Head of Engineering (M/F)

At ThrustMe , we design and manufacture innovative electric propulsion systems that actively fly in space. Our technologies enable satellites to manoeuvre; extend their lifetime, fly in formation, maintain precise orbits, change orbit, avoid collisions, and finally deorbit safely at end of life. We are a key pillar of sustainable and reliable space operations .

ThrustMe is now in a scale-up phase , with the industrialisation and production scaling of our first product lines and the development of new, groundbreaking solutions for the industrial space era. In this context, we are looking for a Head of Engineering to lead and strengthen engineering excellence across the company.

This role sits at the heart of ThrustMe’s technical leadership and reports directly to the CTO .

Your role

As Head of Engineering , you are responsible for all engineering activities that transform validated concepts into robust, flight-ready products.

The Research & Innovation (R&I) team develops and validates proof‑of‑concepts and new technologies. These are then transferred to Engineering, which is responsible for turning them into qualified, reliable products, ready to be handed over to the Product team for industrialisation.

Your scope therefore covers the full engineering phase from concept handover to industrial-ready design.

This includes:

• owning system architectures and detailed designs derived from R&I outputs,
• leading engineering activities for qualification and in‑orbit demonstrations,
• interfacing with pilot customers to ensure strong technical product–market fit,
• overseeing the development of engineering tools, test setups, and production jigs required for reliable manufacturing.

You lead the engineering function, support technical decision‑making, and create the conditions for engineering teams to deliver repeatable, space‑ready hardware.

The engineering team sits within the CTO department, alongside Research & Innovation, Product, and Space Mission Support teams. Together, these functions ensure that engineering choices translate into reliable, manufacturable systems, meeting stringent space‑quality requirements and industrial production timelines.

Your responsibilities

Your responsabilities are structured around three core dimensions:

1. Engineering leadership & technical excellence

• Own system‑level architecture, design trade‑offs, and technical rationale once concepts are transferred from R&I
• Ensure strong engineering fundamentals: requirements, interfaces, validation, and documentation
• Act as a reference point for complex technical discussions

2. Team leadership & capability building

• Lead, mentor, and grow a multidisciplinary engineering team
• Foster an environment where rigor, curiosity, and constructive challenge are encouraged
• Support engineers in their technical and professional development

3. Long‑term technical vision

• Ensure smooth technical transitions between R&I, Engineering and Product
• Anticipate future needs in performance, reliability, manufacturability, and scalability
• Contribute to technology roadmap decisions and cross‑team alignment

Who we are looking for

We are looking for a technical leader first.

A senior engineer who combines strong engineering judgement, hands‑on technical involvement, and the ability to guide a team through complex technical challenges. This is not a pure coordination or task‑management role.

You recognise yourself in many of the points below:

• Strong engineering background (systems, mechanical, electrical, aerospace, physics, or equivalent), with the ability to dive into technical details when needed
• Proven experience designing, analysing, and delivering complex hardware systems
• Comfort stepping in to solve difficult technical problems, unblock situations, and make informed trade‑offs
• A mindset of continuous learning, curiosity, and openness to technologies beyond your original field
• Experience leading engineers through technical credibility, clarity, and example, not hierarchy alone
• Ability to balance hands‑on technical work with system‑level thinking and long‑term coherence

You do not need to be the best specialist in every domain. BUT, you do need to be comfortable engaging deeply with technical topics and guiding decisions at system level.

You do not need to have worked in the space sector before.

You do not need to match every item to apply.

What matters most is your technical depth, learning mindset, and ability to elevate engineering work and teams .