpass
Paid Time Off: 30 days annual leave and speacial leave days
Team Culture: Join regular company and team events
Parking: Free parking for your car or bike
Insights
ineering, Structural Engineering, or a comparable technical discipline. At least 5 years of professional experience performing structural analysis in aerospace or another high-performance engineering industry. Demonstrated experience taking hardware from design through testing, verification, and operational deployment.
Ready to take the next step?
Join RFA and help build one of Europe’s most efficient launch systems. Work alongside 300+ colleagues from over 40 countries and take ownership from day one.
If you’re looking to grow, take responsibility, and contribute to making space more accessible, we’d love to hear from you.
🚀 Apply now! We look forward to receiving your application in German or English.
