Materials Engineer - Solar Array Assembly

We are looking for a motivated and hands-on junior or medior Materials Engineer to join the Solar Array Assembly (SAA) development and production.

Key responsibilities

• Select and qualify the SAA materials and processes such as adhesives, encapsulants, substrates, coverglassbonding and cell interconnect welding.
• Write test plans, prepare and follow up samples through manufacturing and testing (thermal cycling, mechanical, ageing), analyse the results and write the reports.
• Maintain the materials and processes lists (DML/DPL) of the SAA and their justification.
• Present and defend your results in front of the customer at design reviews (PDR, CDR, QR) and answer their questions and RIDs.
• Follow up suppliers and test laboratories: specifications, test campaigns, incoming inspection, non-conformances.
• Support the SAA mechanical, electrical and AIT teams on materials questions, failure investigations and root-cause analysis.

Must have

• Master’s degree, PhD, or equivalent in Materials Science, Chemistry, Mechanical Engineering, or Aerospace Engineering.
• 5+ years of experience in a materials engineering role, preferably in the space or aerospace industry.
• Experience with polymer materials (adhesives, encapsulants, composites, coatings) and their testing.
• Knowledge of space solar array technology: multijunction cells, coverglass, interconnect welding, flexible or rigid substrates.
• Hands-on attitude: comfortable in the lab and on the shop floor, preparing samples and running tests yourself when needed.
• Able to build a clear technical argument and defend it in front of a customer.
• Good communication skills and a team-oriented mindset.

Nice to have

• Familiarity with ECSS standards (ECSS-Q-ST-70 series) and ESA milestone reviews.
• Experience with materials characterisation (FTIR, SEM, peel/shear testing) and outgassing testing.
• Competence in process quality domains (SPC, DOE, FMEA).
• Fluency in French is a plus.