R&D Test Engineer (F/M)

About Exotrail

Born from a strong ambition to reach for the stars, Exotrail is a fast‑growing scale‑up founded in 2017. Its mission is to develop and commercialise propulsion systems for small satellites on a global scale.

We design products that focus on impact, fast delivery and continuous improvement. Inspired by the digital world, we are firmly customer‑oriented and driven by an entrepreneurial spirit. We manage risks to push boundaries and achieve results that would not be possible within a traditional space model. We deploy every necessary resource to support the development of our products, whether in propulsion or in‑orbit services. Strengthened by an innovative mindset, we are preparing to grow into an ambitious industrial company.

Job Description

We are looking for a Test Engineer at our Massy site, to support the rapid growth.

Attached to the R&D Team , you will be responsible for:

• Supporting advanced research
• Developing cutting‑edge test set‑ups
• Collaborating with cross‑functional teams

Main Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and use advanced test set‑ups to support research activities on electric propulsion and all related subsystems and technologies.
• Plan and execute laboratory tests, analyse performance data, identify discrepancies, and implement corrective measures to optimise propulsion systems.
• Research and evaluate innovative test set‑ups to better characterise our electric propulsion systems, including set‑up development and characterisation of the set‑up effect on the experiments.
• Prepare technical reports, research papers, presentations, and maintain comprehensive documentation of research activities, experiments, and project progress.
• Drive the effort to structure tests during research activities and pre‑industrialisation. Help maintain a testing system in order, with clear testing conditions to target full traceability for the last stages of the development.

Preferred Experience

Education: Masters’ or PhD in electric propulsion, chemical propulsion, plasma physics, material science, or a related field.

• Experience: 3–5 years of relevant research experience gained through a PhD, post‑doctoral work, or industry projects.
• Hands‑on experience with electric propulsion systems and laboratory environments, including vacuum chambers, oscilloscopes, diagnostics equipment, power supplies, and experimental set‑up integration.
• Proficiency in data acquisition, test applications, and data processing tools such as Python , ideally MATLAB , and/or LabVIEW.
• Strong analytical mindset with the ability to independently investigate, understand, and optimise experimental behaviour and propulsion system performance.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in both French and English, including strong technical writing abilities and a passion for developing agile, high‑technology space solutions.

Recruitment Process

We are committed to recruiting the right people for the right job regardless of your private background.

We meet at least three times in order to give you a better idea of what it’s like to work at Exotrail:

• Interview with our Talent Acquisition Manager: you will learn more about the position and our culture.
• On‑site interview with your future manager (CTO): you will discover your work environment and learn more about the required qualifications.
• Interview with the team: you can make sure that you share the same vision and values of the company.