Senior Structural Analyst - Solid Rocket Motors (FEA)

Kratos Defense and Security Solutions; Bloomington (IN); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance

401(k) Savings Plan

Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)

Paid Time-Off (PTO)

Holidays

Education Reimbursement

Job summary

Kratos Defense and Security Solutions is seeking an experienced Structural Analyst to serve as the primary technical authority for the structural integrity, FEA, and fracture mechanics of energetic propulsion systems. The role reports to the Director of Engineering and owns the structural lifecycle from sizing through high-rate production support.

Ideal candidates have 4–10+ years in aerospace structural analysis, advanced FEA skills (Abaqus/ANSYS), and experience with composite materials and

Qualifications

• 4–6 years of FE stress analysis in structures such as pressure vessels or aerospace components.
• 7–10+ years owning structural stress analysis in motors or launch vehicles.
• Proficiency in advanced FEA environments (Abaqus, ANSYS, Nastran, Patran, HyperMesh).
• Strong foundation in solid mechanics, composite materials, fracture mechanics, and fatigue/damage tolerance.
• Direct experience planning or supporting structural testing (hydroburst, proof pressure, strain instrumentation).
• U.S. Citizenship required for ITAR/EAR controlled tech.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Secret Security Clearance.

Responsibilities

• Lead sizing and margin-of-safety assessments for motor components.
• Evaluate composite and metallic materials behavior for structural integrity.
• Characterize viscoelastic behavior in propellant grains and insulation lines.
• Define interface requirements, fasteners, and bond line limits for lifecycle stages.
• Support scalable manufacturing to transition designs to production.
• Plan and analyze hydroburst and modal tests; correlate with FEM results.
• Lead root-cause investigations for structural anomalies.

Skills

FEA software

Abaqus

ANSYS

Nastran

Patran

HyperMesh

Composite materials analysis

Fracture mechanics

Python/MATLAB scripting

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace/Mechanical/Structural Engineering

Master’s Degree in Aerospace/Mechanical/Structural Engineering

Tools

Abaqus

ANSYS

Nastran

Patran

HyperMesh

custom solvers

Job description

Kratos Defense and Security Solutions is seeking an experienced Structural Analyst to serve as the primary technical authority for the structural integrity, FEA, and fracture mechanics of energetic propulsion systems. The role reports to the Director of Engineering and owns the structural lifecycle from sizing through high-rate production support.

Ideal candidates have 4–10+ years in aerospace structural analysis, advanced FEA skills (Abaqus/ANSYS), and experience with composite materials and