Senior Structural Engineer – Aerospace Structures & Certification

Varstaff; Englewood (CO); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Varstaff Staffing seeks an experienced Aerospace Structural Engineer to design, evaluate, and certify metallic and composite structures across the product lifecycle. You will support advanced mission payloads, integrated aircraft, and space platforms, performing static and dynamic analyses to verify structural integrity under demanding loads.

Working in a multidisciplinary team, you will translate engineering principles into certified aerospace designs, conduct simulation modeling with CAE

Qualifications

• Bachelor degree in mechanical, aerospace or related field.
• 10+ years of structural engineering experience in aerospace/defense.
• Proven ability to design, evaluate, and certify metallic/composite systems.

Responsibilities

• Design, evaluate, and certify aerospace structures across lifecycles.
• Perform static and dynamic structural analyses for aerospace hardware.
• Translate engineering principles into certified designs and reports.
• Conduct simulation modeling and document substantiation for certification.

Skills

Structural Analysis

CAE

Core Engineering Principles

Multidisciplinary teamwork

Static and dynamic analysis

Education

Bachelor of Science in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

MSC Nastran/Patran

FEMAP

ANSYS

Job description

About the Job:

In this role, you will design, evaluate, and certify cutting-edge metallic and composite structures across the entire product lifecycle. Supporting advanced mission payloads, integrated aircraft, and space exploration platforms, you will perform complex static and dynamic structural analyses. Working in a multidisciplinary environment, you will translate engineering principles into certified aerospace designs, conduct simulation modeling, and ensure structural integrity against demanding operational loads.

What We’re Looking For Education & Experience

Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Civil Engineering, or a related discipline.

10+ years of relevant structural engineering experience in the aerospace and defense sector.

Extensive experience performing structural design, evaluation, and certification for metallic and composite systems.

Proven track record working within multidisciplinary design and development teams.

Must-Have Skills

Structural Analysis: Advanced knowledge and application of static and dynamic structural analyses for aerospace hardware.

Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE): High proficiency with engineering simulation tools and CAD environments.

Core Engineering Principles: Thorough understanding of structural mechanics, material properties, load paths, and engineering practices across the product lifecycle.

Nice-to-Have Skills (Preferred)

FEA/Simulation tools proficiency (e.g., MSC Nastran/Patran, FEMAP, or ANSYS).

Fatigue and damage tolerance analysis experience using tools like NASGRO or AFGROW.

Ability to perform classical structural hand calculations for fast trade studies and validation.

Knowledge of Model-Based Definition (MBD), parametric design, material selection, and aerospace manufacturing processes.

Demonstrated capability to author formal structural substantiation and stress reports.