AIT Engineer - Mechanical

Location

Athens, Greece

Employment Type

Full-time, On-site

Department

Global Manufacturing Organization

Role Highlights

• Title: Mechanical AIT Engineer
• Department: Global Manufacturing Organisation
• Location: Athens, Greece
• Reporting to: AIT Engineering Team Leader
• Type of Contract: Permanent
• Working model: On-site (Occasional travel for environmental test and suppliers facility)
• Employment is subject to applicable security screening (incl. SUPO, where required)
• Please note we can only accept applications in English

About the Position

The Mechanical AIT Engineer transforms satellite designs into reliable, flight-ready hardware. You are the technical authority for mechanical and composite hardware in Athens: how satellites are assembled and aligned, what proves they will survive launch, and what evidence exists that every build was done correctly.

You define the AIT processes, tooling and ground support equipment the facilities need as they grow from subassembly production towards full satellite integration. You make sure the design, the processes and the tooling can carry production to high throughput, and you feed what you learn on the floor back into design, so that each build is more manufacturable, more testable and more reliable than the last.

Responsibilities

AIT Process Definition and Industrialization

• Define the MAITE processes for building sub-assemblies and satellites: integration flows, standard sequences, work packages, and test strategy.
• Qualify the critical assembly, integration, and test processes, using PFMEA and control plans, and define the acceptance criteria and standardized procedures that go with them.
• Specify the tooling, equipment, and workstations each process needs, anticipating them ahead of programme milestones, and lead the transfer from prototype to series so that processes and tooling can carry production to high throughput.

Design Maturity and Co-engineering

• Work with Engineering from the concept phase so that design and production constraints are aligned, applying design for manufacturing, assembly, and testability (DFM, DFA, DFT) and bringing buildability, tolerance stack-up, tool access, and test provisions into internal design iterations before the design is frozen.
• Support internal and supplier design and readiness reviews (e.g., PDR, CDR, PRR, IRR, TRR), ensuring designs are mature and ready for transition into production, and identify industrial risks early with the action plans that close them.

Assembly and Integration

• Lead and execute structural, mechanical, and thermal assembly and integration of satellites and sub-assemblies, acting as the technical point of contact for mechanical subsystem integration.
• Own the mechanical build standard: torque and preload, locking methods, bonding, composite handling, cleanliness, and ESD discipline.
• Verify components before integration, perform precision alignment and dimensional verification of critical interfaces, and support the floor hands-on during assembly, harness routing, and test setup.

Verification and Environmental Test

• Plan, prepare, and lead environmental test campaigns, including vibration, shock, thermal vacuum, acoustic, and EMC, and guide system-level functional verification.
• Design or evaluate test fixtures, derive test levels, and act as the technical point of contact towards internal and external test facilities.
• Own mass properties: mass budget, center of gravity, moment of inertia, and launch vehicle interface data.

Ground Support Equipment

• Specify, design, procure, and validate Mechanical Ground Support Equipment for handling, transport, integration, and test, from concept and CAD through structural analysis to fabrication oversight.
• Verify structural margins, define proof load testing and recertification intervals, and certify equipment before use on flight hardware.

Supplier Parts and Materials

• Act as the technical authority for mechanical and composite parts from suppliers, covering capability assessment, special process review, and First Article Inspection.
• Act as the technical reference for composite hardware (CFRP panels, honeycomb assemblies, bonded joints, potted inserts), defining handling, machining, acceptance, and inspection criteria, including non-destructive inspection where needed.

Configuration, Documentation, and Anomalies

• Maintain as-built configuration and traceability, and apply engineering changes consistently to hardware and documentation.
• Troubleshoot and resolve integration issues, and support root cause analysis and corrective actions, coordinating with the Engineering team, the production team, and any other team needed to ensure schedule and quality adherence.

Facilities and Process Requirements

• Define the AIT process requirements for the facilities and work with the Global Manufacturing Infrastructure team on the layout that supports them.
• Define the contamination control, ESD, and handling requirements that integration and test activities must meet, and propose improvements where the process or the environment falls short.

