Non-Metallic Materials and Processes Engineer

Telespazio Belgium can count on almost 40 years of experience in the field of Space Operations Service & Engineering activities.

We provide a significant contribution to the most major Space programs of the European Space Agency. Our core business is to work on the ground to build bridges into space, contributing to the success of ambitious missions.

The European Space Agency is our biggest client and we provide highly qualified employees to many sites of ESA but mainly for ESTEC in the Netherlands, and we provide a permanent contract with great benefits, a good salary, a relocation package along with genuine support to our employees.

On behalf of the European Space Agency, we are looking for a highly skilled Non-Metallic Materials and Processes Engineer to work in ESTEC, in the Netherlands.

What is expected from you:

• Assess customers’ needs in relation to laboratory/analysis activities;
  
• Propose/carry out test methods/setups to satisfy the customer needs;
  
• Design and perform non-standard tests to meet special space Projects requirements as well as develop in-situ analysis techniques;
  
• Perform all measurements and analyses on metallic as well as non-metallic materials (including all cleanliness and contamination control related activities as well as PCBs and electronic assembly) on a variety of destructive and non-destructive test equipment/tools. This includes also the issuing of dedicated testing procedures and documentation development as well as inclusion of test requests and test results in the relevant Quality Management Systems and databases;
  
• Set up and operate equipment/analysis tools devoted to the assessment of space environmental effects. This includes assessment by simulating the space environment (vacuum, radiation, ATOX, contamination, thermal ….) as well as pre/post characterisation by analytical techniques (thermal analysis, chemical analysis, physical and microscopic analysis, surface analysis, spectroscopic analysis, NDI techniques etc.);
  
• Use a variety of laboratory tools, including acoustic microscopy, optical microscopy, scanning microscopy, confocal microscopy, XRD, X-Ray imaging, NDI etc., XPS, surface tension, Auger Microscopy, Raman Spectroscopy, Atomic Force Microscopy, IST Testing;
  
• Perform mechanical and thermo-mechanical testing (including static, fatigue, fatigue crack propagation, Nano indentation, Nano scratch, low speed impact, hardness testing), also using contact and contact less in-situ strain measurement systems (strain gauges/ARAMIS);
  
• Perform all corrosion characterisation testing, including but not limited to stress-corrosion, galvanic, red-plague, general corrosion, humidity/salt fog testing, etc.;
  
• Perform all thermal analysis on materials (including thermo-gravimetric, differential scanning calorimetry, thermo-mechanical as well as dynamic mechanical analysis, dielectric analysis, CTE determination, thermal diffusivity/conductivity analysis as well as coupled and advanced thermal modelling techniques for physico-chemical analysis;
  
• Support R&D activities with focus on metallic and non-metallic materials advanced evaluation/characterisation/verification methods covering the needs of future space missions;
  
• Support the laboratory equipment procurement definition and implementation;
  
• Perform all verification activities on Printed Circuit Boards and electronics assemblies;
  
• Record sample properties or condition during and after test, accurately and legibly;
  
• Review and issue relevant test reports for all performed test activities;
  
• Check on test equipment performance and reporting any anomalies or faults;
  
• Improve test procedures and ensure that these are executed correctly;
  
• Maintain the relevant test equipment, ensuring that the equipment under his/her responsibility is kept in an operational state and all necessary routine calibration and maintenance activities are performed.
  
• The technical competence shall especially cover deep experience in processing/production, testing, and performance evaluation of carbon-fibre reinforced composites and associated bonding and joining technologies. The following is considered an asset:
• familiarity with high-temperature materials, including CMCs, ceramics, and hybrid composites, for use in space applications; their manufacturing methods, characterization methods and performance evaluation.
• Understanding of the mechanical, thermal, and environmental requirements of composite materials in launcher systems and space vehicles.
• Specific experience with composite materials used for tanks or pressure vessels, such as fuel tanks, cryogenic tanks, or pressurized systems.
• Further, the applicant shall have good understanding of application of simulation tools for mechanical and thermal performance of composite materials towards virtual testing and digital twinning.
• Experience in simulation of thermo-mechanical and fatigue behaviour of composites, simulation of composites manufacturing processes. This can be shown in the form of physics-based virtual testing (e.g. Hexagon Marc/Digi-Mat, MOOSE, DAMASK, NASA-PUMA etc.) or data-driven/ digital twin abstractions.
• Experience in data analytics and application of machine learning software (e.g. PyTorch, Tensorflow, Rapids) for composite analysis.
  

What you offer:

• Master’s degree or equivalent qualification in materials engineering and science, materials physics/metallurgy and/or non-metallic materials or another related field;
• At least 4 years of relevant experience;
• Extensive experience in processing/production, testing, and performance evaluation of carbon-fibre reinforced composites and associated bonding and joining technologies;
• Experience in mechanical testing and fatigue life assessment;
• Experience in defining and executing test plans for materials qualification and process validation;
• Ability to make decisions for selection of materials and processes for space application;
• Familiarity with high-temperature materials, including CMCs, ceramics, and hybrid composites, for use in space applications; their manufacturing methods, characterization methods and performance evaluation is considered an asset;
• Understanding of the mechanical, thermal, and environmental requirements of composite materials in launcher systems and space vehicles is an asset;
• Specific experience with composite materials used for tanks or pressure vessels, such as fuel tanks, cryogenic tanks, or pressurized systems is an asset;
• Experience in simulation of thermo-mechanical and fatigue behaviour of composites and simulation of composites manufacturing processes is an asset. This can be shown in the form of physics-based virtual testing (e.g. Hexagon Marc/Digi-Mat, MOOSE, DAMASK, NASA-PUMA etc.) or data-driven/ digital twin abstractions;
• Experience in data analytics and application of machine learning software (e.g. PyTorch, Tensorflow, Rapids) for composite analysis is an asset;
• Candidates must be eligible to work in the EU;
• Fluency in English, both written and spoken,
• Good knowledge about general materials test methodologies and especially experience in mechanical testing and fatigue life assessment.

What we offer

• A competitive salary
  
• 30 days of paid annual leave, plus the days ESTEC is closed including public holidays (~12 days) based on a 40-hour working week;
• Hybrid working scheme (3 days in the office and 2 days remote in the Netherlands)
• Flexible working hours; you are in charge of your own agenda respecting core working hours
• Fully paid collective extensive health insurance scheme;
• A good pension scheme with no personal contribution;
• A career development (Coursera membership + training budget);
• Travel allowance;
• Extensive relocation package

Where:

You will be working within ESTEC, the European Space Agency’s offices in the Netherlands as a contractor for Telespazio Belgium. We don’t expect the employees to be on-site full time however you will still have to relocate to the Netherlands for this position.

Check out the ESTEC site here: esa.int/About_Us/ESTEC

When

Deadline to apply: 03/02/2025

Please note that interviews will be held either via skype, webex, other digital platforms or onsite in ESTEC

We look forward to receiving your application for this position!