The Person Behind the Projects

About Me

I'm a mechanical engineer, graduated from WPI in May 2026 with a focus on aerospace and energy systems. I've worked across three continents, designing e-air taxi landing gear in Stuttgart, mapping electrical infrastructure in rural Ghana, and contributing to a lunar nuclear power plant proposal with Idaho National Labs. I care deeply about what I build and where it ends up.

I'm drawn to small companies and startups. I thrive in fast-paced environments where I can roll up my sleeves across multiple disciplines: one day working on mechanical design, the next digging into systems integration or testing. I do my best work when I'm wearing more than one hat.

Julian Bankier

Things I'm Good At

  • Staying calm when the physics disagree with the deadline
  • Jumping into unfamiliar environments (sometimes literally - see: Ghana)
  • Translating complex problems into clean, buildable designs
  • Asking the right questions before picking up a wrench

Things I'm Working On

  • Getting SolidWorks to stop fighting me on the difficult parts
  • Knowing when to stop iterating and start building
  • Getting better at knowing when a design is good enough to ship
WPI

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Mechanical Engineering

GraduatedMay 2026
StandingCum Laude
FocusAerospace & Energy Systems
Citizenship🇺🇸 US  ·  🇸🇪 EU

Actively seeking opportunities

WPI Graduate, May 2026. Based in Berkeley, CA, open to full-time roles in aerospace, energy systems, or advanced manufacturing, with a strong preference for opportunities in the EU.

Get in Touch

Where I've Worked

Kasaero GmbHEnergy Co. of GhanaMetreSpadxTechMetro Hop Inc.Game OnWPI

Selected Work

Featured Projects

E-Air Taxi Landing Gear photo 1
E-Air Taxi Landing Gear photo 2

Kasaero GmbH

E-Air Taxi Landing Gear

Sept – Dec 2025 · Stuttgart, Germany

Engineered a specialized landing gear system for electric air taxis, reducing runway requirements by 40% and improving overall flight safety. Maintained and tested fuel cell systems for HyFly, a hydrogen-powered aircraft. Modeled electric aircraft fuselage designs now entering production.

AerospaceSolidWorksPrototypingFabrication
Akyem Dwenase Infrastructure

Energy Company of Ghana

Akyem Dwenase Infrastructure

Jan – Mar 2025 · Akyem Dwenase, Ghana

Surveyed and mapped electrical and water utility infrastructure for the village of Akyem Dwenase. Created utility expansion plans now being implemented by local authorities, increasing utility access by 40%. Continued post-project to remotely design a community-scale microgrid, actively approaching international partners.

Energy SystemsInfrastructureSystem DesignGIS
Lunar Nuclear Power Plant

WPI / Idaho National Labs

Lunar Nuclear Power Plant

Aug 2025 – May 2026 · Worcester, MA

Collaborating with Idaho National Labs to develop and submit a design proposal to the US Government for a Lunar Nuclear Power Plant, combining space systems engineering with nuclear power design.

Image

Gyroidal heat exchanger modeled for use in the reactor cooling system. The triply periodic minimal surface geometry maximizes heat transfer area within a compact form factor, critical for space applications where mass and volume are tightly constrained.

NuclearSpace SystemsProposalResearch

Impact by the Numbers

0%
Runway reduction (Kasaero landing gear)
0%
Utility access increase (Ghana)
0%
Production increase (SpadxTech)
0
Continents worked across
0
Companies & organizations

Work History

Experience

Jan – Mar 2026

Teaching Assistant, Intro to Thermodynamics

WPI · Worcester, MA

  • Supported undergraduate students in understanding foundational thermodynamics concepts.
  • Led office hours and recitation sessions to reinforce lecture material.

Aug 2025 – May 2026

MQP Researcher, Lunar Nuclear Power Plant

WPI / Idaho National Labs · Worcester, MA

  • Collaborated with Idaho National Labs on a formal design proposal for a Lunar Nuclear Power Plant submitted to the US Government.
  • Conducted research across nuclear systems engineering and space power architecture.

