System Engineer (Fiber Optic Sensing Specialist)

Job Description:

Job description :

A position as Systems Engineer has arisen within Airbus in Getafe (Madrid). The successful applicant will join the Engineering department.

As a member of the Engineering department, you will join a team of highly motivated and valuable people who are involved in aircraft concept exploration, cutting-edge technologies development and next generation industrial system development.

We are looking for talented candidates who can reinforce our project team by bringing their experience in their field of expertise as well as making the difference through proven interpersonal and collaboration skills.

Environmental Control Systems (ECS) are needed to provide controlled conditions in which passengers and crew can safely and comfortably work and travel. Future ECS systems shall combine high efficiency with high reliability and need to be adapted and optimized to the specific aircraft platforms. In addition existing ECS systems are further enhanced to cope with new regulations or platforms and to explore greener technologies and new challenges.

For the Air Supply Systems team within the ECS (Environmental Control System) design office, we are looking for a System Engineer with the mission to contribute to and support the 'in-service' support and development of future ECS sub-systems based on fiber optic technology principles.

In this role, you will lead and support technology exploration, integration, and qualification of Optical Sensing Systems—spanning Distributed, Interferometric, and Spectroscopy-based sensing architectures—to advance safety, performance, and monitoring for current and future aircraft platforms.

RESPONSABILITIES:

• Distributed FBG-Based Sensing:
  • Support ‘in-service’ resolution and continued engineering for systems utilizing Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs) and interrogation techniques (e.g., Optical Overheat Detection Systems).
  • Maturity progression for new applications: Fire Detection, Optical Gauging, and Acoustic sensing.

• Interferometric Sensing Systems:
  • Design and integrate interferometric optical path sensors utilizing diaphragms for high-accuracy Temperature and Pressure monitoring in harsh environmental conditions.

• Distributed Fiber Sensing (Light Scattering):
  • Develop and mature sensing solutions exploiting Rayleigh, Raman, and Brillouin light scatterings at different wavelengths for distributed temperature sensing.

• Optical Spectroscopy Detection:
  • Lead technical exploration of Spectroscopy (laser excitation source and measurement probe) for fire prevention (H2 & O2 presence detection) and vacuum monitoring.

• Sub-system Integration & Verification:
  • Define system requirements, perform architecture trade studies, and manage test campaigns for optical sensing sub-systems.
  • Interface with cross-functional teams (Structure, Avionics, Thermal, Hydrogen/Fuel Cell integration teams) and system suppliers.
  • Equipment and system reviews, and you will be responsible to ensure deliverables and outcomes to both direct reporting lines and the respective project responsible.

Moreover, you will be in contact with system suppliers, ground and flight test teams, as well as stakeholders from multiple organizations (Airbus subcontractors, external industrial and academic partners, etc).

SKILLS:

• Education: Master’s degree or PhD in Optical Engineering, Photonics, Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related discipline.

• Technical Expertise:
  • Strong background in Fiber Optics & Optical Sensing Technologies (FBG, Distributed Sensing: Rayleigh/Raman/Brillouin, Optical Spectroscopy, Interferometry).
  • Familiarity with optical interrogation hardware (spectrometers, lasers, optical couplers, collimating lenses).
  • Knowledge of Technology Readiness Level (TRL) maturity frameworks in aerospace.

• Systems Engineering:
  • Experience in requirement definition, verification & validation (V&V), and safety/certification processes in aerospace (DO-160, ARP4754A, or equivalent).

• Soft skills:
  • Good interpersonal and presentation skills (with business customers, internal and/or external, with Extended Enterprise subcontractors, etc.)
  • Good communication skills and ability to work within an international team
  • Ability to abstract problems and issues in analytical way
  • Ability to propose solutions and to challenge alternatives based on concrete business model in a constructive and respectful way.
  • Team-oriented mindset with high communication skills, open mindset and willingness to learn complete your Profile

• Languages: Professional fluency in English. (C1)

Preferred / Bonus Skills

• Experience bleed air/OHDS architectures.
• Hands-on testing experience in harsh environmental qualification (thermal, vibration, pressure).
• Knowledge of aerospace systems modeling and optical simulation tools.
• software development and control systems is a plus
• Spanish or French or German are appreciated.

Which Benefits will you have as an Airbus employee?:

• Vacation days plus additional days-off along the year
• Attractive salary.
• Hybrid model of working when possible.
• Collective transport service subject to working calendar/home location.
• Benefits such as life insurance, health insurance, employee stock options, retirement plan, or study grants.
• On-site facilities (among others): free canteen, kindergarten, medical office.
• Possibility to collaborate in different social and corporate social responsibility initiatives.
• Excellent upskilling opportunities and great development prospects in a multicultural environment.
• Option to access special rates in products & benefits.

This job requires an awareness of any potential compliance risks and a commitment to act with integrity, as the foundation for the Company’s success, reputation and sustainable growth.

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Airbus is committed to achieving workforce diversity and creating an inclusive working environment. We welcome all applications irrespective of social and cultural background, age, gender, disability, sexual orientation or religious belief.

Airbus is, and always has been, committed to equal opportunities for all. As such, we will never ask for any type of monetary exchange in the frame of a recruitment process. Any impersonation of Airbus to do so should be reported to emsom@airbus.com.

At Airbus, we support you to work, connect and collaborate more easily and flexibly. Wherever possible, we foster flexible working arrangements to stimulate innovative thinking.