Senior System Engineer

About the role

Imagine being at the center of developing the next generation of aerospace and defense systems, transforming complex engineering challenges into mission-ready products. The Senior System Engineer will be in charge of the management and coordination of all aspects of the agile system engineering process, starting from gathering requirements, defining the system architecture, risk management and managing the entire V&V lifecycle. The ideal candidate is a strong team player with good social and leadership skills to continuously coordinate with the peers of the respective engineering disciplines and teams.

At Destinus, we are revolutionizing the defense industry with cutting-edge Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Our innovative technologies are designed to meet the unique demands of modern defense operations, delivering unparalleled speed, precision, and cost effectiveness. Destinus partners with government agencies and defense organizations worldwide to provide advanced solutions for mission-critical operations, enabling a new era of efficiency and technological superiority. Join us in shaping the future of defense with groundbreaking aerospace innovations.

What You'll Do

• Manage system requirements from customer inputs and formalize them in system and product specifications for missile and rocket products
• Follow an agile V-model system engineering approach for tracing requirements, design, implementation and verification / validation
• Define the architecture of a system of systems and break it down to systems and subsystems (rocket / missile, launcher / platform, C2 system, radar / target detection)
• Ensure close cooperation with the respective peers from the engineering disciplines (propulsion, mechanical, electrical, software, safety)
• Govern and accompany the product development process, lead design reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR etc.)
• Coordinate the verification and validation phase of the development process
• Ensure early and continuous implementation of system engineering guidelines to prepare environmental qualification and regulatory certification according to military standards
• Conduct risk and FMEA analyses and ensure systematic configuration management of all product configurations
• Write Statements of Work (SoW) to coordinate cooperation with suppliers and be the technical PoC for suppliers
• Coordinate (plan and execute) field test campaigns for integration, verification and validation activities, e.g. for rocket and missile systems
• Manage and write technical documentation, e.g. user manuals, test reports, maintenance procedures etc.
• Mentor and lead junior system engineers
• Drive innovation with new ideas to keep Destinus’ missile and rocket products at the edge of technology
• Manage and govern both the structured product development process as well as the rapid prototyping approach at the engineering department
• Shape the system engineering process at Destinus

What You’ll Need

• BSc. or MSc. in Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering or a related discipline.
• Minimum of 7 years of working experience in a system engineering position, preferably in the defense or aerospace sector
• Experience in a tier 1 defense supplier company interacting directly with the military customer is a plus
• Demonstrated experience in test planning, procedural definition, and hands-on test execution.
• Knowledge of engineering and requirement management tools (Jama, Jira, Confluence etc.)
• Experience with military standards (MIL-STD, STANAG) and with airworthiness regulations
• Knowledge of relevant technical topics for missile and rocket products (propulsion systems, communication protocols, tactical data links, firing control, radar sensors, safety etc.) is a plus
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to lead test activities and coordinate multidisciplinary teams.
• Proactive, ownership-driven mindset with strong problem-solving capabilities
• Ability to work autonomously and as part of a fast-paced, dynamic, international and multidisciplinary development team.
• Fluency in English is required, German is a plus.

Who You Are

You are a collaborative systems thinker who thrives in multidisciplinary environments where coordination is just as important as technical excellence. You enjoy bringing people together around a common goal, building strong relationships across engineering teams, and ensuring that complex technical challenges are solved through effective communication and teamwork. With natural leadership skills and a proactive mindset, you take ownership of problems, align stakeholders, and keep projects moving forward even in the face of uncertainty. You are equally comfortable discussing high-level system architecture and working closely with specialists from different disciplines to turn ambitious ideas into successful products.