Senior Rotorcraft Structures Engineer

Archer; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 144,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Archer, based in San Jose, California, seeks an experienced engineer to join the rotor system analysis team for an unmanned vehicle platform. The role emphasizes structural substantiation and fatigue life of rotor and control components, using FE tools and hand calculations to predict performance under flight and ground loads.

The candidate mentors teammates, defines best practices, and collaborates with aerodynamics and loads teams to optimize rotor blades and propulsion.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in aerospace or mechanical engineering or related field.
• 5+ years of experience in design and analysis of critical aircraft structures.
• Proficient in ANSYS, NASTRAN, or other FE software.
• Knowledge of fatigue and damage tolerance of composites.
• Knowledge of high cycle and low cycle fatigue in metallic components.
• Ability to read engineering drawings and interpret CAD models.
• CAD design experience (NX preferred).
• Strong technical, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Experience in a fast-paced design environment.

Responsibilities

• Perform detailed structural analyses of dynamic system components, including the rotor system, control system, and blades.
• Evaluate static strength and fatigue life of critical structures using classical hand calculations and finite element analysis for both flight loads and ground load conditions.
• Evaluate component life and dynamic response of dynamically loaded metallic and composite components subject to high and low cycle fatigue.
• Author structural substantiation reports and other required technical documentation to meet program needs.
• Support full scale component ground testing and flight testing, including test requirements, layout, instrumentation, and data reduction.
• Develop best practices for structural analysis of critical aerospace structures.
• Collaborate with the aerodynamics and loads & dynamics teams to design high performance propeller and rotor blades.
• Collaborate with internal and external customers to ensure on-time delivery of data.

Skills

Strong technical communication

Engineering drawings interpretation

Experience in fast-paced design

Education

Bachelor’s degree in aerospace/ mechanical engineering

Master’s degree (preferred) in aerospace/mechanical engineering

Tools

ANSYS

NASTRAN

CAD (NX preferred)

Python scripting

MATLAB scripting

Job description

Archer, based in San Jose, California, seeks an experienced engineer to join the rotor system analysis team for an unmanned vehicle platform. The role emphasizes structural substantiation and fatigue life of rotor and control components, using FE tools and hand calculations to predict performance under flight and ground loads.

The candidate mentors teammates, defines best practices, and collaborates with aerodynamics and loads teams to optimize rotor blades and propulsion.