Senior Advanced Design Engineer

Dominion Dynamics; Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal (administrative region); On-site; CAD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Equity

Job summary

Dominion Dynamics is seeking a Senior Advanced Design Engineer in Ottawa/Totally Canada to lead structural architectures from concept through certification. You’ll shape standards, work with Aerodynamics, Propulsion, Avionics, and Systems Engineering, and ensure CAD-to-hardware fit with fast, iterative decision-making.

The role emphasizes design leadership across metallic and composite structures with regulatory constraints from day one. On-site work required in Ottawa/Montreal/Toronto area.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in aerospace structural design
• Proficiency in CAD tools and simulation software
• Strong surface modeling and design-for-manufacturing focus
• Experience defining and applying design standards and interfaces
• Regulatory awareness for Part 23/25 or equivalent

Responsibilities

• Lead conceptual and preliminary design for structural architectures and interfaces.
• Perform layouts and sizing across configurations and trade studies.
• Run and contribute to design reviews and improve design processes.
• Work with multidisciplinary teams to ensure manufacturability and regulatory compliance.
• Set modelling standards and workflows for structures and systems teams.
• Represent structures engineering in program reviews and supplier engagements.

Skills

Aerospace design

Systems integration

Trade studies

Regulatory knowledge

CAD experience

Tools

CATIA V5

3DEXPERIENCE

NX

ANSYS

NASTRAN

Altair

Job description

Senior Advanced Design Engineer

Location: [Ottawa Office / Montreal or Toronto considered], On-Site

Reports to: Director of Structures

Type: Full-Time

The Role

You carry structural and systems architecture from concept through defence-program certification — layouts, trade studies, interfaces, and using your experience to quickly call the right material and architecture ahead of formal stress sizing — on a platform where the design freeze hasn't happened yet and your calls now determine what's expensive to fix later.

At an established OEM, this role plugs into existing design standards and a large structures organization; at Dominion Dynamics, you're helping set those standards while doing the design work itself, across metallic and composite construction, with certification as a constraint from day one rather than a phase-gate someone else worries about.

You work daily with Aerodynamics, Propulsion, Avionics, and Systems Engineering to keep structure and interfaces converging with the rest of the vehicle, and you're close enough to the build to see a design decision go from CAD to hardware fast — not wait two review cycles to find out it didn't fit.

What You'll Do

• Lead conceptual and preliminary design for structural architectures, interfaces, surfacing, and systems integration.
• Perform design layouts and sizing across configurations and trade studies for primary and secondary structures.
• Run and contribute to design reviews, and improve the design processes and methodologies as the team builds them.
• Work with multidisciplinary teams to keep designs feasible, manufacturable, and compliant with regulatory requirements.
• Set modelling standards and workflows for the structures and systems teams as the function scales.
• Represent structures and systems engineering in program reviews, customer interactions, and supplier engagements.

What You Bring

• 10+ years in aerospace structural design at an OEM or equivalent, spanning aerodynamics, propulsion, materials, and Part 23/25 certification.
• Proficiency in CAD (CATIA V5, 3DEXPERIENCE, or NX) and familiarity with simulation tools (ex.: ANSYS, NASTRAN, Altair).
• Strong background in metallic and composite materials and design-for-manufacturing trade-offs.
• Advanced surface modeling for conceptual layouts.
• Comfortable building process and standards, not just working inside them — this isn't a mature design organization yet.

Nice to Have

• Experience in an aerospace startup or advanced air mobility program.
• Published technical work or patents in structural or aerospace design.
• Knowledge of FAA/TCCA/EASA regulations beyond your home certification basis.
• Direct flight test or hardware integration experience alongside design work.
• Manufacturing Support, In service or flight support experience.

No defence background required.

Why Join Us

Building something meaningful starts with the right people.

At Dominion Dynamics, you’ll:

• Shape Canada’s future by building real defence capability for the CAF and our allies.
• Make decisions that ship in a high-trust environment with short feedback loops and rapid iteration.
• Move fast, field faster, and work directly with the operator — our systems are in the field with the CAF now.
• Have an impact from day one with equity, responsibility, and direct access to leadership.

If you’re curious, hands‑on, and driven by the opportunity to make a difference, this is where you belong!

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive base salary and company equity*
• Comprehensive health benefits
• Additional equity granted based on impact*

*Equity awarded to full time employees only.