Principal Stress Engineer, Aftermarket (Onsite)

3M HEALTHCARE; Chula Vista (CA); On-site; USD 118,300 - 224,900; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Three weeks of vacation

401(k) with employer matching

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Collins Aerospace, a RTX division, seeks a Principal Engineer in Structural Engineering for Aftermarket Technical Services in Chula Vista, CA. You will perform repair stress analyses and approve repairs to minimize aircraft downtime while ensuring compliance with FAA/EASA guidelines.

Lead and mentor engineers, coordinate with Airworthiness, and interact with airline customers. Responsibilities include developing analytical methods, applying advanced structural analysis to metallic/composite

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) or equivalent, with 8+ years of experience or 5+ with advanced degree.
• Experience with repair analysis of aircraft metallic/composite structures.
• Experience with maintenance, repair, overhaul, and regulatory requirements in commercial aircraft.

Responsibilities

• Perform repair stress analysis and develop methods for complex issues to support airline operations and certification.
• Provide technical guidance to junior engineers and coordinate sign‑offs with Airworthiness.
• Direct communications with Airline customers for rapid development and approvals.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Mentorship

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in STEM

Advanced degree

Tools

Patran/Nastran

CATIA V

FiberSim

Excel

Visual Basic

Job description

Principal Engineer, Structural Engineering – Aftermarket Technical Services

Location: Chula Vista, CA (US)

Position Type: Onsite

Company: Collins Aerospace (a division of RTX)

Job Overview

Perform stress analysis and approve repairs to minimize aircraft downtime on all Collins Aerostructures commercial nacelle hardware that are compliant with certified type design and airworthiness (FAA/EASA) requirements. Work independently, provide technical guidance to junior engineers, make recommendations to management and work on standardization to improve turnaround times.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform repair stress analysis and develop analytical methods for complex technical issues requiring creativity and ingenuity to support airline operational requirements, formal certification reports, and design changes.
• Make quick engineering judgments and perform margins exploration analysis for repair solutions based on certification analysis on various nacelle components for different programs.
• Apply advanced structural analysis principles to support repair design development on metallic and composite structures.
• Prepare RDAS/8110-3 documents, including substantiating analysis, and obtain/coordinate sign‑off with Airworthiness organization.
• Direct communication with Airline customers for rapid development and approval of technical solutions.
• Mentor other engineers and lead teams in the generation of standard work for repair development.
• Collaborate with all levels of maintenance, engineering, and management personnel.
• Interact positively in a team environment with good listening and verbal communication skills.
• Represent company in technical review meetings.
• Serve as the key point of contact for internal and external customers on complex technical issues.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) or equivalent, and minimum 8 years of relevant experience, or an advanced degree and minimum 5 years of experience.
• Experience with repair analysis of aircraft metallic and/or composite structures.
• Experience with maintenance, repair, overhaul, and regulatory requirements in the commercial aircraft industry.
• Knowledge of load path, load balance, free body diagram and classic hand analysis methods used in aerospace structural analysis.
• Experience in finite element analysis of aircraft structure using Patran/Nastran.
• Experience with technical writing.

Preferred Qualifications

• MS Office Suite: Excel, Word and PowerPoint.
• Experience in MRB and MRO repairs.
• Knowledge in Automation (Excel VBA & Visual Basic applications).
• Composite nacelle and exhaust repair experience.
• Basic CATIA V and FiberSim skills.
• Detailed understanding of nacelle systems.
• Familiarity with specialty manufacturing processes for aerospace components.
• Strong leadership, communication and mentorship skills.

What We Offer

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Three weeks of vacation for newly hired employees.
• Generous 401(k) plan with employer matching and separate retirement contribution, including a Lifetime Income Strategy option.
• Tuition reimbursement and Student Loan Repayment Program.
• Life and disability coverage.
• Optional coverages: pet insurance, home and auto insurance, additional life and accident insurance, critical illness insurance, group legal, ID theft protection.
• Birth, adoption, and parental leave benefits.
• Ovia Health, fertility, and family planning.
• Adoption Assistance and Autism Benefit.
• Employee Assistance Plan up to 10 free counseling sessions.
• Healthy You Incentives and wellness rewards program.
• Doctor on Demand and virtual doctor visits.
• Bright Horizons, child and elder care services.
• Teladoc Medical experts, second opinion program.

Compensation

Salary range: $118,300 - $224,900 USD.

EEO Statement

RTX is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or veteran status, or any other applicable state or federal protected class. RTX provides affirmative action in employment for qualified individuals with a disability and protected veterans in compliance with Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act.