Lead Naval Structural Analyst — FEA & Automation

Society of Defense Financial Management; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 130,000 - 185,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) company contribution

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

Job summary

Cardinal Engineering seeks a seasoned structural analysis leader to guide high-fidelity FEA programs for navy and maritime projects. You will oversee analysis packages, lead reviews with NAVSEA and prime contractors, and mentor junior staff in a hybrid work setting across Washington, D.C. and nearby offices.

The role emphasizes technical leadership, automation in workflows, and adherence to naval standards while supporting critical defense programs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Civil, Naval Architecture, or Ocean Engineering.
• 7+ years of progressive experience in advanced structural analysis and computational mechanics.
• Experience as technical lead or SME on complex FEA projects using FEMAP and NASTRAN.
• Strong briefing and communication skills with experience presenting technical risk to senior leadership and government customers.
• Active Secret security clearance or ability to obtain DoD Secret clearance.

Responsibilities

• Lead and execute high-fidelity Finite Element Analysis (FEA) for complex loading conditions using FEMAP/NASTRAN.
• Architect and implement automation tools, macros, and API scripts to streamline modeling and analysis workflows.
• Oversee generation and technical review of analysis packages and structural drawing sets for fleet assets.
• Serve as technical point of contact for Navy technical authorities and prime contractors, presenting findings at design reviews.
• Enforce internal analysis standards and mentor mid-level and junior staff.
• Work-location: Washington, D.C., Pawcatuck, CT, or Linwood, PA in a hybrid setup; travel <10%.

Skills

Leadership

Technical communication

FEMAP

NASTRAN

Python

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Civil, Naval Architecture, or Ocean Engineering

Tools

FEMAP

NASTRAN

Job description

Cardinal Engineering seeks a seasoned structural analysis leader to guide high-fidelity FEA programs for navy and maritime projects. You will oversee analysis packages, lead reviews with NAVSEA and prime contractors, and mentor junior staff in a hybrid work setting across Washington, D.C. and nearby offices.

The role emphasizes technical leadership, automation in workflows, and adherence to naval standards while supporting critical defense programs.