Propellant R&D Technician

About the role

The Destinus engineering team is looking for a Propellant R&D Technician to produce solid rocket motors for research and development programmes and test campaigns. This hands‑on chemistry and production role operates in a tightly regulated, safety‑critical environment where process discipline, quality, and meticulous documentation are essential.

Key responsibilities

• Produce propellant mixes, cast grains, and manufacture solid rocket motors following validated batch records and SOPs.
• Prepare and handle energetic and chemical raw materials, weighing, mixing, and processing in strict accordance with safety protocols.
• Operate and monitor production equipment such as mixers, casting stations, and curing ovens, recording all process parameters.
• Complete batch documentation with materials, lot numbers, parameters, deviations, and personnel for every run.
• Perform in‑process quality checks and visual inspections of finished motors, escalating non‑conformances immediately.
• Write, maintain, and improve SOPs for propellant and motor production to ensure repeatability and safety.
• Support post‑test teardown and failure investigation alongside propulsion engineers.

Required profile

• Background in chemistry, chemical technology, or a related technical field (e.g., Chemietechnologe/in, process technician).
• Hands‑on experience with chemical or energetic materials production; experience with propellants, pyrotechnics, or explosives is a strong advantage.
• Exceptional process discipline – follows SOPs exactly, documents everything, and does not improvise in a safety‑critical environment.
• Experience with in‑process quality control and inspection in a production or laboratory setting.
• Comfortable working in a small R&D team where priorities shift and production runs vary in scale and complexity.
• Fluent in English; German or French is an advantage.

Required skills

• Chemical handling and formulation of propellant mixes.
• Operation of mixing, casting, and curing equipment.
• Documentation and batch record management.
• In‑process quality control and visual inspection techniques.
• SOP writing and continuous improvement.