Satellite Verification & Validation Engineer - MGSE Engineer

About Aerospacelab

Our mission is supported by an ambitious vertically integrated approach: design & manufacture of small satellites combined with development of earth observation services.

Since its creation in 2018, the company has already grown substantially. Our team gathers more than 25 engineering expertise, from hardware design to software development & data science.

In 2026, Aerospacelab counts offices in Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium), Toulouse (France), Lausanne (Switzerland) and US West Coast with more than 400 full-time employees, with the ambition to position itself as the European leader in small satellites.

Role overview

In this role you will join Aerospacelab's V&V team as a Mechanical GSE (MGSE) Engineer, with the mission of creating the mechanical ground support equipment needed to verify and validate our satellites — both on the flatsat (FS) and on the final assembly line (FAL).

You will be embedded in the Factory team, working alongside PA, Industrialization, Manufacturing and AIT engineers to build a FAL capable of producing a high throughput of satellites. Your MGSE with its benches, jigs, handling and support structures, mechanical interfaces, is what lets functional testing run reliably and repeatably at that pace in the Megafactory.

You will define GSE requirements together with the V&V Test Engineers, design and build the equipment, and then prove it out on the flatsats, structural, qualification and proto-flight models. As the first satellites go into production, you will be on hand to iterate quickly and smooth out issues on the line. This is a hands-on, factory-oriented role for someone who enjoys iterative design and seeing their equipment used in a real production environment.

Key activities

• 1. Define MGSE requirements for all subsystems, together with the V&V Test Engineers, to achieve the agreed test scope for FS and FAL.
• Develop the mechanical V&V GSE required for a functioning final assembly line (FAL).
• Develop the mechanical V&V GSE required for flatsat (FS) testing.
• Within the Factory team, develop the work centers of the production line, taking responsibility that mechanical V&V GSE needs are met in the FAL.
• Test and commission the GSE you create in the Megafactory, on the FS, STM, QM and PFM.
• Support the first phase of satellite production, iterating on the GSE to resolve issues quickly on the line (occasional presence in the Megafactory in Charleroi).
• Contribute to the team's knowledge sharing, brainstorming sessions and continuous improvement of our GSE processes.

Must have

• A degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electromechanical Engineering, Material Engineering, Mechanical Design, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing or related fields.
• CAD knowledge (Siemens NX preferred), PLM knowledge is a plus.
• A practical, iterative design mindset — comfortable building, testing and improving equipment rather than working purely on paper.
• Proactive, autonomous and a strong communicator, comfortable in a high-paced environment while cooperating across teams (V&V, PA, Industrialization, Manufacturing, AIT).
• Fluency in English, both written and verbal.

Nice to have skills (or motivated to learn)

• Previous experience in a factory or industrial environment.

• Experience with iterative / agile design cycles.

• Previous experience in aviation, automotive or aerospace industries.

• Willingness to spend occasional periods on-site at the Megafactory in Charleroi.

• Department

  Space Projects & Platforms

• Office

  Belgium

• Contract type

  Permanent

What we offer

Build your own career path

Direct impact on the growth of the company

Flat hierarchy

Fast-paced environment

Flexible ways of working

Salary package consistent with your experience