Senior Design Engineer

GigEngineer; Northern (KY); Remote; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

GigEngineer Inc. is seeking a Senior Design Engineer to lead aircraft architecture and airframe surface modeling efforts. This remote, contract-to-start role emphasizes hands-on CAD and end-to-end geometry development for OML, packaging, and producibility.

You will work with an engineering team across time zones to balance aerodynamic intent and system interfaces, producing clean SolidWorks models and publishable drawings for flight hardware.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of professional aircraft design/airframe CAD experience.
• Proficient surface modeling for aerodynamic shapes and clean geometry.
• Strong SolidWorks surfacing and top-down modeling skills.
• Ability to work remotely with clear communication and deliverables.

Responsibilities

• Own aircraft configuration and architecture development (fuselage, wing-body).
• Create and refine high-quality surface models in SolidWorks.
• Produce engineering drawings, layouts, and tolerances.
• Coordinate with analysis teams to support CFD/FEA workflows.
• Present design trade studies and defend configuration decisions.

Skills

Aircraft design

Surface modeling

Remote collaboration

CAD clean-up

Tools

SolidWorks

Job description

Contract Based (Structured for Full Time)

Details:

Senior Design Engineer (Aircraft Architecture & Airframe Surface Modeling) — Remote (SolidWorks)
Company: GigEngineer Inc.
Location: Remote (U.S. time zones preferred)
Type: Contract-to-start (structured for full time position)
Tools: SolidWorks (required)

About the role
We’re looking for an experienced Design Engineer to lead and execute aircraft architecture and airframe/body design work. This role is hands-on CAD and focuses heavily on surface modeling for aerodynamic outer mold line (OML) development, packaging, and producing clean, manufacturable geometry and drawings.

You’ll work remotely with an engineering team building aircraft concepts into robust CAD models, balancing aerodynamic intent, structural practicality, and manufacturability.

This is a high-ownership role on an active aircraft program where geometry directly drives performance, cost, and producibility. Rather than supporting isolated parts or late-stage detail work, you’ll shape the core aircraft configuration and outer mold line that downstream structures, aerodynamics, manufacturing, and suppliers all build from. It’s a rare opportunity to own real aircraft geometry end-to-end and see it mature to flight hardware.

What you’ll do

• Own aircraft configuration and architecture development: fuselage, wing-body, & integration, nacelle/duct/fairings (as applicable), and major packaging/layout decisions.
• Create and refine high-quality surface models (A-surface/OML intent) in SolidWorks using surfacing tools (boundary surfaces, lofts, guide curves, curvature control).
• Drive geometry that supports downstream engineering: structures, aero, propulsion packaging, systems routing, and manufacturable part breakdowns.
• Build and maintain master models with clean references, stable feature trees, and robust design intent for iteration.
• Produce engineering drawings and deliverables: layouts, section views, key dimensions, interfaces, datum schemes, and tolerance recommendations.
• Participate in design reviews and communicate trade studies clearly (geometry, interfaces, risks, assumptions).
• Coordinate with analysis engineers (CFD/FEA) to ensure geometry supports simulation and iteration workflows.
• Act as the geometric owner for the conceptual design and prototype, making and defending configuration trade decisions as the design evolves.

Required Qualifications

• 4+ years (with exceptional work portfolio) professional experience in aircraft design / airframe CAD (aerospace, UAV, eVTOL, or similar).
• Strong track record of surface modeling for aerodynamic shapes and smooth transitions (G1/G2 continuity where appropriate).
• Excellent command of SolidWorks surfacing and top-down modeling best practices.
• Experience with aircraft architecture (configuration, packaging, interfaces, structural/aero considerations).
• Extensive experience performing detailed geometry cleanup (e.g., removing small edges, defeaturing, and simplifying small components) to ensure watertight, mesh-ready models and a seamless transition from CAD software into CFD meshing workflows.
• Ability to deliver clean CAD with good feature discipline: naming, configurations, design tables (as needed), reference geometry, etc.
• Comfortable working independently in a remote, task-driven environment with clear communication and predictable delivery.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with aerodynamic OML workflows and/or collaboration with CFD teams (watertight surfaces, clean intersections).
• Familiarity with manufacturing constraints (sheet metal/composites/3D printing/CNC) and how those impact surface and part breakdown.
• Experience with additional tools (bonus): NX, or geometry cleanup for meshing.
• Experience designing for assemblies: datum strategy, tolerance stack-ups, and interface control.

EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP

Contractor (1099).

WORK LOCATION

Gig CAD Engineers work remotely at a location of their choice. GigEngineer provides access to all needed software and tools to complete tasks utilizing remote workstation (RWS) technology. Gig CAD Engineers are required to have access to a computer and an internet connection to connect to the GigEngineer RWS server.

COMPENSATION

Gig CAD Engineers are paid as contractors (1099) on a fixed fee per task basis, or a time and materials basis, as appropriate for a given task. Compensation terms are negotiated and confirmed prior to execution of each task.

CONTACT INFO

Feel free to reach out to [e-mail] with any questions about this role.

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GigEngineer, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with GigEngineer is based on merit, competence, and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, religion, gender, age, or any other legally protected status.