Senior Spacecraft Structural Analysis Engineer

Space Kinetic; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 135,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity-Based Compensation

401(k) match

Paid holidays

Winter break

Medical, Dental, Vision

Performance-based bonus

Job summary

Space Kinetic is hiring a Senior Structural Analysis Engineer to perform structural analyses across spacecraft and deployment hardware. You will build models, predict stresses, define load cases, and validate results for flight hardware.

Collaboration with design, manufacturing, and test teams is essential for lightweight, reliable structures. Minimum 5+ years in structural analysis with proficiency in FEMAP/NASTRAN, ANSYS, or Abaqus.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, applied physics, or a related discipline.
• 5+ years of experience in structural analysis, stress analysis, structural dynamics, loads development, or related field.
• Strong foundation in statics, dynamics, mechanics of materials, fatigue, fracture mechanics, and material behavior.
• Proficiency with finite element analysis tools such as FEMAP/NASTRAN, ANSYS, Abaqus, or equivalent tools.
• Experience performing static, modal, buckling, vibration, or nonlinear structural analyses.
• Ability to use hand calculations and first-principles methods to validate computational models.
• Experience supporting structural testing and correlating analytical predictions with test data.

Responsibilities

• Conduct and document static, thermo-mechanical, dynamic, vibration, buckling, fatigue, and fracture analyses using finite element analysis and first-principles methods.
• Develop structural models to predict stress, deformation, dynamic response, failure modes, and margins of safety.
• Define load cases and operating environments for spacecraft and flight hardware.
• Perform hand calculations and analytical modeling to validate results and guide design decisions.
• Collaborate with design, manufacturing, systems, and test engineers to develop lightweight, reliable, and manufacturable hardware.
• Support structural test planning, instrumentation, execution, data processing, and correlation of models to test results.
• Lead structural design trades, mass optimization, and resolution of hardware issues throughout development.
• Document and present analysis findings during internal, customer, and program design reviews.

Skills

Structural analysis

Finite element analysis

Stress analysis

Dynamics

Loads development

First-principles methods

Education

Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering

Tools

FEMAP/NASTRAN

ANSYS

Abaqus

Job description

Space Kinetic is hiring a Senior Structural Analysis Engineer to perform structural analyses across spacecraft and deployment hardware. You will build models, predict stresses, define load cases, and validate results for flight hardware.

Collaboration with design, manufacturing, and test teams is essential for lightweight, reliable structures. Minimum 5+ years in structural analysis with proficiency in FEMAP/NASTRAN, ANSYS, or Abaqus.