Senior Structural Analyst

Society of Defense Financial Management; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 130,000 - 185,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) company contribution

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

Job summary

Cardinal Engineering seeks a seasoned structural analysis leader to guide high-fidelity FEA programs for navy and maritime projects. You will oversee analysis packages, lead reviews with NAVSEA and prime contractors, and mentor junior staff in a hybrid work setting across Washington, D.C. and nearby offices.

The role emphasizes technical leadership, automation in workflows, and adherence to naval standards while supporting critical defense programs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Civil, Naval Architecture, or Ocean Engineering.
• 7+ years of progressive experience in advanced structural analysis and computational mechanics.
• Experience as technical lead or SME on complex FEA projects using FEMAP and NASTRAN.
• Strong briefing and communication skills with experience presenting technical risk to senior leadership and government customers.
• Active Secret security clearance or ability to obtain DoD Secret clearance.

Responsibilities

• Lead and execute high-fidelity Finite Element Analysis (FEA) for complex loading conditions using FEMAP/NASTRAN.
• Architect and implement automation tools, macros, and API scripts to streamline modeling and analysis workflows.
• Oversee generation and technical review of analysis packages and structural drawing sets for fleet assets.
• Serve as technical point of contact for Navy technical authorities and prime contractors, presenting findings at design reviews.
• Enforce internal analysis standards and mentor mid-level and junior staff.
• Work-location: Washington, D.C., Pawcatuck, CT, or Linwood, PA in a hybrid setup; travel <10%.

Skills

Leadership

Technical communication

FEMAP

NASTRAN

Python

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Civil, Naval Architecture, or Ocean Engineering

Tools

FEMAP

NASTRAN

Job description

Lead and advance Cardinal Engineering’s structural analysis and computational mechanics initiatives across a portfolio of high-priority Department of Defense and maritime programs. In this role, you will serve as a technical authority on the assessment, survivability, and life‑cycle support of Navy ship structures. Working within a multidisciplinary team, you will ensure structural performance and shock survivability in extreme marine environments.

Position Expectations

• Technical Leadership & Analysis: Lead and execute high-fidelity Finite Element Analysis (FEA) for complex static, dynamic, transient, and non-linear loading conditions using FEMAP/NASTRAN.
• Workflow Innovation: Drive team efficiency by architecting and implementing custom automation tools, macros, and API scripts to streamline modeling, analysis, and post-processing workflows.
• Technical Products & Substantiation: Oversee the generation and technical review of comprehensive analysis packages and structural drawing sets for critical fleet assets.
• Client & Stakeholder Interface: Serve as a technical point of contact for Navy technical authorities, NAVSEA program offices, and prime contractors, regularly presenting findings and defending analytical approaches during major design reviews.
• Standards & Mentorship: Enforce internal analysis standards, verification methodologies, and best practices for the Structural Engineering Group while mentoring mid‑level and junior staff.
• Work Location: Based out of our Washington, D.C., Pawcatuck, CT, or Linwood, PA,offices in a hybrid environment, with in‑office presence driven by project requirements and secure facility needs.
• Travel: Occasional travel (less than 10%) to shipyards, partner facilities, and government test sites.

Required Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Civil, Naval Architecture, or Ocean Engineering.
• Experience: 7+ years of progressive experience in advanced structural analysis and computational mechanics, with a strong emphasis on defense or maritime applications.
• Technical Expertise: Demonstrated experience acting as a technical lead or subject matter expert on complex FEA projects using FEMAP and NASTRAN.
• Communication: Strong briefing and communication skills, with proven success presenting technical risk, analytical methodology, and design trade‑offs to senior leadership and government customers.
• Security Clearance: Must possess an active Secret security clearance, or have the ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Secret clearance.

Desired Qualifications

• Advanced Education: Advanced degree (MS or PhD) specializing in Solid Mechanics, Computational Mechanics, or Structural Dynamics.
• Automation Skills: Proficiency in FEMAP API development using Python, C++, or VBA to build automated analysis toolkits.
• Naval Domain Knowledge: Awareness and exposure to Navy ship design practices, including hull structures, equipment foundations, and shock/vibration qualification.
• Naval Standards: Experience with naval structural standards and criteria (e.g., DDS-100 series, MIL-STD-167, MIL-DTL-901E).
• Specialized Analysis Skills: Expertise in Dynamic Design Analysis Method (DDAM) and Underwater Explosion (UNDEX) response modeling is highly desirable.

Compensation and Benefits

• Salary: $130,000 – $185,000+ per year (commensurate with experience and level of technical expertise).
• Employee Benefits: Cardinal Engineering is an equal opportunity employer and offers an industry-leading compensation and benefits package, including:
• Generous 401(k) company contribution with immediate vesting
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Dependent Care Account

Our Culture

At Cardinal Engineering, we believe premier technical services are built on transparency, sincerity, and technical rigor. We foster a collaborative environment where senior engineers have the autonomy to solve complex naval challenges and the platform to shape the engineering practices of the entire firm. When you join Cardinal, you become a key contributor to a dedicated team providing critical engineering support to national defense programs.