Senior Engineer, Engine Test Structures

Socket.dev; Saint Paul (MN); On-site; USD 118,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Socket.dev seeks a Senior Engineer – Engine Test Structures to design and build specialized aerospace testing facilities and heavy structural test equipment for jet engine test cells and related ground-test environments.

You will lead multi-disciplinary projects from concept through implementation, ensuring safe, reliable, and innovative solutions while coordinating with project managers, subcontractors, and internal engineering teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil, Mechanical, Aerospace Engineering, or Architecture.
• 7+ years of related discipline or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience in structural engineering with CAD and FEM modeling.

Responsibilities

• Design and analyze facility and equipment to meet customer requirements and coordinate with a multi-disciplinary team.
• Manage scope, schedule, and budget, ensuring alignment with specifications and codes.
• Document design criteria, calculations, procurement specs, reports, and reviews.
• Develop and oversee design requirements throughout the project and manage risk documents.
• Serve as technical lead in meetings and coordinate information sharing across disciplines.
• Provide remote and on-site engineering support during construction and equipment fabrication/installation.
• Assist marketing with proposals, develop concepts, layouts, costs, and options.

Skills

Structural engineering

FEM modeling

Project leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Civil/Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering or Architecture

Tools

AutoCAD

Revit

SolidWorks

ANSYS

RISA

Job description

Overview

The Senior Engineer – Engine Test Structures is responsible for the design and construction of specialized aerospace testing facilities and the detailed design of heavy structural test equipment used in jet engine test cells and other aerospace ground test environments. This role leads complex structural engineering projects from concept through implementation, ensuring safe, reliable, and innovative solutions that support advanced aerospace testing programs.

Responsibilities

• Design and Analysis - Develop or reuse facility and equipment design solutions to meet customer requirements. Collaborate with a multi-disciplinary project team, including Project Manager, subcontracted local A&E, and internal engineering disciplines, to ensure functionality of the facility and equipment interfaces. Prepare detailed calculations for equipment and provide direction, review, and approve the designer’s drawings to ensure specifications are met.
• Scope, Schedule, Budget - Perform engineering tasks on schedule and within budget. Ensure system design aligns with as-sold scope, customer requirements, quality standards, and industry codes. Communicate regularly with the project team on status, issues, and variances to the plan.
• Documentation - Document and present work in accordance with quality requirements. Prepare design criteria, calculation packages, procurement specifications, technical reports, validation plans, and product manuals. Participate and lead internal and customer design reviews.
• Requirements – Develop and oversee the project design requirements document. Delegate updates of the design requirements throughout the project to the multi-disciplinary team.
• Risk Management – Oversee and review the risk documents for equipment deliverables, delegating completion to the multi-disciplinary team.
• Technical Leadership – Serve as a technical team representative in executive and customer meetings. Coordinate collaboration meetings between internal engineering disciplines and ensure technical information is shared between disciplines and organizations.
• Support - Provide remote and on-site engineering support during building construction and Aero-Acoustic equipment fabrication and installation. Review contractor work for compliance, respond to contractor questions and RFI’s, and coordinate field engineering changes, conduct site surveys.
• Quote - Assist marketing in developing proposals for future work. Develop concepts, facility layouts, cost estimates, proposal write-ups, analyses, options, and recommendations. Serve as subject matter expert when presenting to customers

Qualifications

Preferred Education & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or Architecture.
• 7+ years of related discipline or;
• A combination of education and experience equivalent to the above

Preferred Knowledge / Ability:

• Proficiency in structural engineering with a working knowledge of architectural details.
• Construction experience, including field observation, coordination with contractors, and application of engineering design principles during project execution.
• Working knowledge of Electrical and Mechanical engineering.
• Experience with FEM modeling using RISA, ANSYS, or similar structural analysis and design programs.
• Familiarity with national building codes and design codes, including IBC, Eurocode, AISC, ACI, NFPA, FM Global, and CE compliance.
• Experience writing technical specifications.
• Proficiency with CAD: AutoCAD, Revit, and SolidWorks preferred.
• Excellent interpersonal, presentation, and leadership skills, demonstrated initiative and attention to completeness, accuracy, and detail.
• Must be a self-starter, able to balance priorities between multiple projects simultaneously.
• Demonstrated ability to meet budgets and schedules.
• Ability to work effectively and productively as an individual contributor and collaborate as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
• 25% international and/or domestic travel
• Valid passport

Salary Range (min)

USD $118,000.00/Yr.

Salary Range (max)

USD $140,000.00/Yr.