Actuations Systems Engineer

4) Testing, Ruggedisation & Qualification

• Design actuation systems for survivability from the outset: vibration isolation, thermal cycling margins, conformal coating, sealed connectors, and shock load paths built into the architecture. Write and execute bench test plans: hinge moment measurement, step response characterisation, bandwidth sweeps, endurance cycling, and stall-load testing against defined acceptance criteria. Plan and execute environmental qualification testing vibration, thermal soak/cycle, humidity, and shock. Conduct FMEA on all actuation and deployment systems; maintain a living risk register with mitigation status and residual risk acceptance records. Produce structured test reports capturing setup, data, anomalies, and pass/fail evidence suitable for design reviews and airworthiness record packages. Define and track qualification status across the actuation subsystem; flag open items against programme milestones and drive closure.
• Required Abilities Hands-on EMA design, build, and bench test experience. Mechanism and linkage design in 3D CAD SolidWorks, CATIA, Fusion 360, or equivalent with confidence producing release-quality drawings. Motor, gearbox, and drive electronics selection and integration for compact, high-load electromechanical systems. Closed-loop position control implementation: tuning, feedback sensor integration, and bandwidth verification. Strong understanding of actuator dynamics and how they interface with flight control system requirements. Environmental ruggedisation principles across vibration, thermal, shock, and EMI for airborne hardware. Aerospace or robotics background strongly preferred; automotive or industrial machine design considered where hardware complexity is comparable.
• Nice to have: deployment or separation mechanism design experience wing fold, stage release, or equivalent; pyrotechnic, pneumatic, or mechanical release system interface experience; GNC awareness of how actuator non-linearities affect control loop stability; structural analysis of actuator mount and hinge fitting interfaces; experience with FMEA and formal reliability analysis for safety-critical mechanisms.
• Should You Really Join Us? If you like learning, if you like figuring things out by yourself without others telling you how to do it and thrive under work pressure to ship missiles then this is for you. Join us to take ownership of your work. We are a lean team there is no rule book to what we're doing. You have an end goal which is based on a real product and you need to get it done your own way. It's hard, and we all love it here.