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Hard Skills

Analytics Dev Testing Python (Programming Language) Operational Planning MATLAB Functional Testing Build Automation Environmental Stress Screening Continuous Training

Other Skills

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Intercultural Competence
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Teamwork
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Communication

Team Tumbleweed

About Team Tumbleweed

We are the next generation of engineers and scientists, building the next-generation Mars rover. Currently, Mars exploration is expensive, slow, and encompasses a high risk of failure. This greatly slows down exploration efforts and results in a highly constrained capacity for transporting payloads to Mars. The solution is a new approach in form of a rover that is fast, modular, mass-producible, and that drives down cost by using more off-the-shelf components. Our Tumbleweeds address exactly these needs. The spherical rovers have a diameter of 5 m on Mars and are dropped in swarms over the Martian poles. The up to 360 km/h strong winds propel them randomly towards the equator, while they collect valuable data on-the-roll. The Tumbleweeds can be configured individually for each mission and provide a fast method to survey the Martian surface on a large scale. The gathered data can be used to create maps, select interesting research targets for follow-up missions, find useful resources, scout optimal landing spots, conduct scientific research, and more.

Founded: 2018

Company size: 51 - 200

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Job description

Associated Supervisor: Head of Science

Location: Delft, The Netherlands

About the position: We are seeking a motivated Payload Engineer to join our multidisciplinary team and contribute directly to the development of the Science Testbed (a Tumbleweed prototype) . In this role, you will focus on the integration and testing of the payload bay, ensuring that the rover can accommodate scientific instruments reliably for planetary exploration missions. You will gain hands-on experience working with a cutting-edge prototype and collaborate closely with other engineering teams, scientists, and external partners. These tests will build up to a Martian Analogous test.

Expectations:

Close proximity to Delft, as this position requires regular on-site involvement.
Strong communication and intercultural skills for collaboration with internal teams and external partners.
Excellent written and spoken English.
Basic proficiency in mechanical integration and familiarity with tools used for assembly and testing.
Willingness to engage in continuous learning and personal development in both engineering and planetary science fields.
Familiarity with Python or MATLAB for data analysis during payload testing is a plus.
Graduated or enrolled in a Bachelor’s or higher degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
Expected commitment of at least 1.5 years and approximately 15 hours per week.

Responsibilities:

Integrate and test the payload bay of the Tumbleweed Rover prototype, ensuring mechanical and electrical compatibility with scientific instruments.
Perform environmental and functional tests on the payload bay to validate instrument performance under simulated mission conditions (e.g., vibration, temperature).
Oversee operational activities during testbed experiments, including setup, execution, and transportation.
Coordinate with external partners on instrumentation installation.
Write papers outlining the results of the numerous tests for publication.
Present findings at relevant conferences.

Rewards: Check out the perks of being in our team at teamtumbleweed.eu/apply!