Intern - Propulsion Operations Engineer

The role of the propulsion operations team is to ensure customers can use our in-space propulsion systems in the way they need to complete their mission.

The team operates on the interface between software, electronics, propulsion hardware, and the customer. Together with project managers we talk to customers and determine what kind of manoeuvrers and operations they want to perform with the propulsion system. Working together with the propulsion engineers, we determine what is possible and how the high-level concept of operations translate into the low-level read-out from sensors, and the actuation of heaters, valves, and igniters. We work closely with software and electrical engineers to make sure that the customer can interface effortlessly with the propulsion system.

Within this team, the focus of this position is on system level control characterisation and validation. This includes both designing new methods of control and performing tests to verify and validate their implementation.

You will also work to support the Assembly, Integration and Testing (AIT) team with various activities involving the control electronics.

Internship duration: minimum 5 months

Responsibilities

• Characterise system level operations.
• Develop analytical propulsion operation models.
• Verify and validate models and control implementation.
• Support development of embedded flight software.
• Support various AIT activities involving control electronics and functional system testing.

Requirements

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechatronics, Software, or another related field.
• Experience with software development (C, Python).
• Knowledge of modern control, sensors, actuators and electronics.
• Familiar with measurement techniques for temperature, pressure, flow and data analysis.
• Experience with basic measurement tools such as multimeters and oscilloscopes.
• Excellent English oral and written communication skills and the ability to build strong working relationships with colleagues and engineering professionals.
• Capable of working effectively in collaborative team environments and by yourself.
• The ability to adapt to change quickly and positively.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience working with propulsion systems.
• Experience working with digital communication busses, such as CAN, Ethernet, RS-422, RS-485.
• Experience working with pressurised systems.
• Experience working with GitLab.

About Dawn Aerospace

Dawn Aerospace is a space transportation company with a purpose.
Our mission is to enable the next generation of space users by providing more sustainable and scalable ways to access and move around in space. We believe this access, in the form of a transportation network, will fundamentally change what’s possible from space. We currently focus on two areas of space transportation:

• In-space propulsion
  We're a leading supplier of turnkey green propulsion systems for various classes of satellites. Our system utilise safe, accessible propellants and we have over 50 of these propulsion units on 12 operational satellites already. A further 200 units are in production.

• Space launch
  Our Mk-II Aurora spaceplane demonstrator has completed 50 successful flights and we recently completed the first campaign utilising rocket engines. Mk-II is unique in that it combines the performance of a rocket and the rapid reusability and economic model of an aircraft.

Our international teams are distributed across three locations: New Zealand, the Netherlands, and the USA.

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Important!

If you think you have what it takes but are unsure that you check every box, we still want to hear from you.

Dawn Aerospace is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment with Dawn is decided based on merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any other manner.