Thermo-structural Analysis Engineer
Parque Industrial de Elche (Poligono Industrial),
Spain
About PLD:
Founded in 2011, PLD Space is a high-tech engineering, manufacturing and service-driven company, with deep track record and expertise in space launch technologies.
We are a trusted global championing industry leader disrupting the pathway to space access. We are on a mission to reach new hights by making space more accesible, supporting missions that will make us smarter, safer and wealthier.
Our purpose is to propel new futures, to enable progress from space and enrich peoples’ lives on Earth, by moving new economies, people and world forward.
Mission
As a Thermo-Structural Engineer, you will play a crucial role in ensuring the safety, reliability, and performance of aerospace systems and components. Your expertise will be essential in analyzing and optimizing the behavior of materials and structures under thermal and mechanical loads. This position requires a strong background in both thermal and structural engineering, as well as proficiency in relevant analysis software.
Responsibilities
- Perform thermo-structural analysis and modelling of launch vehicle structures subsystem, mainly focusing on the engines subsystems.
- Perform thermo-structural analysis and modelling for components development, such as COPVs, fairing, Staging mechanisms, other actuators and minor structural elements.
- Collaborate with design teams to develop thermal control strategies and solutions, including the selection of materials, insulation, and thermal protection systems for propellant tanks and CFRP structures.
- Analyse and optimize the performance of critical components, such as the main subsystems of the liquid rocket engines.
- Perform transient and steady-state thermo-structural simulations using specialized software tools (ANSYS) to evaluate system performance under various operational conditions and environmental factors.
- Conduct thermal testing and validation of hardware and subsystems, including hot-testing, cryogenic testing, thermal vacuum tests and thermal cycling tests.
- Provide technical expertise and guidance on thermal issues throughout the design, development, and testing phases.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including mechanical engineers, systems engineers, and manufacturing teams, to ensure thermal considerations are integrated into the overall system design.
- Generate analysis reports, documenting methodologies, assumptions, and results for internal use and customer review.
- Generate documentation, including user guides, guidelines and user manuals for internal customers use.
- Generate documentation for formal program development reviews.
- Software Proficiency:
- Proficient in ANSYS Workbench and APDL (ANSYS Parametric Design Language) for thermal and structural simulations.
- Familiarity with other relevant software tools for finite element analysis (FEA) and thermal modeling.
- Thermal and Structural Analysis:
- Conduct in-depth analyses of thermal and structural behavior for aerospace systems and components.
- Investigate the effects of temperature variations, thermal gradients, and mechanical loads on materials and structures.
- Evaluate the impact of thermal expansion, contraction, and stress on system performance.
- Materials Properties and Thermal Behavior:
- Understand material properties (such as thermal conductivity, specific heat, and coefficient of thermal expansion) and their influence on structural response.
- Consider the behavior of materials (metals, composites, ceramics) under extreme thermal conditions encountered in aerospace applications.
- Creep Analysis:
- Assess the long-term deformation of metallic alloys due to sustained high temperatures.
- Understand creep mechanisms and predict material behavior over time.
- Plasticity Analysis:
- Investigate plastic deformation in materials subjected to mechanical loads.
- Analyze plastic strain accumulation and its impact on structural integrity.
- Fatigue Analysis (LCF/HCF):
- Evaluate fatigue life under low-cycle fatigue (LCF) and high-cycle fatigue (HCF) conditions.
- Consider cyclic loading, stress concentration, and crack propagation.
- Modal Analysis:
- Perform modal analysis to identify natural frequencies, mode shapes, and resonances.
- Optimize structural designs to avoid critical resonant frequencies.
- Random Vibration Analysis:
- Assess the response of structures to random vibrations encountered during flight or operational conditions.
- Ensure structural robustness and reliability.
- Bolted Joints Analysis:
- Analyze the behavior of bolted connections in aerospace assemblies.
- Consider preload, joint stiffness, and stress distribution.
- Buckling Analysis:
- Investigate buckling behavior under compressive loads.
- Prevent sudden structural failure due to buckling instability.
Necessary Requirements
- Aerospace Engineering Master's degree or equivalent.
- At least 3 years of relevant technical experience.
- Strong understanding of heat transfer principles.
- Familiarity with finite element analysis (FEA) or thermal modeling.
- Proficiency in thermo-structural analysis software tools, such as ANSYS Workbench/APDL.
- Knowledge of materials properties and their impact on thermal behaviour in aerospace applications.
- Understanding of environmental factors affecting thermo-structural performance, including radiation, conduction, and convection.
Desired Requirements
- Analytical thinking and problem-solving skills to perform complex thermal analyses and identify design solutions.
- Excellent mathematical and computational skills for performing thermal simulations and analyses.
- Strong attention to detail and accuracy in analysing data, conducting simulations, and documenting results.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams and stakeholders.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced and dynamic environment, managing multiple tasks and priorities.
- Strong organizational and time management skills to meet project deadlines and milestones.
- Ability to work both independently and in a team, fostering a collaborative and innovative work environment.
- English B2-C1.
- Advanced degree (master’s or PhD) in Metallurgical Engineering or related field.
- Certifications in NDT methods, especially in tomography and ultrasonic testing.
- Experience with CAD software and materials simulation tools.
- Previous experience in Aerospace Industry.
- Familiar with the main manufacturing technologies and capabilities
- Knowledge of the most common corrosion prevention rules and surface protection.
- Knowledge of the most common cryogenic (LOX) cleaning procedures.
- Knowledge of Cryogenic (LOX) manipulation.
- Familiar with Aerospace standard parts and typical light materials, metallic and non-metallic.
- An occasional need to travel with the role will be required.
- Self-motivated and able to work under pressure to meet deadlines, dealing with situations that are constrained by time and managing different tasks at once.
- Able to work autonomously with little supervision.
Benefits
Health & Wellness: We want you to be happy and healthy in body and mind. We encourage you to have regular physiotherapy sessions at our facilities so that you can continue with your physical activities. We offer partial coverage of your medical scheme covering you, your spouse or partner, and your children.
Boost your creativity: Focus. Energy. Yummy snacks and those fizzy waters you love. It takes a lot to be creative all day, but we’ve got you covered. Eat local, sustainable, delectable fare at our cafes, and plunder our pantries for fresh fruit and other goodies whenever you need a boost.
Engineering by doing: We encourage hands-on learning and foster internal mobility and team collaboration, with one-third of positions filled by current employees and one in five people promoted each year.
Find balance: PLD Space offers 23 days of annual leave, 6 global wellbeing days, and public holidays. We prioritize worklife balance with flexible schedules, empowering teams to manage their own hours. We work hard here, so we encourage taking breaks to recharge, ensuring a healthy work environment.
Never stop learning: At PLD Space, education and professional development is a priority. We offer extensive learning opportunities, from conferences and webinars to higher education programs and technical certifications. We encourage hands-on learning and foster internal mobility and team collaboration, with one-third of positions filled by current employees and one in five people promoted each year.
Focus on your financial future: Flexible remuneration plan lets you allocate part of your salary to everyday expenses like lunch, nursery school or public transport, which are exempt from Personal Income Tax (IRPF) when paid through this system.
Values
We have four critical beliefs that guide the way PLD Space is shaping the future of space launch technologies.
- Teamwork.
- Hard work.
- Dynamism.
- Commitment.
- Keep it simple.
Join us to reinvent how rockets are built!