Aircraft Concept Design Specialist (m/w/d)

Grob Aircraft SE

Mattsies

Hybrid

EUR 90,000 - 125,000

Full time

14 days+

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Benefits offered by this job

Company pension scheme

GROB accident insurance

EGYM Wellpass membership

Subsidized lunch

Job summary

Grob Aircraft AG in Germany seeks an Aircraft Design Specialist to drive conceptual, preliminary and detailed design for low observable (LO) aircraft concepts. You will shape configuration, packaging, and structural layouts for advanced composite airframes and unmanned systems, aligning with defence programs.

You will collaborate across aerodynamics, structure, and signature teams, lead reviews, and mentor engineers while integrating DFMA principles and RAM/RAS considerations.

Qualifications

Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering, or Mechanical Engineering.
10+ years in aircraft configuration layout, sizing, packaging, or airframe engineering.
Expert-level CAD in Siemens NX, CATIA V5 or 3DEXPERIENCE with advanced surface lofting.
Deep understanding of composites and lightweight design.
Knowledge of vehicle-level aerodynamics and integration.
German and English fluency (written and spoken).

Responsibilities

Lead conceptual and preliminary design of aircraft configurations and layouts.
Define packaging for key systems and develop 3D master surface models (OML).
Collaborate across aerodynamics, stress, RAM/RAS, and signature teams.
Represent Grob in reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR) with defence partners.
Support prototyping, testing, and DFMA alignment.

Skills

Siemens NX

CATIA V5

3DEXPERIENCE

Surface lofting

Aerospace design

Education

Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Siemens NX

CATIA V5

3DEXPERIENCE

OpenVSP

Job description

Grob Aircraft AG is a leading German manufacturer renowned for its pioneering expertise in advanced composite aircraft structures, with decades of experience in developing military training aircraft (e.g., G 120TP) and high-performance lightweight airframes. As we expand our capabilities into next-generation defence platforms — including low-observable technology integration for military training systems, unmanned aerial systems (UAS), and research demonstrator programs — we are looking for an Aircraft Design Specialist to drive the conceptual, preliminary, and detailed design for next generation LO Aircraft configuration development.

This is a unique opportunity to apply cutting-edge aircraft configuration and design expertise within a company with deep roots in composite aerospace manufacturing, contributing directly to both national and European defence initiatives. Grob is running a lean development, fast design cycles and rapid prototyping to deliver the low observable CA1 Europa. An innovative UCAV concept combining AI and advanced design.

About the Role

As an Aircraft Design Specialist, you will take a leading technical role in the design, aerodynamic configuration, packaging, and structural layout of advanced composite aircraft and unmanned systems. You will bridge conceptual vehicle architecture abd design with Grob’s established composite manufacturing excellence to deliver high-performance, lightweight, and aerodynamically and RF signature optimized aircraft solutions.

In this role, you will work across the complete development lifecycle — from initial lofting and Outer Mold Line (OML) definition, inboard profile development, weight and balance, a/c sizing to detailed assembly design and structural integration. You will collaborate closely with aerodynamics, performance, handling qualities, stress, systems, and signature management, M&P (RAM/RAS), teams, mentor junior engineers, and interface with governmental and industrial partners on advanced aerospace projects.

Key Responsibilities

Aircraft Architecture: Conceptual and preliminary design of overall aircraft configurations and layouts. Define overall aircraft configuration and packaging of key systems, Engines, air intakes, exhausts, Landing gear, Mission systems, fuel tanks, etc. Develop and maintain 3D master surface models (Outer Mold Lines - OML) and internal structural layouts using advanced CAD suites (Siemens NX).
Aircraft Sizing and Aircraft level trade studies: Support aircraft sizing studies and trade-offs.
Mass Properties & Packaging: Estimate weight and balance. Perform vehicle-level trade studies and weight & balance analyses, tracking center-of-gravity (CG) envelopes and optimize space allocations for avionics, propulsion, and payload systems.
Multi-Disciplinary Design Integration: Work closely with structural design, stress, aerodynamics, flight performance, and RAM/RAS, Signature engineers, weight and balance, to balance structural integrity, low-weight targets, aerodynamic efficiency, and signature-reduction shaping requirements. Work close together with all disciplines.
Design for Manufacturing (DFMA): Ensure the design finally will comply with DFMA principles and support the detailed design team to mature the design from conceptual design to preliminary and detailed design.
Customer & Review Boards: Represent Grob Aircraft in technical milestone reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR) and technical exchanges with defence customers, procurement agencies, and industry partners.
Prototyping & Testing: Support prototype builds, assembly line integration, and structural test campaigns (static loads, ground vibration testing, and flight test airframe modifications).

Required Qualifications

Education: Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Experience: 10+ years of professional experience in aircraft configuration layout, sizing, packaging, overall aircraft performance and sizing or airframe engineering, ideally within a military aerospace or UAS context.
CAD & Tool Expertise: Proven, expert-level proficiency in aerospace 3D CAD platforms (specifically SIEMENS NX, or CATIA V5 or 3DEXPERIENCE), including advanced surface lofting (GSD).
Composite Fundamentals: Deep technical understanding materials, load paths, aircraft packaging, inboard profiles, loft design for Aero and LO Signature. Background of composite and techniques used in high-performance lightweight aircraft.
Systems Integration: Demonstrated understanding of vehicle-level aerodynamics and overall aircraft configuration design, packaging, structural load distribution and load paths, propulsion integration, landing gear integration, intake and exhaust design, systems and mechanical routing provisions.
Languages: Fluency in German and English (written and spoken) is mandatory.

Preferred Qualifications

Prior aircraft design experience on military combat aircraft, military training aircraft, tactical UAS, low observability designs, and/or defence demonstrator programs. Experience on jet aircraft and turboprops.
Familiarity with signature-optimized shaping and layout (RCS-driven OML design) and geometric integration of radar-absorbing materials/structures (RAM/RAS).
Working knowledge of civil or military airworthiness certification standards (e.g., EASA CS-23 / CS-VLA, STANAG 4671, MIL-STD-1530).
Experience with Loft- and aircraft configuration design in Siemens NX or Caria V5
Experience with rapid preliminary sizing software (e.g., OpenVSP, RDS) and scripting/automation tools (e.g., Python, MATLAB).
Existing active German or NATO security clearance (or eligibility to successfully undergo the clearance verification process).
German language proficiency (spoken and written) is an asset.

What We Offer

We are a dynamic, family-owned company with short decision-making processes and an open-door culture. Enjoy a range of attractive benefits, including:

FLYING AT GROB