Lead Structures Engineer

Apera; California (MO); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Apera in San Diego, CA is seeking a Lead Structures Engineer to take technical ownership of the airframe and drive structural development from early design through build, test, and first flight. This is a hands-on leadership role for someone with deep experience in aircraft structures, composites, and full-cycle airframe programs.

You will own the airframe structural approach, lead architecture and trade studies, and mentor a team of structures engineers while collaborating with manufacturing,

Qualifications

• 10+ years of aircraft structural design experience.
• B.S. in Aerospace Engineering or Mechanical Engineering.
• Strong understanding of load paths and structural behavior.
• Deep experience with composite airframe structures.
• Experience designing bolted and bonded joints.
• Proficiency with NX, CATIA or SolidWorks.
• Experience taking aircraft structures from concept through build.
• Knowledge of design for manufacturing, tooling, and assembly.

Responsibilities

• Lead the structural design and development of a clean-sheet aircraft.
• Own the overall airframe structural approach from concept through first flight.
• Lead structural architecture, trade studies, detailed design, and execution.
• Guide and mentor a team of structures engineers.
• Collaborate with manufacturing, analysis, suppliers, and leadership.
• Drive load-path and joint decisions for manufacturability and assembly.
• Support initial sizing using hand calculations and/or FEA.
• Transition designs into tooling, fabrication, assembly and test.

Skills

Aircraft structures

Composite airframes

Structural design

Mentoring team

Load paths

FEM/FEA basics

Manufacturing awareness

Program ownership

Team leadership

Airframe development

Education

B.S. in Aerospace Engineering or Mechanical Engineering

Tools

NX

CATIA

SolidWorks

Job description

I’m partnering with an aerospace startup in San Diego, CA developing a clean-sheet, next-generation aircraft platform. We’re looking for a Lead Structures Engineer to take technical ownership of the airframe and lead structural development from early design through build, test, and first flight.

This is a hands-on technical leadership role for someone who has deep experience in aircraft structures, composites, and full-cycle airframe development.

What You’ll Own

• Lead the structural design and development of a clean-sheet aircraft
• Own the overall airframe structural approach from concept through first flight
• Lead structural architecture, trade studies, detailed design, and execution
• Guide and mentor a team of structures engineers
• Work closely with manufacturing, analysis, suppliers, and company leadership
• Drive structural design decisions around load paths, joints, composites, manufacturability, and assembly
• Support initial part and joint sizing using hand calculations and/or FEA
• Help transition designs from engineering into tooling, fabrication, assembly, and test

What We’re Looking For

• 10+ years of aircraft structural design experience
• B.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent experience
• Strong understanding of aircraft load paths and structural behavior
• Deep experience with composite airframe structures
• Experience designing bolted and bonded joints
• Strong proficiency with NX, CATIA, or SolidWorks
• Experience taking aircraft structures from concept/preliminary design through build
• Knowledge of design for manufacturing, tooling, manufacturing planning, and assembly
• Experience with initial structural sizing using hand calculations and/or FEA
• Familiarity with FAA Part 23 and/or Part 25
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced aircraft development environment

Especially Relevant Background

Experience with clean-sheet aircraft, rapid prototype programs, experimental aircraft, composite airframes, structural testing, or programs taken from kickoff through production is highly valued.

This is an opportunity to have significant technical ownership over a new aircraft rather than owning a small piece of a mature program.