Senior Design Engineer

Red Oak Technologies; Dayton (OH); On-site; USD 95,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading aerospace company is seeking a Senior Design Engineer for a contract position in Dayton, Ohio. This role focuses on enhancing aircraft designs to meet regulatory requirements and operational standards. Key responsibilities include reviewing aircraft designs, ensuring compliance, and providing input on proposals. Ideal candidates should possess a strong background in aerospace engineering, including expertise in CATIA V5 and design assessments. Strong performance may lead to extended engagement opportunities.

Qualifications

• Experience in aerospace design and compliance.
• Ability to work independently with minimal guidance.
• Strong background in engineering assessments and proposal development.

Responsibilities

• Review and refresh existing aircraft designs.
• Support design and requirements reviews.
• Ensure design compliance and articulate design rationale.
• Perform engineering assessments using existing data.
• Perform engineering assessments using existing models and data
• Operate independently with minimal training or oversight
• No heavy drawing production required in the near term; focus is on design, analysis, and compliance until 2027

Skills

Hydraulic systems

Aircraft structures and structural assessment

Stress engineering

Weight & balance analysis

Aircraft systems integration

Propulsion systems

CATIA V5

MATLAB

Education

Relevant engineering degree

Tools

Standard aerospace engineering design tools

MATLAB

Aerospace design tools

Job description

Sr. Design Engineer

Red Oak Technologies is a leading provider of comprehensive resourcing solutions across a variety of industries and sectors including IT, Marketing, Finance, Business Operations, Manufacturing and Engineering.

Aerospace and defense company client is looking for a Sr. Design Engineer contract position onsite in Dayton, Ohio. Citizenship Requirement: U.S. Citizen (CUI environment; no clearance required).

Position Overview

We are seeking a Senior Design Engineer to support the refresh and advancement of an existing aircraft design currently at Preliminary Design Review (PDR) maturity. This role will contribute to the evolution of a next‑generation aircraft concept, updating and adapting the design to meet current operational and regulatory requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Review, assess, and refresh existing aircraft designs to meet updated requirements
• Participate in and support design and requirements reviews
• Ensure design compliance and clearly articulate design rationale and trade studies
• Contribute to proposal development and technical narratives as needed
• Perform engineering assessments using existing models and data
• Operate independently with minimal training or oversight
• No heavy drawing production required in the near term; focus is on design, analysis, and compliance until 2027

Core Technical Skill Areas

• Candidates may specialize in one or more of the following areas, with overall experience contributing to aircraft design:
• Hydraulic systems
• Aircraft structures and structural assessment
• Stress engineering
• Weight & balance analysis (ability to communicate the aircraft’s “weight story”)
• Aircraft systems integration
• Propulsion systems

Tools & Technical Environment

• CATIA V5 (required): Ability to access models and perform structural and weight assessments
• MATLAB
• Standard aerospace engineering design and analysis tools
• Limited drawing release during this phase; emphasis is on design maturity and compliance

Preferred/Nice‑to‑Have Qualifications

• Ability to translate engineering concepts into clear proposal or customer‑facing narratives
• Combined test and design engineering background

Ideal Candidate Profile

• Experience Level: Senior‑level (Level 3 scope or above)
• Approach: Self‑starter who can work independently with minimal direction
• Capabilities: Quickly assess and build upon existing designs, files, and requirements; provide expert‑level input without requiring extensive onboarding or training; collaborate effectively within a small, fast‑moving engineering team

Background

• Government or defense experience helpful but not required
• Civilian aerospace experience strongly welcomed
• Prior experience on similar aircraft programs is a significant plus
• Preferred Location: Dayton, OH

Travel

• Required travel to Colorado for initial onboarding and integration
• Additional travel may be required for key meetings or milestones; all approved travel will be covered

Overtime

• Must be pre‑approved
• Overtime is paid at the standard hourly rate (no time‑and‑a‑half)

Additional Information

• This is a high‑visibility, high‑impact engineering effort with strong long‑term potential
• Significant engineering work will remain based in Colorado even if other activities occur elsewhere
• Strong performance may lead to extended engagement or conversion opportunities

Red Oak Technologies embraces diversity and invites applications from people of all walks of life.

Note: Compensation rates are based on years of experience and/or level of skills relevant to the opportunity.