Structural Engineer

Xdlinx Labs; Hyderabad; On-site; INR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Xdlinx Labs seeks a junior opto-mechanical engineer to analyze launch loads and on-orbit thermal environments affecting optical performance. You will build FE models of mirrors and mounts, run vibration and thermal analyses, and work with design, optics, and AIT teams to ensure design-to-qualification compliance.

You will gain direct exposure to flight optical payload programs, with mentorship from senior engineers and opportunities to grow into lead analysis or opto-mechanical design roles.

Qualifications

• B.E./B.Tech or M.E./M.Tech in Mechanical, Aerospace, or related discipline.
• 1-3 years of hands-on experience in structural FEA.
• Working knowledge of at least one major FEA tool (ANSYS Mechanical or equivalent).
• Solid fundamentals in strength of materials, vibration, and heat transfer.
• Understanding of GD&T and precision manufacturing constraints.
• Comfort with 3D CAD (SolidWorks or similar) and preparing geometry for meshing.
• Ability to interpret results critically, including mesh convergence and boundary conditions.
• Clear technical writing and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Build and run FE models of optical assemblies using ANSYS, Nastran/Patran, or Abaqus.
• Run static, modal, random vibration, sine, and shock analyses per launch specs.
• Perform thermo-elastic and thermal-structural analyses to predict distortion.
• Support STOP (Structural-Thermal-Optical Performance) analysis.
• Assess stresses, margins of safety, and stiffness in flexures and mounts.
• Support trade studies on materials and structures (Invar, Al, Ti, CFRP, SiC, Zerodur).
• Correlate models with test data and update models accordingly.
• Work with design, manufacturing, and vendors for producible designs.
• Maintain documentation and traceability to requirements.

Skills

Finite element analysis

Structural analysis

Material stiffness concepts

Thermal-structural coupling

Education

B.E./B.Tech or M.E./M.Tech in Mechanical/Aerospace

Tools

ANSYS Mechanical

Nastran/Patran

Abaqus

SolidWorks

Job description

About the RoleWe build high-performance optical payloads for satellites. We are looking for a junior opto-mechanical engineer with a strong grounding in structural simulation to join our payload team. You will analyse how launch loads and on-orbit thermal environments affect optical performance, and work with the design, optics, and AIT teams to make sure our payloads meet their requirements from design through qualification.Key Responsibilities

• Build and run FE models of optical assemblies (mirrors, lens mounts, metering structures, baffles, and mounting interfaces) using ANSYS, Nastran/Patran, or Abaqus
• Run static, modal, random vibration, sine, and shock analyses against launch environment specifications
• Perform thermo-elastic and steady-state/transient thermal-structural analyses to predict distortion and defocus over the operating temperature range
• Support STOP (Structural-Thermal-Optical Performance) analysis
• Size and assess flexures, bonded joints, fasteners, and kinematic mounts, and estimate stresses, margins of safety, and stiffness
• Support trade studies on materials and structures (Invar, aluminium, titanium, CFRP, SiC, Zerodur, fused silica)
• Correlate models with test data (modal survey, vibration, thermal-vacuum) and update models accordingly
• Work with mechanical design, manufacturing, and vendors to keep designs producible and analysis-consistent
• Maintain clear documentation, model version control, and traceability to requirements

Required Qualifications

• B.E./B.Tech or M.E./M.Tech in Mechanical, Aerospace, or a related discipline
• 1-3 years of hands-on experience in structural FEA (industry, research, or a substantial project or internship)
• Working knowledge of at least one major FEA tool (ANSYS Mechanical, or equivalent)
• Solid fundamentals in strength of materials, vibration, and heat transfer
• Understanding of GD&T and precision manufacturing constraints
• Comfort with 3D CAD (SolidWorks, or similar) and preparing geometry for meshing and simplification
• Ability to interpret results critically, including mesh convergence, boundary conditions, and sanity checks against hand calculations
• Clear technical writing and communication skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Exposure to optical or precision structures such as mirror mounts, lens barrels, telescopes, or camera assemblies
• Basic understanding of optical systems and how structural deformation affects image quality
• Familiarity with composites (CFRP laminates), bonded joints, or low-CTE materials
• Experience with space, aerospace, defense, UAV environmental standards and test campaigns

What You'll Gain

• Direct involvement in flight optical payload programs.
• Close mentorship from senior engineers and program leads
• Broad exposure across structures, thermal, optics, and manufacturing
• Room to grow into a lead analysis or opto-mechanical design role