About us

Airborne Engineering (AEL) is a small company specialising in rocket engine testing for the commercial space sector. We are proud to operate one of the only commercial rocket engine test facilities in Europe, where our constantly expanding capabilities and customer base enables us to take on a wide variety of interesting and exciting projects at the cutting edge of aerospace research.

At our Westcott facility near Aylesbury and Bicester we have two state-of-the-art rocket test cells, with a variety of infrastructure including propellant supply systems and instrumentation, supported by our on-site mechanical workshop and offices. We take pride in achieving a high technical output from our small team of engineers, technicians and support staff, whilst maintaining a flexible and relaxed working environment and providing opportunities for learning and creative thinking.

The role

Our mechanical team is responsible for designing rocket engine hardware and their propellant feed systems and test facilities. This may be for internal R&D projects, custom test-rigs or rocket-propelled vehicles. Projects are varied and often multi-disciplinary, involving the interaction of fluids with mechanical, electrical and control systems.

Recent project examples include:

Design and installation of liquid oxygen and liquid methane feed systems in our J1 test facility
Design, manufacture and testing of custom cryogenic control valves
Design of rocket engine components to be made using cutting-edge additive manufacture.

We are looking for a senior engineer to join our mechanical design team. You will be responsible for interfacing with clients and working with our team to provide components and systems to meet customer requirements. This will include: performing calculations; specifying off-the-shelf components; designing custom hardware; and managing the manufacture, assembly and testing of complex components/systems. As part of a small team you will need to be self-motivated, multi-skilled and flexible to meet the current demands of projects. The ideal candidate will therefore be comfortable with mechanical design, project management, supplier engagement, hands-on assembly and testing. There is also opportunity to be involved in our simulation, modelling, electronics, and software development, depending on your skills and interests.

Essential requirements

We expect candidates will have experience with:

Design of mechanical components for propulsion or high-performance applications
Design of fluid handling systems
Common manufacturing processes, with understanding of how these affect part design
Computer aided design (especially SOLIDWORKS) and drawing for manufacture
Stress analysis (FEA)
Project management: technical reporting, maintaining of budgets and schedules
Excellent spoken and written English
Have or can obtain the right to work in the UK

Desirable experience

The ideal candidate will additionally have experience in one or more of the following areas:

Selecting pipework components for pressurised systems
Familiarity with typical mechanical and pipework connections
Hands-on skills for assembly of mechanical components
Use of standard workshop tools
Software modelling
Rocket engine design
Handling fuels and oxidisers
Cryogenic systems
Project management of European Space Agency funded programmes
Linux and version control
Familiarity with instrumentation and control

Role details

Competitive salary and generous annual leave policy
Full time position with option for flexible working hours and occasional remote working
Company paid private medical insurance scheme
Please note that our site at Westcott Venture Park has infrequent public transport links so personal transport is recommended.

How to apply

Please email your CV and a cover letter emphasising your experience and skills for this role to jobs@ael.co.uk.
Feel free to include any public-domain details or photographs of projects you have worked on.
Please let us know whether you have the right to work in the UK.

Senior propulsion engineer