Engineering Vacancies at South African National Space Agency (SANSA)

Key Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Oversee Vibration Test Facility (VTF) systems, ensuring safe and accurate vibration testing aligned with best practices and industry standards, as well as international space standards.
• Conduct functional and physical audits of test equipment and support commissioning activities (FATs & SATs).
• Create detailed asset registers, supervise contractors, and manage commissioning activities.
• Develop and maintain configuration-controlled vibration test procedures, work instructions, test profiles, documentation, and testing data packs for clients.
• Develop and maintain facility readiness, workflow processes, maintenance plans, statutory documentation, and equipment performance monitoring and reporting.
• Perform vibration testing, data analysis, interpretation, and test reporting.
• Troubleshoot technical issues and provide engineering-based diagnostics.
• Support competency development and training of technical personnel.

Requirements

The ideal candidate must have the following qualifications and experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Electronic, or Mechatronic Engineering.
• A master’s degree in the above engineering fields will be an advantage.
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in vibration systems, spacecraft/systems/component testing, environmental testing of high-tech systems, or related engineering fields.
• Strong knowledge of vibration test principles, dynamic forces, vibration test and measurement, and environmental qualification standards (ECSS/NASA GEVS).
• Experience with shaker systems, vibration control software, instrumentation, and test data analysis.
• Strong technical reporting, problem-solving, teamwork, and communication capabilities.

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Key performance areas will include, but are not limited to:

• Provide engineering oversight for Thermal Vacuum (TVAC) test operations.
• Develop and maintain configuration-controlled Thermal Vacuum test facility processes and workflows, test procedures, works instructions, applicable manuals, and testing data packs for clients.
• Conduct functional and physical audits of test equipment and support commissioning activities (FATs & SATs).
• Create detailed asset registers, supervise contractors, and manage commissioning activities.
• Perform thermal-vacuum testing, including pump-down procedures, thermal cycling, monitoring of temperature and vacuum profiles, and data analysis and interpretation.
• Support facility readiness, diagnostic assessments, accreditation documentation, and standard compliance.
• Mentor and train technicians, interns, and junior engineers.

Requirements

The ideal candidate must have the following qualifications and experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Electronic, or Mechatronic Engineering.
• A master’s degree in the above engineering fields will be an advantage.
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in thermal systems, vacuum systems, spacecraft/systems/component testing, environmental testing of high-tech systems, or similar.
• Knowledge of TVAC principles, thermal modelling, heat transfer, vacuum physics, and ECSS/NASA GEVS standards.
• Experience with thermal and vacuum chambers, control hardware, SCADA systems, instrumentation, and data acquisition, analysis, and interpretation.
• Strong analytical, diagnostic, and communication skills.