CourseAerospace, UAM, Drones & Space Applications open

Rad-hard components course

Online course of 300 hours in rad-hard components: 6 modules covering EEE components for space, radiation degradation mechanisms, hardening techniques, radiation hardness assurance and applications and architectures, with an assigned technical tutor.

Duration3 months
ModeOnline
LanguageEnglish
Start datesSet by the faculty
AwardSEIUM Institute certificate

Rad-hard components course — studying from Ireland

Ireland's aerospace sector is concentrated in Shannon, Limerick and the Dublin region, with a strong base of maintenance, repair and overhaul, avionics, aerostructures and engine component manufacturing. Multinational suppliers and specialist SMEs serve global airframe and engine programmes, while the Irish Aviation Authority and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency shape certification and airworthiness requirements. Growing interest in drones, urban air mobility and space-related research is supported by university spin-outs and national research centres. Engineers here work on design assurance, systems integration, maintenance planning and compliance across the aviation value chain.

Fees for Ireland: €743 (Euro), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.

Relevant bodies in Ireland

  • Irish Aviation Authority (IAA)
  • European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)
  • Aerospace Industry Ireland (AII)
  • Science Foundation Ireland (SFI)

Typical roles

  • Aerospace Engineer
  • Avionics Engineer
  • Airworthiness Engineer
  • Drone Systems Engineer

Questions from Ireland

Will a SEIUM qualification be recognised by professional bodies in Ireland for aerospace work?

SEIUM's qualifications are private, not state-awarded, and are not accredited by any national body. Engineers Ireland is the main professional body for engineers in Ireland and sets its own membership criteria, so recognition is decided by them, not by SEIUM. Aviation safety oversight sits with the Irish Aviation Authority. Check directly with these bodies before relying on any credential for licensing or chartership.

Do Irish aerospace and drone employers value private online engineering qualifications?

Hiring in Ireland's aerospace and drone sector is generally driven by demonstrable skills, relevant experience and, for many roles, recognised degrees. A private qualification may support a CV, particularly alongside practical experience, but its weight is decided by each employer. We cannot promise any outcome. Speaking to prospective employers about how they view SEIUM's programmes is the most reliable way to judge.

Can I study this programme alongside a full-time job in Ireland?

The programme is 100% online and taught in English, so there is no travel and no student visa is needed to study from home. Master's programmes total 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and specialist courses 300 hours, so plan your weekly time accordingly. You will have an assigned technical tutor, and fees can be paid in instalments. Some employers offer funding, which you should ask about directly.

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Learning outcomes

What you will be able to do

01

Understand the quality classes and selection processes of EEE components.

02

Understand radiation degradation mechanisms.

03

Compare process and design hardening techniques.

04

Apply the radiation hardness assurance process.

05

Evaluate COTS components for space applications.

06

Design architectures that combine COTS and rad-hard components.

07

Prepare a justified components list for a mission.

Profile

Who it's for

  • EEE component engineers.
  • Product assurance engineers.
  • Radiation effects engineers.
  • Space electronics designers.
  • Technical procurement engineers.
  • Microelectronics engineers.
  • Engineering or science graduates aiming to enter the space industry.
Standards & tools

What you'll work with

  • ECSS-Q-ST-60-15C (radiation hardness assurance for EEE components)
  • ECSS-Q-ST-60C (EEE components)
  • ESCC 22900 (total dose steady-state irradiation test method)
  • MIL-STD-883 (method 1019) (total dose test procedure)
  • MIL-PRF-38535 (integrated circuit manufacturing (QML))
  • ESCC 25100 (single-event effects test method)
  • ECSS-Q-ST-60-13C (commercial EEE components)
  • MIL-PRF-19500 (semiconductor devices)
  • OMERE
  • SPENVIS
  • CREME96
  • Geant4
  • FASTRAD
Syllabus

