Senior Structural Engineer

Anduril Industries; Huntsville (AL); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Anduril Industries' RMS team in Huntsville, AL is seeking a Senior Structural Analyst to own the structural analysis of solid rocket motor hardware, including propellant grains, motor cases, nozzles, igniters, and ignition safety devices.

You will develop FEMs, perform static and dynamic analyses across metals and composites, defend margins, and collaborate with design and hardware engineers to translate results into better hardware with test data.

Qualifications

• BS or higher in engineering or applied physics with a structures focus.
• Strong command of statics, dynamics, mechanics of materials, and material behavior.
• Proficiency in commercial FEA (ANSYS, Abaqus, or NASTRAN).
• Proficiency in Python or MATLAB for modeling and data reduction.
• Experience with CAD tools like NX or SolidWorks.

Responsibilities

• Perform static and dynamic structural analysis across metals, composites, and viscoelastics using the right tool for the job.
• Build and own FEMs at global and subsystem levels (cases, nozzles, grain) with proper documentation.
• Analyze coupled and transient environments (ignition, shock, vibration, thermal-structural) affecting margins.
• Set and defend structural margins against requirements, standards, and safety regulations.
• Collaborate with design and hardware engineers to translate results into better designs quickly.
• Plan and support validation testing including instrumentation, data collection, and model‑to‑test correlation.
• Document methodology and results in technical reports for internal teams and external stakeholders.

Skills

Statics & dynamics

Mechanics of materials

Material behavior

Python or MATLAB

Ambiguity resolution

Education

BS in engineering or applied physics with a structures focus

MS in Mechanical Engineering or applied physics with a structures focus

Tools

ANSYS

Abaqus

NASTRAN

NX

SolidWorks

Job description

The Anduril Rocket Motor Systems (RMS) team is on a mission to build next generation solid rocket motors for a safer, more connected world. To achieve our vision of becoming a large-volume provider of tactical rocket motors, we will develop differentiated products and services that maximize our customers’ capabilities, and we will establish and maintain a reputation of Quality and Reliability.

ABOUT THE JOB

Anduril is seeking a Senior Structural Analyst to join RMS in Huntsville, AL. As a Senior Structural Analyst, you will own the structural analysis of solid rocket motor hardware: propellant grains, motor cases, nozzles, igniters, and ignition safety devices. You'll operate in a lean, high-ownership culture where you directly shape the product and move fast enough to test new designs in months, not years. The right person combines first-principles depth in stress, dynamics, shock/vibration, and thermal-structural analysis with fluency in the tools of the trade, and wants their analysis to be tied to real hardware and real test data.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Perform static and dynamic structural analysis across metallics, composites, and viscoelastics (propellant, insulation, liner) using the right tool for the job, from hand calculations and scripts to detailed FEA.
• Build and own FEMs at the global and subsystem level, including motor cases, nozzles, and grain, along with model organization, documentation, and configuration control.
• Analyze coupled and transient environments such as ignition pressurization, shock and vibration, flight and captive-carry loads, and thermal-structural interaction, where the answer isn't a closed-form margin.
• Set and defend structural margins against customer requirements, industry standards, and safety regulations.
• Partner with design and hardware engineers to turn analytical results into better designs, fast.
• Plan and support validation testing: instrumentation and load requirements, Do-Not-Exceed limits, real-time load monitoring, data collection, model-to-test correlation, and dispositioning of inspection findings.
• Document methodology and results in technical reports for internal teams and external stakeholders

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• BS or higher in engineering or applied physics with a structures focus.
• Strong command of statics, dynamics, mechanics of materials, and material behavior.
• Proficiency in commercial FEA (ANSYS, Abaqus, or NASTRAN), including linear and nonlinear static and buckling solution sequences.
• Proficiency in Python or MATLAB (or equivalent) for analytical modeling, data reduction, and automation.
• Experience with CAD tools (NX, SolidWorks).
• Comfort establishing scope, requirements, and methodology for ambiguous, ill-defined problems, and driving them to closure with minimal direction.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• 5+ years of relevant structural analysis experience, or equivalent education, and demonstrated ownership of hardware outcomes.
• MS or higher in Mechanical Engineering or applied physics with a structures focus.
• Structural analysis experience on solid rocket motors or comparable pressure-vessel / harsh-environment hardware.
• Solid rocket motor propellant grain structural analysis (viscoelastic materials, bore strain, cure shrinkage, thermal cycling).
• Composite and filament-wound case analysis and tooling such as WoundSim, CadWound, or similar.
• Hands-on structural test experience: sensor selection, data acquisition, and post-processing (static, buckling, cyclic).