---
title: 'Test Bench Engineer at The Exploration Company'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/test-bench-engineer-the-exploration-company-bordeaux-6a9x9sdejcvf'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-11-06'
---

# Test Bench Engineer at The Exploration Company

- **Company:** [The Exploration Company](https://feeny.ai/companies/the-exploration-company)
- **Location:** Bordeaux, France
- **Compensation:** €67k–€90k
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Posted:** 2026-06-08
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-11-06
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/the-exploration-company/5c5d7762-1991-4a3a-b5c9-70d91d022d48/application

**Skills:** Propulsion test benches, Storable/legacy propellants, Fluid systems, Pressurized systems, Ground support equipment, Safety-critical systems, Industrial automation, Test operations, Vacuum test facility design, FMEA, HAZOP

> Lead the end-to-end development, commissioning, and operation of a vacuum hot-fire test facility for storable propulsion systems. Manage a multidisciplinary team to design, integrate, and operate the test bench while ensuring safety and technical excellence.

## Job description

Here at The Exploration Company, we are building spacecrafts for humanity.

In addition, we are developing advanced propulsion capabilities to support our reusable spacecraft programs. We are building a dedicated test capability for storable, hypergolic propulsion systems in the 100–800 N class. As a Vacuum Hotfire Test Stand Senior Engineer, you will lead the end-to-end development of a propulsion test facility for legacy propellants (e.g., MON-class oxidizers and MMH-type fuels), from requirements definition through commissioning and operating the test facility. You will manage the team that develops, commissions and operates the test facility. This position requires technical excellence and expertise as well as team management skills.

## Key Responsibilities

Design of Test Facility

- Develop a vacuum hot fire test facility which will be used to develop and qualify orbital thrusters
- Capture and define system-level requirements for a chemical propulsion test bench supporting 100–800 N thrusters.
- Define performance envelopes, safety objectives, operability constraints, and verification methods.
- Translate propulsion test needs into facility, utilities, and ground support equipment requirements
- Define instrumentation, data acquisition, and control systems for safe hot-fire testing.
- Interface effectively with internal engineering/design teams, customers, and external partners.

Assembly & Integration of Test Facility

- Define the schedule and conditions of the bench integration. Define the tests to be performed all along the project, to mitigate the risks to find issues during commissionning.
- Manage suppliers and internal manufacturing activities; oversee integration and verification.
- Plan and execute commissioning, acceptance testing, and entry-into-service activities.

Safety & Operation of Test Facility

- Lead hazard analyses (FMEA, HAZOP, risk assessments) and implement mitigation measures.
- Develop procedures for handling, testing, maintenance, and emergency response.
- Validate redlines and abort sequences for different failure cases
- Integration of thruster into test bench
- Lead operations of test facility and perform hot fire, cold flows, decontamination and maintenance activities. It's possible that at one point, the operations would be handover to another testing team and then insure a smooth and well documented handover if needed.

Leadership / Team management

- As a Team Leader we expect you to drive and support a small multidisciplinary team to design, procure, assemble, and install and commission the test bench.
- You will manage the team tasks and priorities and partially HR/training and developpement topics

What We Would Love to See From You

- Degree in aerospace, propulsion system, mechanical, chemical engineering, or a related discipline.
- 5+ years of hands-on experience with propulsion test benches, preferably with storable/legacy propellants.
- Strong background in fluid systems, pressurized systems, and ground support equipment.
- Demonstrated experience delivering complex engineering facilities from concept to commissioning.
- Knowledge of safety-critical systems, industrial automation, and test operations.
- Experience with site qualification, permitting, or regulated industrial environments.
- Excellent communication skills across technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- Experience in vacuum test facility design and operation
- Experience with team management would be a plus

Why you should join us! What makes us special here at The Exploration Company and why we think you will enjoy working here is:

- We’re Agile - we make decisions fast whilst keeping our goals and systems in mind
- We’re Open and Collaborative - we are transparent about risks and obstacles, so that we can cooperate to overcome them
- We have a lot of Fun - we refuel our energy knowing we are democratising space. It’s a wonderful and rare opportunity, are YOU up for the challenge?

We'd love to hear from you if you wish to be a part of our journey. Please submit your CV now for immediate consideration and we will be in touch shortly.

The Exploration Company is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability status. Relocation assistance is provided for those willing to relocate including visa sponsorship where applicable.

All offers are contingent upon the successful completion of a background check, which will be subject to the country, role, and project you applied for. By submitting your application, you acknowledge and agree that any offer of employment may be conditional upon successful condition of this check. The Exploration Company partners with Zinc Work Limited located in the UK (Zinc), a third-party provider, to ensure this process as efficient and transparent as possible.

If applicable, you will receive an email from Zinc upon acceptance of your offer with a link to a secure portal where you can provide the required information to Zinc.

