M&P Structures Engineer

Help Build Europe's Hypersonic Capability

At Hypersonica, we’re redefining what’s possible in European defence technology. We exist to deliver speed, resilience, and technological independence at a pace that sets a new standard. We are a small, elite team working on problems that matter, and solving them fast.

By joining Hypersonica, you’re not stepping into a predefined role. You’re joining a talent‑dense environment where every individual shapes the direction of the company. Our philosophy is to hire a small number of exceptional people with broad, deep technical capability, strong judgement, and the ability to operate autonomously.

We hire for talent, not rigid boxes. This role represents a business need, but the way it evolves will be shaped by the individual. If you’ve achieved what others said was impossible, or you bring a unique combination of skills that doesn’t fit a traditional mould, we want to hear from you. The work you do here directly contributes to Europe’s technological independence.

• Own and solve thermo‑mechanical challenges for hypersonic missiles and aerospace vehicles operating in extreme flight environments.
• Lead structural design and advanced analysis of critical vehicle components exposed to extreme aerodynamic loads, thermal gradients, and dynamic stresses.
• Develop and maintain high‑fidelity simulation models (FEA and multi‑physics) to predict structural, thermal, and material behaviour under operational conditions.
• Conduct detailed stress, fatigue, creep, fracture, and thermal stress analysis on novel composites, superalloys, ceramics, and refractory materials.
• Define and shape mechanical system architectures, ensuring robust integration between propulsion systems, airframe structures, thermal protection, and control systems.
• Investigate, select, and qualify high‑temperature materials and material systems capable of sustained operation above 1500°C.
• Analyse material behaviour under thermal cycling, oxidation, ablation, and phase change, identifying risks and driving mitigation strategies.
• Evaluate and influence manufacturing processes (additive manufacturing, advanced casting, welding, high‑precision fabrication) to ensure designs are buildable and scalable.
• Identify material‑ and process‑driven failure modes, feeding insights back into design, analysis, and qualification plans.
• Collaborate closely with propulsion, aerodynamics, and systems teams to translate requirements into manufacturable, testable mechanical designs.
• Support and interpret experimental testing, using data to refine models, material selection, and system architectures.
• Contribute across the full lifecycle from concept through simulation, prototype development, and design maturity.

• A highly capable Mechanical Engineer with deep experience in materials, structures, or mechanical system design for extreme environments.
• You bring strong expertise in at least one of the following, with working knowledge across the others:
  Advanced materials science (high‑temperature alloys, ceramics, composites) Stress and failure analysis (structural mechanics, fatigue, fracture, dynamics) Mechanical system engineering (vehicle‑level integration, dynamic modelling)
• Comfortable tackling highly ambiguous, non‑linear engineering problems under tight performance and safety constraints.
• Highly proficient with advanced simulation tools (e.g. OPTISTRUCT, NASTRAN, COMSOL) and modern CAD tools (e.g. Siemens NX).
• Strong analytical capability, able to connect multi‑physics behaviour into actionable engineering decisions.
• Experienced using test data to validate and challenge models, not treating simulation as an end in itself.
• Detail‑driven yet able to think at the system and vehicle level, understanding how mechanical decisions affect overall performance.
• Familiar with aerospace, defence, or other high‑performance engineering programmes where margins matter.
• Technically curious, rigorous, and motivated by operating at the limits of materials and structural performance.
• Driven by contributing to sovereign hypersonic capability, where correctness, robustness, and execution speed matter.

Due…