Stress Engineer – Pressure Vessels

Destinus

Senior Stress Engineer at Destinus focusing on structural analysis for rocket motor applications. Leading critical design verification and supporting innovative aerospace solutions in defense.

Posted 7/8/2026full-timePayerne • 🇨🇭 SwitzerlandMid-LevelSeniorWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

**What You´ll Do**
- Lead the structural sizing and stress analysis of rocket motor pressure structures, including metallic and composite motor cases and pressure-loaded components.
- Perform analytical and numerical stress analyses (linear, nonlinear, buckling, fatigue, fracture, and damage tolerance) for high-pressure, high-temperature environments.
- Define and manage load cases and environments relevant to rocket motor operation, including internal pressure, thermal gradients, mechanical loads, ignition transients, and dynamic effects.
- Develop and apply analysis methodologies for composite motor structures, including laminate theory, failure criteria, and appropriate knockdown factors.
- Support material selection and structural concepts with focus on mass efficiency, strength, thermal compatibility, and manufacturability.
- Ensure designs meet required safety factors, margins, and internal or applicable aerospace standards for pressure-loaded rocket hardware.
- Support and interpret structural testing (e.g. proof, burst, cyclic or hot-fire–related testing) and correlate analytical predictions with test data.
- Participate in and lead stress reviews, providing clear justification of assumptions, margins, and trade-offs.
- Collaborate closely with propulsion, materials, manufacturing, and systems teams to ensure structurally sound and producible rocket motor designs.
- Author and review stress reports, analysis documentation, and verification evidence.
- Mentor junior engineers and contribute to the continuous improvement of structural analysis methods and tools.

Requirements

What you’ll need

**What You’ll Need**
- MSc. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline.
- 5+ years of experience in stress or structural analysis of pressure-loaded aerospace components.
- Experience with rocket motor structures (e.g. motor cases or similar pressure-loaded propulsion hardware) is highly desirable.
- Demonstrated experience with metallic and composite pressure structures.
- Strong proficiency in FEA tools (ANSYS, Abaqus, Nastran, or equivalent) and classical hand calculations.
- Solid understanding of composite materials, laminate theory, and composite failure criteria.
- Experience supporting structural testing and analysis correlation.
- Familiarity with aerospace structural design practices and safety margins for high-energy systems.
- Ability to take technical ownership and work independently on complex structural problems.
- Strong communication skills and ability to clearly present analysis results.
- Fluency in English required; German is a plus.

Benefits

Comp & perks

**Why Join Us?**
**✨ The Thrill of the Future – Work on cutting-edge projects that redefine aerospace.** ✨ Global Innovation Hub – Collaborate with top engineers from all over the world.** ✨ Fast-Paced & High-Growth – Experience the rush of working in a rapidly expanding company.** ✨ Real Impact – Your work won’t be theoretical—it will shape the future of flight.**

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

Stress AnalysisAnalytical Stress AnalysisNumerical Stress AnalysisLaminate TheoryFailure CriteriaLoad Case DefinitionMaterial SelectionSafety Factor ComplianceAnalytical Prediction CorrelationTechnical Ownership

Soft Skills

Strong Communication SkillsMentoring