Lead, Aircraft Fatigue and Damage Tolerance Engineer

L3Harris Technologies; Waco (TX); On-site; USD 130,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation package

Job summary

L3Harris Technologies is seeking a Lead Aircraft Fatigue and Damage Tolerance Engineer for its onsite aircraft modification facility in Waco, TX. You will perform fatigue and damage tolerance analyses, identify critical load paths, and develop mission profiles for modified aircraft.

The role requires a bachelor’s degree in engineering, 9+ years of relevant experience (or 7+ with an advanced degree), and US citizenship. Travel and a Secret clearance may be required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical/Aerospace/Civil engineering with 9+ years of relevant experience; MS/MSAE/MSME with 7+ years preferred, or 13+ years without degree.
• U.S. citizen required.
• Experience with fatigue and damage tolerance analysis of aircraft structures.

Responsibilities

• Perform structural fatigue and damage tolerance analysis of aircraft modifications.
• Identify critical load paths and calculate local stresses and load distributions.
• Develop mission profiles and usage spectra for modified aircraft.
• Determine inspection intervals and support design reviews.
• Mentor less experienced engineers and demonstrate leadership.
• Willingness to travel and obtain/maintain a Secret security clearance.

Skills

Leadership

Mentoring

Communication

Security clearance capability

Travel flexibility

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering / Aerospace / Civil Engineering

MS/MSAE/MSME preferred

Tools

AFGROW/NASGRO

FEA tools

CAD

Microsoft Office

Job description

Job Title

Lead, Aircraft Fatigue and Damage Tolerance Engineer

Job Code

40917

Job Location

Waco, TX (Onsite)

Job Schedule

9/80

Job Description

L3Harris is dedicated to recruiting and developing high‑performing talent who are passionate about what they do. Our employees are unified in a shared dedication to our customers’ mission and quest for professional growth. L3Harris provides an inclusive, engaging environment designed to empower employees and promote work‑life success. Fundamental to our culture is an unwavering focus on values, dedication to our communities, and commitment to excellence in everything we do. L3Harris is the Trusted Disruptor in defense tech. With customers’ mission‑critical needs always in mind, our employees deliver end‑to‑end technology solutions connecting the space, air, land, sea and cyber domains in the interest of national security. L3Harris MMG Division is seeking an experienced Aircraft Fatigue and Damage Tolerance Engineer for our onsite aircraft modification facility located in Waco, TX. We offer competitive benefits and a generous relocation package for those who qualify. The Engineer will be responsible for performing structural fatigue and damage tolerance analysis of aircraft modifications, including design support and preparation of technical documentation necessary to ensure airworthiness. This includes identification of critical load paths in primary aircraft structure resulting from applied and induced operational loads, as well as determining the local stress concentrations, internal fastener load distributions, operational usage environments and design allowables. Additional responsibilities include development of tailored mission profiles and usage spectra for modified aircraft for use in calculation of service life.

Essential Functions

• Fatigue analysis of aircraft structures.
• Crack growth analysis of aircraft structures.
• Development of specific mission profiles and usage spectrum for modified aircraft.
• Determination of inspection intervals for delivered aircraft.
• Design support and drawing review.
• Ability to generate free body diagrams, determine reaction forces, calculate internal load distributions, local stress concentrations, and operational usage environments.
• Willingness and ability to travel as necessary.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance.
• Willingness and ability to work any shift, weekends, and overtime as required.
• Willingness to mentor less experienced engineers.
• Effective and demonstrated leadership qualities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Civil Engineering and minimum 9 years of prior relevant experience. Graduate Degree (MSME, MSAE) and a minimum of 7 years of prior aircraft structural dynamics related experience. In lieu of a degree, minimum of 13 years of prior related experience.
• Must be a US citizen.

Preferred Additional Skills

• Active security clearance.
• Experience with predicting crack initiation lives and running industry‑standard crack growth programs; e.g., AFGROW, NASGRO.
• Working knowledge of one programming language.
• Working knowledge of both military (Mil Standard) and civilian (14 CFRs) certification regulations and generating substantiation data to demonstrate compliance.
• Working knowledge on how to develop the Airworthiness Limitations section of the Instructions for Continued Airworthiness for a structural modification.
• Experience with standard Nondestructive Inspection (NDI) methods and corresponding crack growth detectable flaw sizes.
• Experience with Dynamic Response Fatigue Analysis (High‑Cycle Fatigue) due to high vibration environments and/or acoustic fatigue stresses.
• CAD or analysis (FEA) tools exposure, and/or experience in mechanical design or analysis structures and mechanisms.
• Familiarity with transducer instrumentation, data collection and or automation and software programming for numerical analysis.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, and have general computer knowledge.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Equal Opportunity Employment

L3Harris Technologies is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. L3Harris is committed to treating all employees and applicants for employment with respect and dignity and maintaining a workplace that is free from unlawful discrimination. All applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or other related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, characteristic or membership in any other group protected by federal, state or local laws. L3Harris maintains a drug‑free workplace and performs pre‑employment substance abuse testing and background checks, where permitted by law. Please be aware many of our positions require the ability to obtain a security clearance. Security clearances may only be granted to U.S. citizens. In addition, applicants who accept a conditional offer of employment may be subject to government security investigation(s) and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.

Additional Information

By submitting your resume for this position, you understand and agree that L3Harris Technologies may share your resume, as well as any other related personal information or documentation you provide, with its subsidiaries and affiliated companies for the purpose of considering you for other available positions. L3Harris Technologies is an E‑Verify Employer. Please click here for the E‑Verify Poster in English or Spanish. For information regarding your Right To Work, please click here for English or Spanish.