Senior Structural Engineer

Ethereal Exploration Guild; Bengaluru; On-site; INR 1,800,000 - 2,400,000; Full time

Job summary

Ethereal Exploration Guild in Bengaluru is seeking an engineer to own structural analysis for a next‑gen launch vehicle. You will drive dynamic analysis, modal studies, and load assessments across the vehicle lifecycle, coordinating with propulsion, aerodynamics, and systems teams to ensure design robustness and flight readiness.

The role emphasizes leadership in analytical model development, test correlation, and mentoring junior engineers, with an on‑site work model at our Bengaluru facility.

Qualifications

• Experience in dynamic structural analysis for aerospace systems.
• Strong knowledge of structural dynamics and finite element analysis.
• Hands-on experience with modal analysis, frequency response, transient dynamics, and buckling.
• Proficiency with NASTRAN/MSC Nastran, ANSYS, Abaqus, or HyperMesh.
• Experience with Python/MATLAB/Perl for analysis automation.

Responsibilities

• Perform static and dynamic structural analysis activities for launch vehicle primary and secondary structures.
• Perform modal, frequency response, transient, random vibration, shock, sine vibration, and buckling analyses.
• Establish and evaluate structural loads from launch, propulsion, aerodynamic, acoustic, and other environments.
• Correlate analytical models with test data and update models accordingly.
• Support qualification testing and flight readiness activities.

Skills

Dynamic structural analysis

Finite element analysis

Modal analysis

Python/MATLAB/Perl for automation

Education

Bachelors/Masters in Aerospace/Mechanical/Structural Engineering

Tools

NASTRAN/MSC Nastran

ANSYS

Abaqus

HyperMesh

Job description

Founded in 2022, Ethereal Exploration Guild (The Guild) is building the World’s First Fully Reusable Medium-Lift Launch Vehicle/Rocket, Razor Crest Mk-1(RCM1).

Based in India, the team has a combined flight heritage of over 75 launches from the PSLV and GSLV fleets, and more than 300 years of collective experience in the space industry. The Guild is also developing a 700,000 sq ft facility dedicated to Upper Stage Engine Testing, which is going to be India’s largest privately developed Engine Testing Facility.

The Guild has also built and manufactured India’s First Reusable Rocket Engine.

Job-Type: On-site, Monday - Saturday

Role Summary:

The engineer will be responsible for the structural design, analysis, and qualification of launch vehicle structures, with a strong focus on dynamic loads, vibration, modal analysis, and coupled-loads assessment. The role involves ownership of structural analysis activities across the vehicle lifecycle, from conceptual design and preliminary sizing through detailed design, testing, qualification, and flight readiness.

The engineer will work closely with propulsion, aerodynamics, GNC, systems engineering, avionics, manufacturing, and test teams to assess vehicle-level structural behavior and ensure adequate strength, stiffness, stability, and dynamic margins. The role also requires technical leadership, analytical model development and correlation, troubleshooting of structural/dynamic issues, and mentoring of junior engineers.

Core Responsibilities:

Structural Analysis & Dynamics

• Perform static and dynamic structural analysis activities for launch vehicle primary and secondary structures.
• Perform modal, frequency response, transient, random vibration, shock, sine vibration, and buckling analyses.
• Establish and evaluate structural loads resulting from launch, propulsion, aerodynamic, acoustic, separation, and other dynamic environments.
• Assess structural response to engine excitation, stage events, separation events, and other transient dynamic phenomena.
• Support investigation of pogo, propellant slosh, fluid-structure interaction, and structural/control-system coupling, where applicable.
• Perform or support Coupled Loads Analysis (CLA) and analyze structural interface forces and moments.
• Correlate analytical models with structural, modal, and vibration test data, and update models based on test results.
• Support structural qualification and acceptance testing, including analysis of test results and resolution of discrepancies.
• Support development and validation of structural loads, environments, and margins across relevant flight conditions.

System Integration & Technical Delivery

• Work closely with propulsion, aerodynamics, GNC, avionics, mechanisms, manufacturing, testing, and systems teams to resolve vehicle-level structural and dynamics issues.
• Support design reviews, verification activities, and flight-readiness assessments.
• Prepare and review technical reports, analysis documentation, verification evidence, and design-review presentations.
• Provide technical inputs and recommendations to drive structural design decisions, risk reduction, and overall vehicle performance.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Structural Engineering, or a related field.
• 3 to 5 years of relevant experience in dynamic structural analysis, preferably with aerospace systems.
• Strong theoretical and practical understanding of structural dynamics and finite element analysis.
• Hands-on experience with modal analysis, frequency response, transient dynamics, random vibration, shock, and structural stability/buckling.
• Experience with NASTRAN/MSC Nastran, ANSYS, Abaqus, HyperMesh, or equivalent tools.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Direct experience with launch vehicle structural dynamics and coupled-loads analysis.
• Experience with pogo dynamics, propellant slosh, fluid-structure interaction, or propulsion-structure coupling.
• Experience with launch vehicle stage separation, payload separation, and deployment dynamics.
• Experience correlating analytical models with modal survey, sine-burst, random vibration, acoustic, shock, or structural qualification tests.
• Experience with metallic and composite aerospace structures.
• Proficiency in Python/MATLAB/Perl for analysis automation and large-scale data processing.
• Familiarity with aerospace structural design standards and verification/qualification methodologies.