Senior Conceptual Design Engineer

Mach Industries is seeking a Conceptual Design Engineer to develop and mature next-generation unmanned aircraft and missile concepts from mission requirements through preliminary design. In this role, you will define vehicle architectures, perform first-order sizing and multidisciplinary trade studies, and guide system-level design decisions across aerodynamics, propulsion, structures, manufacturing, and mission systems. Working closely with Air Vehicle Design Engineers and subject matter experts, you will establish baseline vehicle configurations and drive engineering decisions that balance performance, manufacturability, cost, technical risk, and mission effectiveness.

Responsibilities

• Lead conceptual design efforts by translating mission requirements into viable aircraft and missile concepts.
• Develop baseline vehicle architectures through first-order sizing, configuration development, and multidisciplinary trade studies.
• Evaluate competing design concepts by balancing aerodynamic performance, propulsion integration, structural efficiency, manufacturability, cost, and mission effectiveness, with awareness of survivability considerations where applicable.
• Drive system-level integration across aerodynamics, propulsion, structures, payloads, guidance, manufacturing, and other engineering disciplines throughout early vehicle development.
• Partner with Air Vehicle Design Engineers to mature conceptual designs into integrated vehicle layouts and preliminary CAD models.
• Identify technical risks, evaluate design alternatives, and provide data-driven recommendations throughout the design process.
• Present vehicle concepts, engineering trade studies, and technical recommendations to engineering leadership and program stakeholders.
• Support vehicle development from conceptual design through preliminary design, prototype integration, and flight testing.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
• 5+ years of experience developing aircraft, missile, or unmanned vehicle concepts through conceptual design, vehicle sizing, configuration development, and multidisciplinary trade studies.
• Strong understanding of aircraft or missile performance, aerodynamics, propulsion, structures, and systems integration.
• Demonstrated ability to make system-level design decisions while balancing competing technical requirements and program constraints.
• Experience communicating technical analyses and design recommendations to multidisciplinary engineering teams and technical leadership.

Nice to have

• Master's or Ph.D. degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
• Experience with multidisciplinary design analysis and optimization (MDAO) methodologies and design optimization techniques.
• Experience developing UAS, missile, or other advanced aerospace vehicles from concept through prototype development or flight test.
• Familiarity with high-speed, high-altitude, or low-observable vehicle design.
• Working knowledge of CAD tools such as NX, CATIA, or Creo to support conceptual layouts and vehicle integration.

Benefits

• The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary offers may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and training, critical skills, and business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are included in most offers and are considered part of Mach’s total compensation package. Mach offers benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, and opportunities for professional development.