Mechanical & Structural Engineer

Location: Katwijk NB

Imagine this, you own the mechanical backbone of an exo-atmospheric interceptor, from its structure and internal layout to the way it survives the loads and environment of flight.
Bliksem Exo is a four-nation European consortium developing an anti-ballistic missile system at operational pace. Destinus is the programme prime and responsible for the exo-atmospheric interceptor, engineered for affordability and production  this role, you will take the vehicle from CAD to real, testable hardware. You will own the mechanical design, structural analysis, packaging, and test campaign, using real test data to validate assumptions and continuously improve the vehicle baseline.

This is a hands-on position within a small, specialized team where you will design, build or procure, test, and understand the results.
At Destinus, we are revolutionizing the defense industry with cutting-edge Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Our innovative technologies are designed to meet the unique demands of modern defense operations, delivering unparalleled speed, precision, and cost effectiveness. Destinus partners with government agencies and defense organizations worldwide to provide advanced solutions for mission-critical operations, enabling a new era of efficiency and technological superiority. Join us in shaping the future of defense with groundbreaking aerospace innovations.
What You'll Do   Own the mechanical design, producing and maintaining CAD for the structure and vehicle layout while managing subsystem packaging, mass, and centre-of-gravity constraints
Perform structural and stiffness analysis using hand calculations and FEA for flight loads, storage, handling, and environmental conditions
Own mechanical and thermal integration at vehicle level, coordinating interfaces with the specialists responsible for individual subsystems
Plan and execute structural, vibration, and environmental test campaigns, including test articles, fixtures, procedures, and results
Analyse test data, correlate results against structural models and requirements, and feed findings directly back into the design
Manage mechanical suppliers, drawings, tolerances, manufacturing requirements, and externally produced components
Who You Are   You are a hands-on engineer who wants ownership from CAD through hardware and testing
You are comfortable making engineering decisions when mass, space, performance, and schedule are all constrained
You use analysis to guide the design and testing to prove it
You thrive in a small, highly technical team where speed, ownership, and sound engineering judgement matter
BSc, MSc, or PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field
10+ years of experience in mechanical design of flight hardware such as missiles, spacecraft, aircraft, or comparable high-performance systems
Strong hands-on CAD experience with Solid Works, CATIA, or similar tools
Strong structural analysis capability, including hand calculations and FEA
Practical experience planning and running structural, vibration, or environmental tests and interpreting the resulting data
Experience designing highly constrained systems around mass, packaging, structural, and centre-of-gravity requirements