## About The Exploration Company

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: The Exploration Company (TEC) is building a full-stack space transportation platform, including a reusable space capsule (Nyx) and a high-thrust rocket engine (Storm), to democratize access to space.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series B)
- **Headquarters**: Munich, Germany (HQ); additional offices in Bordeaux (France), Luxembourg, Turin (Italy), Houston (Texas, USA), and Dubai/Abu Dhabi (UAE)
- **Founded**: 2021
- **Founders**: Hélène Huby (CEO) and a team of aerospace veterans

## Core Business
- **Primary industry/industries**: Space transportation, aerospace engineering, orbital logistics
- **Target customers**: Space station operators, satellite operators, government space agencies (e.g., NASA), commercial space companies (B2B, B2G)
- **Mission or purpose statement**: "To build space vehicles for humanity, enabling everyone to participate peacefully in the building of our human future." [exploration.space](https://exploration.space/about)

## Products & Services
- **Nyx**: A reusable space capsule designed to dock with any space station, capable of carrying cargo (and eventually crew) to low-Earth orbit. It is the company’s first commercial vehicle.
- **Storm**: A high-thrust, staged-combustion rocket engine delivering up to 180 tons of thrust, designed to power a globally competitive, reusable launcher.
- **Mission Bikini**: A first demonstrator capsule built for ballistic reentry, completed from paper sketch to flight-ready in nine months.
- **Mission Possible**: A second demonstrator capsule built for controlled re-entry and recovery with cargo, completed in two years.
- **Orbital Propulsion**: In-house development of avionics, flight software, guidance/navigation/control (GNC), and reusable thrusters.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed
- **Total Funding**: $210.06M (Series B, with a $160M round raised approximately two years ago) [cbinsights.com](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/the-exploration-company)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Backed by tier-one investors; first European company to sign a Space Act Agreement with NASA; board includes figures like Mike Griffin (former NASA Administrator) and Yo-Yo Ma (cellist and board advisor) [exploration.space](https://exploration.space/about)
- **Growth Signals**: 10 missions already booked; two demonstrator capsules built in under three years; team of 450+ employees spanning 35 nationalities; offices in 6 locations across Europe, the US, and the UAE; named one of the fastest-growing space companies worldwide.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Speed of execution**: Demonstrated ability to go from concept to flight-ready hardware in 9–24 months, far faster than traditional aerospace.
- **Reusability focus**: Both Nyx and Storm are designed for rapid reuse, dramatically lowering per-mission costs.
- **Open-source vehicle design**: TEC’s approach is intentionally collaborative, fostering partnerships across countries and with NASA.
- **Full-stack capability**: Controls the entire space transportation stack (capsule, engine, avionics, software), reducing dependency on external suppliers.
- **European base with global reach**: Positioned as a key European player in the new space economy, with strong government and commercial ties.

## Strategic Focus
- **Commercial cargo missions**: First priority is launching Nyx to serve low-Earth orbit space stations (both public and private).
- **Engine development**: Continuing work on Storm to power a future European launcher.
- **International expansion**: Deepening presence in the US (Houston office) and UAE (Dubai/Abu Dhabi office).
- **Talent scaling**: Growing the team from 450+ to meet mission milestones, with a focus on engineering, production, and digital roles.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Emphasizes speed, execution, and ownership. Values include Excellence, Teamwork, Integrity, and "Space for everyone." The company prides itself on gathering diverse, international talent from both space and non-space backgrounds.
- **Remote/Hybrid Policy**: Offers flexibility and remote work opportunities depending on the role, but encourages a hybrid approach where possible. [exploration.space](https://www.exploration.space/careers)
- **Relocation Support**: Yes, the company provides relocation assistance and work permit/visa support for new hires.
- **Notable Perks**: Opportunity to work on cutting-edge space vehicles from day one; internal mobility encouraged; background check required for all offers.
- **Engineering Culture**: Leadership includes aerospace veterans who have worked on major global space programs. The team is 450+ strong, representing 35 nationalities, with a flat, fast-moving structure.

## Sources
1. [exploration.space - Home](https://exploration.space/)
2. [exploration.space - About](https://exploration.space/about)
3. [exploration.space - Careers](https://www.exploration.space/careers)
4. [cbinsights.com - The Exploration Company](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/the-exploration-company)
5. [Wikipedia - The Exploration Company](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Exploration_Company)

## Other roles at The Exploration Company

- [Welding Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/welding-engineer-the-exploration-company-bordeaux-0kgzkww4cjpd) — Bordeaux, France
- [Head of Electronics & software](https://feeny.ai/job/head-of-electronics-software-the-exploration-company-munich-3yxtwzah13vy) — Munich, Germany
- [TCS and ECLSS Certification Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/tcs-and-eclss-certification-engineer-the-exploration-company-bordeaux-rqv9dzq7gzfa) — Bordeaux, France
- [Lead Commercial Sales](https://feeny.ai/job/lead-commercial-sales-the-exploration-company-munich-y0f88sgexmm6) — Munich, Germany
- [Storm Test Bench Principal Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/storm-test-bench-principal-engineer-the-exploration-company-bordeaux-4kdfjx6tgmck) — Bordeaux, France
- [IT Administrator](https://feeny.ai/job/it-administrator-the-exploration-company-turin-ntapn0kbmp7t) — Turin, Italy
- [Non-Destructive Testing Technician – Level 2](https://feeny.ai/job/non-destructive-testing-technician-level-2-the-exploration-company-munich-xcyjx5zjyph0) — Munich, Germany
- [Test Development Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/test-development-engineer-the-exploration-company-bordeaux-bbcfd95xqc33) — Bordeaux, France
- [MAIT Electrical and Test Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/mait-electrical-and-test-engineer-the-exploration-company-munich-hnt0tk61xr1s) — Munich, Germany
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