Darwin Recruitment are currently hiring for an Electronics Engineer on behalf of a company in France that was founded in 2020 and are an aerospace startup specializing in solar sail technology, aiming to revolutionize space exploration by providing low-cost, sustainable propulsion systems for deep space missions. This company offers access to deep space using low-cost, reliable and scalable solar sails. While chemical and electric propulsion are complex and limited in range, solar sails fulfil the dream of free and continuous acceleration using the sun’s energy. The company’s mission is to make space more accessible by developing solar sails that utilize sunlight for propulsion, eliminating the need for traditional fuel sources. This approach enables continuous acceleration, making it feasible to reach distant destinations like the Oort Cloud and conduct extensive planetary and lunar exploration. In January 2023, this company launched its first demonstration mission, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The mission involved deploying a 73.3 m² solar sail from a 6U CubeSat to test the deployment mechanism and control algorithms. The sail was deployed using a spin-sail technique, where the satellite’s slow rotation and centrifugal force facilitated the unfolding of the sail.

Your mission will be to:

* Design electronic systems for Flight or Ground segments: define the hardware architecture in collaboration with other engineering teams, design circuits, select components, draw schematics and layout PCBs; taking into account a broad set of product design criteria, like harsh working environments and high reliability but also lead time and cost.

* Define and conduct test plans for your designs to ensure proper functionality and reliability.

* Industrialize electronics designs: participate in suppliers discussions and selection, follow-up manufacturing, participate in quality processes definition and incoming inspections.

* Participate in the continuous improvement of the team design and manufacturing skills.

You come with:

* Proven experience in industrial electronics design for at least 4 years: analog and digital circuit analysis and design, components selection, use of ECAD tools but also hand soldering and use of lab tools for inspection and debug.

* Knowledge about electronics industrial manufacturing processes.

* Proactive mindset with strong analytical thinking and attention to detail.

* Proficient in English – further languages welcome.

* Prior experience in the space sector or a comparable high-reliability industry, in New Product Industrialization (NPI) or with IPC standards is a plus, but not necessary.

Darwin Recruitment is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.

James Godfrey