Structural Design & Analysis Engineer

This role involves designing, analyzing, building, and validating aircraft structures from first principles for next-generation hybrid-electric aircraft. You will take structures from initial concepts to flight-ready hardware through rapid design, analysis, prototyping, and testing. The position sits at the intersection of structural engineering, aerodynamics, manufacturing, and testing.

Responsibilities

• Design primary and secondary aircraft structures including wings, fuselage, empennage, landing gear attachments, and propulsion integration.
• Perform structural sizing using analytical methods and finite element analysis (FEA).
• Evaluate static strength, stiffness, buckling, fatigue, and structural stability of aircraft components.
• Optimize structures for weight, manufacturability, cost, and structural efficiency.
• Develop detailed CAD models, manufacturing drawings, and engineering documentation.
• Work closely with aerodynamics, propulsion, flight controls, and manufacturing teams to develop integrated structural solutions.
• Design composite and metallic structures including joints, bonded interfaces, and mechanical fasteners.
• Develop structural test articles and define validation plans for coupon, subcomponent, and full-scale structural testing.
• Correlate finite element models with experimental data and continuously improve structural models.
• Support aircraft assembly, structural integration, ground testing, and flight test campaigns.
• Perform failure investigations and implement design improvements based on test and flight data.

Requirements

• Strong fundamentals in solid mechanics, aircraft structures, and finite element analysis.
• Experience working with industry-standard CAD software.
• Experience with structural analysis tools such as ANSYS, Abaqus, Nastran, OptiStruct, or equivalent.
• Hands-on experience designing lightweight aerospace structures using metallic and/or composite materials.
• Experience performing structural sizing, stress analysis, buckling analysis, and fatigue assessments.
• Familiarity with aerospace manufacturing processes including composite layups, machining, sheet metal fabrication, and bonded or bolted assemblies.
• Strong understanding of load paths, structural efficiency, and design for manufacturability.
• Comfortable working with prototype hardware, structural testing, and rapid design iterations.
• Strong troubleshooting and engineering problem-solving skills.

Nice to have

• Programming experience in Python or MATLAB for analysis automation is highly preferred.
• Experience with aircraft, UAV, automotive motorsport, or other lightweight structures is highly preferred.