Sept – Dec 2025

Aerospace Systems Engineer

Kasaero GmbH · Stuttgart, Germany

  • Engineered specialized landing gear for electric air taxis, reducing runway requirements by 40%.
  • Maintained and tested fuel cell systems for HyFly, a hydrogen-powered aircraft.
  • Modeled electric aircraft fuselage designs now entering production.

Mar – May 2025

Mechanical Systems Engineer

SpadxTech · Worcester, MA

  • Contributed to product development processes, improving production throughput by 50%.
  • Collaborated on mechanical system design and rapid prototyping.

Jan – Mar 2025

Lead Engineer

Energy Company of Ghana · Akyem Dwenase, Ghana

  • Surveyed and mapped electrical and water utility infrastructure for the village of Akyem Dwenase.
  • Created utility expansion plans now being implemented by local authorities, increasing utility access by 40%.

May – Sept 2024

Thermal Systems Engineer

Metre · Oakland, CA

  • Contributed to engineering projects in measurement systems and hardware development.
  • Worked cross-functionally with product and software teams to deliver technical solutions.

May – Sept 2023

UAV Systems Engineer

Metro Hop Inc. · Berkeley, CA

  • Supported engineering operations for an urban transit startup.
  • Assisted with mechanical design, testing, and iteration on mobility solutions.

May – Sept 2023

Mechanical Design Engineer

Game On · Berkeley, CA

  • Contributed to engineering and product development in a sports-tech environment.
  • Collaborated on mechanical systems and prototyping workflows.

Capabilities

Skills & Tools

Design & Manufacturing

SolidWorksMasterCam3D PrintingLaser CuttingCNC MachiningSystem Design

Software & Coding

C++PythonHTMLJava

Languages

English (US Citizen)Swedish (EU Citizen)

Classes I Took

Mathematics

  • Calculus I – IV
  • Ordinary Differential Equations
  • Linear Algebra
  • Applied Statistics★ Really enjoyed this one

Engineering Sciences

  • Physics: Mechanics & E&M
  • General Chemistry
  • Computer-Aided Design
  • Statics
  • Stress Analysis
  • Dynamics
  • Materials Science
  • Thermodynamics
  • Fluid Mechanics
  • Heat Transfer★ Really enjoyed this one
  • Intro to Electrical & Computer Engineering
  • Introduction to Programming

Mechanical Engineering

  • Engineering Experimentation★ Really enjoyed this one
  • Advanced Engineering Design
  • Design & Optimization of Thermal Systems
  • Manufacturing Engineering★ Really enjoyed this one
  • Computer-Aided Manufacturing★ Really enjoyed this one
  • Integrated Design of Mechanical Systems★ Really enjoyed this one

Global Footprint

Where in the World

🇺🇸

Berkeley, CA

Metro Hop Inc. & Game On

🇺🇸

Oakland, CA

Metre

🇺🇸

Worcester, MA

WPI & SpadxTech

🇩🇪

Stuttgart, Germany

Kasaero GmbH

🇬🇭

Akyem Dwenase, Ghana

Energy Co. of Ghana

Testimonials

What Others Say

His drive to succeed, his persistence in the face of challenges, and his willingness to continue supporting Akyem Dwenase long after his academic assignment ended set him apart as a young man of rare character.

Osabarima Owusu Baafi Aboagye III

Chief of Akyem Dwenase, Akyem Abuakwa, Ghana

Read Full Letter ↗

In my career I have worked with many people, and I can confidently say that Julian is a keeper. I am certain he will excel in whatever he chooses to do next.

Bruno Mombrinie

CEO, Metro Hop Inc., Berkeley, CA

Read Full Letter ↗

Get in Touch

Let's Talk

Interested in working together? I'd love to hear from you.

WPI Graduate, May 2026. Actively seeking full-time opportunities in aerospace, energy systems, or advanced manufacturing. Based in Berkeley, CA, open to relocation anywhere in the EU.