Lead Engineer - Structural Mechanics & Dynamics

Y99000 General Electric Company; Town of Niskayuna (NY); On-site; USD 80,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discretionary bonus

Health benefits

401(k) retirement plan

Job summary

GE Aerospace in Niskayuna, NY is seeking a Research Engineer in Structural Mechanics & Dynamics for the ATMS Organization. Early career development focuses on propulsion and power systems, with structured growth and collaborative projects across GE Aerospace Research.

You will advance from foundational research to a technical contributor role, delivering innovations and robust designs in aerospace engineering within a supportive team environment.

Qualifications

• PhD in Mechanical Engineering or closely related field with strong design/analysis background.
• MS in Mechanical Engineering or related discipline with 3+ years industrial experience.

Responsibilities

• Execute design, analysis, and validation of new mechanical components and systems with various materials.
• Define requirements and use FEA tools to predict structural response.
• Participate in experiments to validate analytical results.
• Collaborate with support functions and external suppliers to meet deliverables.
• Prepare and participate in project and technical reviews; deliver reports and presentations.
• Provide expertise to resolve technical challenges across the organization.
• Contribute to internal/external project proposals and initiatives.
• Foster a multidisciplinary and inclusive team environment.

Skills

Structural mechanics

Structural dynamics

FEA

ANSYS

LS-DYNA

OptiStruct

NX

SOLIDWORKS

Creo

Additive manufacturing

Project leadership

Communication skills

Education

Doctorate in Mechanical Engineering

Master’s in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

ANSYS

LS-DYNA

OptiStruct

NX

SOLIDWORKS

Creo

Job description

Job Description Summary As a Research Engineer - Structural Mechanics & Dynamics in the Aero-Thermal & Mechanical Systems (ATMS) Organization, you will perform research and development in structural mechanics, structural dynamics, and/or related areas to develop and implement innovative mechanical design solutions for a wide variety of applications.

Job Description Located in Niskayuna, New York, central to the New York Capital District, GE Aerospace Research builds on more than 125 years of industrial research heritage. Multidisciplinary teams tackle challenging engineering problems and deliver innovative technologies for GE Aerospace and its customers.

The Structural Mechanics & Dynamics team works with researchers across GE Aerospace Research to develop and implement innovative mechanical design solutions for a wide variety of applications.

As part of the early career development program, you will begin building deep technical expertise in propulsion and power systems while developing the organizational intelligence and leadership skills that define Research's technical leaders.

Your first three years at Research include structured development to accelerate your growth: establishing your technical foundation in your home lab, strategic stretch assignments that provide breadth across our capabilities, and connection to a cohort of early career peers.

Through independent research, structured projects, coursework, and mentorship, you will progress from foundational researcher to recognized technical contributor ready for long-term impact in aerospace innovation.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Execute design, analysis, and validation of new mechanical components and systems with a wide variety of material compositions (e.g., metals, composites, additive or other complex multi-material structures).
• Define requirements and execute design and analysis tasks using proprietary and commercial FEA solvers, analysis systems and databases to predict the structural response of mechanical components and systems.
• Participate in the definition and execution of experiments to validate analytical results.
• Work with other support functions and/or external suppliers to meet project deliverables.
• Prepare and participate in project and technical reviews. Deliver presentations, reports, and publications to engineering staff, GE businesses and/or external agencies.
• Provide expertise to help resolve technical challenges across the organization.
• Collaborate in the development of internal and external project proposals and initiatives.
• Foster a multidisciplinary and inclusive team environment.

Required Qualifications: Doctorate in Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Mechanics, Aerospace Engineering, or a closely related discipline with a strong background in structural design and analysis, or a master’s in Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Mechanics, Aerospace Engineering, or related disciplines with at least 3 years of experience in structural design and analysis in an industrial environment. This role may require an individual to obtain active US Government Secret Clearance with ability to attain a Top-Secret Clearance; prerequisite for a security clearance is U.S. citizenship. This role may require use of Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) or security clearance to access classified information. Therefore, employment is contingent upon your ability to prove that you meet the qualification of being a US Citizen. Must be willing to work out of an office located in Niskayuna, NY.

Desired Characteristics:

• Experienced with structural analysis codes such as ANSYS, LS-DYNA, OptiStruct.
• Experience with parametric, feature-based geometric modeling, hands‑on experience with commercial and CAD packages (NX, SOLIDWORKS, Creo, etc.).
• Experience with impact and progressive damage simulations.
• Experience in analysis, fabrication, and testing of composite structures.
• Experience with design and optimization for additive manufacturing.
• Experience with product design constraints, manufacturing techniques and material processing.
• Project leadership experience including successful track record of completing deliverables.

Strong technical skills in solid mechanics and finite element methods.

• Proficiency with commercial packages such as Ansys (including advanced meshing tools and non-linear analysis).
• Clear evidence of passion, innovation, and creativity.
• Execution mindset and sense of urgency.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Excellent interpersonal, leadership and communication skills in a global team environment.
• Ability to work across all functions/levels as part of a team.

The base pay range for this position is $80,000 - $150,000 USD annually.

The specific pay offered may be influenced by a variety of factors, including the candidate’s experience, education, and skill set.

This position is also eligible for an annual discretionary bonus based on a percentage of your base salary/ commission based on the plan.

GE Aerospace offers comprehensive benefits and programs to support your health and, along with programs like HealthAhead, your physical, emotional, financial and social wellbeing.

Healthcare benefits include medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage; access to a Health Coach from GE Aerospace; and the Employee Assistance Program, which provides 24/7 confidential assessment, counseling and referral services.

Retirement benefits include the GE Aerospace Retirement Savings Plan, a 401(k) savings plan with company matching contributions and company retirement contributions, as well as access to Fidelity resources and planning consultants.

Other benefits include tuition assistance, adoption assistance, paid parental leave, disability insurance, life insurance, and paid time‑off for vacation or illness.

GE Aerospace (General Electric Company or the Company) and its affiliates each sponsor certain employee benefit plans or programs (i.e., is a “Sponsor”). Each Sponsor reserves the right to terminate, amend, suspend, replace or modify its benefit plans and programs at any time and for any reason, in its sole discretion.

No individual has a vested right to any benefit under a Sponsor’s welfare benefit plan or program. This document does not create a contract of employment with any individual.

This role requires access to U.S. export-controlled information. Therefore, employment will be contingent upon the ability to prove that you meet the status of a U.S. Person as one of the following: U.S. lawful permanent resident, U.S. Citizen, have been granted asylee or refugee status (i.e., a protected individual under the Immigration and Naturalization Act, 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)).

Additional Information GE Aerospace offers a great work environment, professional development, challenging careers, and competitive compensation.

GE Aerospace is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.

GE Aerospace will only employ those who are legally authorized to work in the United States for this opening.

Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a drug screen (as applicable). Employees may also be subject to random and reasonable‑suspicion drug and alcohol testing.

Relocation Assistance Provided: Yes

At GE Aerospace, we invent the future of flight, lift people up, and bring them home safely. We are a world‑leading provider of jet engines, components, and integrated systems for commercial and military aircraft. At GE Aerospace, respect for people is core to our culture and commitment to FLIGHT DECK, our proprietary lean operating model. We attract, develop, and retain industry‑leading talent from all backgrounds and cultivate communities where people are respected and empowered to reach their fullest potential. For the people of GE Aerospace, their work isn't just a job. It's their passion and purpose. We work and win as one team, accountable to each other and our customers, and we are always finding a better way to climb higher together. We were meant to fly.