Standardization and Continuous Improvement

• Capture lessons learned from the floor to improve procedures, tooling, test efficiency, and build reliability as production volumes increase, and align with the Global AIT and Engineering teams on product standards and process updates.
• Mentor and support local engineers and technicians, sharing AIT best practices and fostering a culture of quality and accountability.

Requirements

Must Have

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related field.
• 5+ years of hands-on experience in the development, integration, testing, or production of complex hardware systems (e.g., aerospace, defense, automotive, semiconductors, satellites), including work on flight or equivalently critical hardware.
• Demonstrated experience defining and qualifying assembly, integration, and test processes, turning them into standardized work packages, and taking a product from first units towards series production.
• Deep technical knowledge in mechanical engineering, with system-level understanding across full product architectures and the ability to spot issues across the interfaces between design, production, and operations.
• Demonstrated ownership of environmental test campaigns, from specification through execution to reporting.
• Practical mastery of precision mechanical assembly (torque and preload, locking methods, bonded and inserted joints, alignment, and dimensional verification) and of composite hardware, including its handling and inspection constraints.
• Experience specifying, designing, or validating MGSE or comparable handling and test tooling.
• Ability to read mechanical drawings, CAD models, GD&T, and interface control documents, and to translate them into procedures others can execute.
• Strong track record of enabling design for manufacturing, assembly, and testability (DFM, DFA, DFT), working alongside design teams rather than after them.
• Familiarity with verification and configuration management in complex hardware industries, including root cause analysis and non-conformance ownership through to closure.
• Working knowledge of cleanroom and ESD discipline. Integration in Athens is typically ISO 8, with ISO 7 and ISO 5 environments also possible.
• Experience in multidisciplinary engineering environments, mentoring engineers or technicians, and communicating clearly with designers, production leads, and executive stakeholders.
• Strong communication skills in English (written & spoken).

Nice to Have

• Industrialization and methods toolkit: Lean manufacturing, value stream mapping, standard work, line balancing, capacity planning, APQP, or PPAP.
• Familiarity with EN 9100 and ECSS standards as applied to space hardware.
• Experience defining AIT process or facility layout requirements alongside a facilities or infrastructure team.
• CAD and structural analysis proficiency (SolidWorks, NX, CATIA, or equivalent) for tooling and fixtures, and metrology with laser trackers, theodolites, or CMM.
• Non-destructive inspection interpretation on bonded or composite structures.
• Hands-on operation of environmental test equipment, or involvement in its acceptance and commissioning.
• Automated test scripting (Python or equivalent), and familiarity with PLM, ERP, Manufacturo (MES), or Jira for build records and configuration control.
• Launch campaign or launcher interface experience.

Application Process

1. Talent Acquisition Interview
2. Hiring Manager General Interview
3. Technical Interview (onsite or virtual), including a Technical Challenge
4. Leadership & Hiring Team Interview

We Offer

• Competitive salary
• Continuous professional development opportunities
• Training and conference attendance
• A culture of collaboration and innovation
• Health and wellbeing support

About the Company

ICEYE is the world leader in sovereign intelligence from space. We deliver persistent monitoring capabilities to detect and respond to changes in any location on Earth. ICEYE owns the world's largest and most advanced SAR (synthetic aperture radar) satellite constellation. To our customers, we provide intelligence with unmatched quality, latency, and revisit times, in any weather, day or night. To governments who choose to operate their own constellation, we provide this proven capability as a sovereign system.

Founded and headquartered in Finland, ICEYE operates globally with over 1000 employees across Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

We want ICEYE to be a place where people can be themselves and do great work. Different backgrounds and perspectives make us stronger, which is why we work to create an environment where people feel included, respected, and able to speak up. Whatever your background, we want you to bring your authentic self to the table.

We’re committed to fair, inclusive hiring and equal opportunity. Everyone is welcome to apply. If you need any adjustments or support during the recruitment process, tell us-we’ll do our best to help.

Apply now to start your ICEYE journey, and help us continue to make the impossible possible together. Read more about ICEYE and working with us at iceye.com.