Systems Engineer
Destinus
Systems Engineer
Destinus
European defense firm manufacturing missiles
Destinus · Zürich, Switzerland (Hybrid) · — · Posted 2026-08-14
Workplace: hybrid
Department: R&D & Engineering
About the Role
The Destinus engineering team is seeking a Systems Engineer to guide product design and drive qualification of energetic subsystems such as solid rocket motors, warheads, auxiliary pyrotechnics, and safety, arming and firing (SAF) devices. The role owns the qualification program end to end, from Mission Concept Review through to type qualification, production acceptance, and in-service surveillance.
The energetic sub-systems need to be developed and qualified to rigorous standards to support platform level efforts and qualification programs. Energetic sub-systems form a critical technology for the operation of Destinus Effectors.
The ideal candidate combines hands-on systems and test engineering with documentation discipline and broad-based systems understanding to build a defensible Engineering Qualification Program and Qualification file.
What You’ll Do
• Collaborate with energetics, propulsion, mechanical, electronics, and software discipline leads to integrate qualification overlays into a coherent system-level program.
• Drive product through the qualification process in line with certification frameworks and internal development processes.
• Develop and maintain the Qualification Data Pack — qualification plans, test plans and procedures, requirements, verification matrices, and qualification specifications and reports.
• Define test campaigns and acceptance criteria, and coordinate environmental, mechanical, safety, and performance test programs to NATO AECTP, STANAG, and AOP standards.
• Engage with the end user, lead engineers and customer to understand and document both system and sub-system requirements for tailoring qualification programs
• Help build and maintain requirements traceability and verification cross-references, ensuring every requirement is verified and traceable.
• Manage re-qualification / delta qualification: Assess change and failure triggers, classify them, and scope the re-qualification activity in line with the framework’s re-qualification criteria.
• Support hazard and safety assessments at system level and ensure the qualification evidence underpins the system safety case and Statement of Qualification.
• Help build an internal systems and qualification engineering discipline and structures to take our products to the next level
• BSc. or MSc. in Aerospace, Mechanical, Systems, or a related engineering discipline.
• 3+ years of experience in systems engineering of energetic systems such as , propulsion, missile, or aerospace systems in a defense or aerospace environment.
• Working knowledge of a gate-driven, V-model qualification lifecycle and the deliverables and entry/exit criteria associated with formal design and qualification reviews.
• Extensive experience with NATO and equivalent qualification standards — STANAG, AECTP, and AOP munition safety principles, or equivalent national frameworks.
• Proven experience authoring qualification plans, test procedures, verification matrices, and qualification reports in a regulated, safety-critical environment.
• Experience with configuration management, requirements traceability, and document control on a complex hardware program.
• Strong documentation discipline and analytical mindset, with the ability to assemble and defend a complete evidence package under technical-authority review.
• Able to work hands-on across laboratory, integration, and test environments.
• Willingness to travel between production, R&D, and test sites in various locations.
• Fluency in English; German, French or Dutch is a plus.
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Destinus designs and manufactures defense systems for European and allied armed forces, focusing on scalable missiles, air defense, and interception. Key products include the Ruta cruise missile and the HORNET interceptor, which can perform precision strikes and operate in GPS-denied environments with AI-assisted guidance. It serves as a prime contractor under fixed-price contracts, and collaborates on naval applications (containerized HORNET) with Rheinmetall while leading the Bliksem EXO program for Europe’s sovereign exo-atmospheric missile defense. The company aims to scale production to deliver near-term military capability for European governments and to build sovereign defense capabilities through integrated, multi-domain, cost-effective technologies.
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