Systems Engineer

Dawn is pioneering a new generation of extreme performance aircraft. We are looking for an experienced leader for Systems Engineering. You will work with multiple teams to ensure that propulsion, structures, avionics, software and GNC interface and interact well.

This role is ideal for a highly adaptable engineer who thrives in a fast-paced, innovative environment and is eager to take a complex project from critical design through to integration, testing, and flight operations. You will contribute to technical planning, system architecture, and cross-functional coordination.

Successful candidates will have a strong technical background and a passion for solving complex, interdisciplinary challenges in a fast-paced R&D environment.

Your key responsibilities:

• Cross-Team Design Integration – Facilitate collaboration between mechanical, propulsion, avionics, software and GNC teams to ensure an optimized, well-balanced system design that meets program objectives.


• Requirements Management – Ensure teams understand and adhere to mechanical system requirements, maintaining compliance traceability across propulsion, aerostructures, fluid systems, and mechanical components.


• Parameter management – Maintain and update system performance databases to ensure accuracy, accessibility, and consistency across engineering teams.


• System Performance Assessment & Optimisation – Evaluate mechanical system performance, reliability, and safety, identifying innovative, cross-disciplinary solutions (e.g., improving guidance and control to reduce structural loads instead of redesigning components).


• General project management.

You’ll bring these skills:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Engineering or equivalent.


• 5+ years of industry experience in the design, development, and qualification of mechanical systems in aerospace or a related field.


• Demonstrated ability to deliver complex multidisciplinary systems.


• Proven track record of technical leadership, guiding projects from concept through to completion.


• Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to tackle ambiguous technical challenges and drive innovative solutions.

About Dawn Aerospace

Dawn Aerospace is revolutionizing sustainable, high-frequency spaceflight. Our Mk-II Aurora spaceplane demonstrator has completed 50 successful flights, and we recently completed the first campaign utilising rocket engines. Mk-II is unique in that it combines the performance of a rocket and the rapid reusability and economic model of an aircraft.

Apply for this Job

Important! If you think you have what it takes but are unsure that you check every box, we still want to hear from you.

Please also note that due to our current customer base and the nature of our industry we are required to conduct background checks that are undertaken for security reasons. These checks will include nationality checks as it is a requirement of this position that the Employee be eligible to access equipment and data regulated by the United States' International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). Under these Regulations, an employee may be ineligible for a role in our Dutch or New Zealand office if they do not hold citizenship of Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, the European Union or a country that is part of NATO, or if they hold ineligible dual citizenship or nationality.