6 modules

  1. 1.1Component quality classes
  2. 1.2Qualified, QML and ESCC components
  3. 1.3COTS and automotive components
  4. 1.4Preferred parts lists
  5. 1.5Selection processes
  6. 1.6Component derating
  7. 1.7Obsolescence
  8. 1.8Supply chain and ITAR
  9. 1.9Space-grade versus military-grade components
  10. 1.10Workshop: comparison of components by quality class
  1. 2.1Total dose in MOS and bipolar devices
  2. 2.2ELDRS in bipolar devices
  3. 2.3Displacement damage in optoelectronics
  4. 2.4SEE sensitivity of memories
  5. 2.5Effects on converters and power devices
  6. 2.6Degradation of image sensors
  7. 2.7Annealing and dose-rate effects
  8. 2.8Emerging technologies and their response
  9. 2.9Effects on power components
  10. 2.10Practical exercise: analysis of total dose data for an amplifier
  1. 3.1Radiation hardening by process
  2. 3.2SOI and SOS technologies
  3. 3.3Radiation hardening by design (RHBD)
  4. 3.4DICE cells and TMR in ASICs
  5. 3.5Antifuse and flash rad-hard FPGAs
  6. 3.6MRAM and FRAM memories
  7. 3.7Packaging and spot shielding
  8. 3.8Cost versus performance
  9. 3.9Rad-hard memories and flip-flop hardening
  10. 3.10Lab: comparison of rad-hard FPGAs
  1. 4.1The RHA process
  2. 4.2Radiation design margins
  3. 4.3Lot and wafer testing
  4. 4.4Radiation test databases
  5. 4.5Evaluation of COTS through testing
  6. 4.6Worst-case analysis with radiation
  7. 4.7Approval documentation
  8. 4.8Deviation management
  9. 4.9Lot review and traceability
  10. 4.10Case study: justification of a COTS part for LEO
  1. 5.1LEON and RAD750 rad-hard processors
  2. 5.2Hardened power electronics
  3. 5.3Analogue-to-digital converters
  4. 5.4Sensors and detectors
  5. 5.5Hybrid COTS and rad-hard architectures
  6. 5.6New space and CubeSats
  7. 5.7Long-duration missions
  8. 5.8Lessons from in-orbit failures
  9. 5.9Processors for on-board artificial intelligence
  10. 5.10Case study: mixed avionics architecture
  1. 6.1Mission requirements
  2. 6.2Radiation environment
  3. 6.3Component selection
  4. 6.4RHA analysis
  5. 6.5Test plan
  6. 6.6Design-level mitigation
  7. 6.7Cost and schedule
  8. 6.8Declared components list
  9. 6.9Report and presentation
  10. 6.10Final project: final review with the tutor
Methodology, software & labs

How you'll learn

100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, making it compatible with work.

Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is OMERE, SPENVIS, CREME96, Geant4 and FASTRAD, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures: component selection for low-cost LEO avionics, evaluation of total dose data for components and preparation of a components list with RHA analysis. Assessment is continuous per module plus the final project.

Standards covered: ECSS-Q-ST-60-15C, ECSS-Q-ST-60C, ESCC 22900, MIL-STD-883 (method 1019), MIL-PRF-38535, ESCC 25100, ECSS-Q-ST-60-13C, MIL-PRF-19500.

Assigned technical tutor:every module ends with a deliverable that your tutor marks individually.
Standards-based learning:guided reading of ECSS-Q-ST-60-15C, ECSS-Q-ST-60C and ESCC 22900 applied to real cases, not as a theoretical annex.
Industry software:OMERE, SPENVIS, CREME96, Geant4 and FASTRAD, in free, academic or evaluation versions.
Final project:a justified components list for a mission, with RHA analysis, test plan and design-level mitigation, reviewed by your tutor.
Flexible format:100% online, no fixed timetables, compatible with full-time work.
Capstone project

Build it end to end

Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.

Quality class comparison
Compare candidate components by quality class.
Total dose data analysis
Analyse total dose test data for a component.
COTS justification
Justify a COTS part for LEO through the RHA process.
Mixed architecture
Define an avionics architecture combining COTS and rad-hard parts.
Final project
Deliver a justified components list with RHA analysis, reviewed by your tutor.
Career opportunities

Where this takes you

EEE component engineerProduct assurance engineerRadiation effects engineerSpace electronics designerTechnical procurement engineerMicroelectronics engineer
Admissions & scholarships

Requirements

  • No prior qualification is required.
  • Internet connection and a computer able to run the programme software.
  • English sufficient to read technical standards.

Ready to start?

Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

The programme totals 300 hours over 3 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.

You work with OMERE, SPENVIS, CREME96, Geant4 and FASTRAD, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.

A SEIUM Institute certificate, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.

Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.

No prior qualification is required; you need an internet connection, a computer able to run the programme software and English sufficient to read technical standards.

Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.

Rad-hard components courseEnrol
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