Senior/Principal Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineer for the US RFAM

SWISSto12 is recruiting a Senior or Principal Mechanical & Manufacturing engineer to grow its market share in the US for RF products and subsystems, working in collaboration with its local partner CAES. In this role you will be the mechanical and manufacturing authority for US market portfolio of advanced RF antenna & RF cavity products and capabilities for the US RF division of SWISSto12, leveraging SWISSto12’s proprietary additive manufacturing processes for the realization of complex, high reliability, RF products, antennas, and arrays.

The position opened herein can be remote or co-located with the SWISSto12 team in New Hampshire, with frequent on-site engagement at the CAES facility in Exeter, NH. The role will require extensive traveling (25-50%) in the US to meet with customers and partners as well as regular travel to the Lausanne, Switzerland headquarters for training and periodic support of non-US customer efforts.

SWISSto12 is partnered with CAES (LINK) to market its Additively Manufactured (AM) RF technology to US customers. Under this partnership, CAES has built an end-to-end manufacturing and test capability (LINK), based on SWISSto12’s unique and patented technology, at the CAES Exeter (NH) facility. In addition to the manufacturing capability, SWISSto12 and CAES routinely collaborate on product development, as well as supporting companies in the US, primarily in the Aerospace industry, with SWISSto12’s proprietary technology. SWISSto12’s extensive RFAM heritage consists primarily of complex integrated RF cavity-based assemblies (e.g., feed assemblies), antenna arrays and complete antenna systems for satellite communications, electronic surveillance/direction finding, and radar applications – primarily in the space, airborne and surface domains.

This role requires the ability to review and respond to export-controlled data and therefore requires that the applicant be a US citizen or green card holder.

In this role, you will be primarily responsible for the following functions:

Be responsible for product and subsystem mechanical design, design for manufacturing, and the materials and process aspects of the development.
Define and consolidate mechanical, materials, process, and environmental requirements. Ensure the product complies with all mechanical and environmental requirements. Analyze and select materials, material combinations and manufacturing technologies. Analyze technical trade-offs and present solutions to the program team.
Ensure designs are optimized for Additive Manufacturing in terms of feasibility, risk, cost, production time, and quality.
Prepare design and production of 3D and 2D CAD files for components and sub-assemblies according to the specifications of the internal design office and customers in collaboration with colleagues.
Collaborate with the SWISSto12 engineering team, program management, and with external partners and suppliers.
Write technical documentation, including design review packages, specifications, user guides, assembly procedures, and work instructions.
Participate in the review and audit of CAES manufacturing processes to ensure compliance with the SWISSto12 core RF additive manufacturing process.
For the avoidance of doubt, this position does not cover the commercial development of the spacecraft product line of SWISSto12.
Occasionally, you will be asked to participate in overall tasks and services inherent to a dynamic fast-growing company.

Required experience and competencies:

Bachelor or Master’s degree in mechanical or materials engineering or Applied Physics or equivalent.
10+ years of related experience with designing and developing mechanical products and systems.
Proficient with 3D CAD design tools such as SolidWorks (preferred) or equivalent.
Proficient with PDM tools.

Experience with managing supplier interfaces is a plus.
Ability to trade-off and optimize performance, resolve complex technical problems, manage technical work with partners, and conduct technical development projects.
Demonstrated experience in Finite Element Analysis is a plus.
Experience in following (or performing) qualification of aerospace equipment is a plus. Good knowledge of the MIL-STD-810 norms.
Demonstrated experience in product design, materials, and manufacturing processes for aerospace products as well as knowledge of Additive Manufacturing is a plus.
Communicating effectively, excellent relational skills and ability to work in a team with different professional and cultural backgrounds.
Ability to obtain a Secret clearance desirable.
Demonstrated ability to write clear technical documentation of high quality.
Autonomous and proactive working style with excellent working organization and ethics.
Language: Fluent English is a prerequisite.

About SWISSto12:

SWISSto12 is the leading developer of advanced cavity based Radio-Frequency (RF) products and systems for satellite communications, EW and Radar applications in the Aerospace industry. SWISSto12’s patented technology, and associated product design heritage, provides differentiated value to our customers’ most critical applications. Benefits to customers includes weight reduction, complex structures, process repeatability, improved RF performance, and competitive cost and schedule. SWISSto12 has strong demonstrated commercial success in Europe, the US, and Israel with prominent partners and customers such as Thales, CAES, Airbus Defense & Space, Lockheed Martin, Elbit, IAI and the European Space Agency. SWISSto12 is the fastest growing Swiss aerospace company, spun off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), privately owned and backed by prominent Swiss and European Investors.

Leveraging its advanced RF product and system portfolio, SWISSto12 is also progressing advanced end-to-end payloads for spacecraft missions. The first HummingSat mission has recently been kicked off based on the combination of an order of a reputed satellite telecom operator and a partnership contract with the European Space Agency, it is planned for launch in 2025.

SWISSto12 is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, and operates a US-subsidiary with a team in Santa Clara, California, another team in New Hampshire, as well as an Israeli-subsidiary in Rehovot. The company is well funded for its near and mid-term developments and backed by a solid customer revenue stream.

About CAES:

CAES is a leader in the field of advanced electronics for the most technologically challenging aerospace and defense systems. As the largest provider in the US of mixed-signal and radiation-hardened technology to the United States aerospace and defense industry, CAES delivers high-reliability RF, microwave and millimeter wave, microelectronic, and digital solutions. On land, at sea, in the air, in space and in cyberspace, CAES’ extensive electronics and enhanced manufacturing capabilities are at the forefront of mission-critical innovation. www.caes.com

Interested applicants are requested to apply via LinkedIn.