Design Validation Engineer II

Recaro Aircraft Seating Americas, Inc.; Fort Worth (TX); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Recaro Aircraft Seating Americas, Inc. in Fort Worth, TX is seeking a Design Validation Engineer II to independently execute structural and crashworthiness validation for aircraft seating systems, applying advanced FEA, LS-DYNA, and physical test correlation to demonstrate FAA and airframer compliance.

You will own analysis models, evaluate worst‑case loading, and drive design robustness through predictive simulations, collaborating with design teams and supporting certification substantiation

Qualifications

• Minimum 4 years in aircraft interior products or related field.
• Experience with structural validation methods and certification processes.
• Hands-on FE analysis and grounding in certification substantiation.
• Familiarity with crash simulations and load cases.

Responsibilities

• Execute structural validation for seating systems using FEA and test evidence.
• Perform linear/non-linear static analysis and dynamic crash simulations.
• Develop and maintain FE models with boundary conditions and loads.
• Correlate physical test results with analytical models.
• Provide guidance to certification programs on load cases.
• Drive design improvements by evaluating load paths and margins.
• Collaborate with design teams to influence early decisions.
• Review drawings, MRB dispositions, and design deviations for compliance.
• Witness component qualification and abuse tests and assess criteria.
• Author and review analysis summaries and substantiation documentation.

Skills

Organizational skills

Self-motivation

Attention to deadlines

Team collaboration

Strong communication

Analytical reasoning

Education

Bachelor's degree in Aerospace/Mechanical

Master's degree in Aerospace/Mechanical (preferred)

Tools

LS-DYNA

ANSA

A/CAD tools (CATIA V4/V5)

ANSYS

Job description

About this position

Description:

Position Summary: The Design Validation Engineer II is responsible for independently executing structural and crashworthiness validation activities for aircraft seating systems. This role provides specialized technical expertise to demonstrate compliance with FAA, airframer, airline, and internal structural requirements through advanced numerical analysis, classical engineering methods, and correlation with physical test evidence.

The position plays a critical role in certification programs and new product development by owning analysis models, evaluating worst-case loading conditions, and driving design robustness through predictive simulations and data-driven engineering judgment.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following, other duties may be assigned:

• Execute structural design validation for aircraft seating systems to demonstrate compliance with FAA, airframer, airline, and internal requirements using classical analytical methods, advanced finite element analysis (FEA), and supporting physical test evidence.
• Perform linear and non-linear static analysis and dynamic crash simulations (e.g., 14G / 16G conditions) using LS-DYNA and equivalent solvers to assess structural integrity, occupant safety, and certification compliance.
• Develop, own, and maintain finite element models by defining appropriate boundary conditions, material properties, load cases, and modeling techniques to realistically represent certification and operational scenarios.
• Analyze and correlate physical test results with analytical models to validate assumptions, establish confidence in simulation accuracy, and support certification substantiation.
• Provide technical guidance to certification programs through assessment of critical load cases, test configurations, and worst-case structural conditions in accordance with regulatory and customer requirements.
• Drive structural design improvements by evaluating load paths, margins of safety, failure modes, and robustness across multiple configuration variants.
• Collaborate with design engineering teams on development of new components and seat architectures by providing predictive analysis input and validation feedback to influence early design decisions.
• Review and assess engineering drawings, MRB dispositions, concessions, and design deviations by performing structural impact assessments to ensure continued compliance with certification and structural integrity requirements.
• Review and witness component qualification, certification, and abuse load tests by evaluating test plans, setups, and acceptance criteria.
• Author and review technical analysis summaries and engineering substantiation documentation to support certification findings and internal technical reviews.

Requirements:

Education/Experience:

• A minimum of Four-year B.S. degree is required preferably in Aerospace / Mechanical / other engineering with at least 4 years’ experience in aircraft interior products or a Master's degree preferably in Aerospace or Mechanical engineering with at least 2 years’ experience in aircraft interior products.

Technical Skills and Experience Requirements

• Organizational skills, self-motivation, a sense of urgency and sensitivity to deadlines, and detail-oriented style are required.
• Evidence of ability to hand calculate generating reserve factors, at limit and ultimate load conditions using classical methods or methods described by Tom Rhodes.
• Ability to learn independently
• At minimum of 2 years of Finite element analysis experience is needed
• At a minimum 1 year experience in ANSA or similar software and LS-DYNA software is required.
• Knowledge of Ansys software is desired.
• Experience in CATIA V4 or V5 or a similar program desired.
• Experience in Certification is a plus.
• Internship experience is preferred, but not required.
• Good verbal and written communication skills are required.
• The ability to work as part of a team in conjunction with more and or less experienced people.
• Strong ethical persuasion to seek out the truth in a technical situation.
• The wisdom to deal with technical challenges with tack and professionalism