Spacecraft Structural Analyst — FEA & Validation

Xona; Burlingame (CA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

Xona is seeking a Structural Analyst to join the Mechanical and Thermal team in Burlingame, CA. You’ll own structural analyses, sizing, and verification of spacecraft hardware from concept through qualification and production release, delivering designs that meet strength, stiffness, and mass targets for high-precision PNT hardware.

You’ll develop and validate FEM models (Femap/Nastran) for metallic and composite structures, communicate results to cross‑functional teams, and support flight

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or master's in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering.
• At least 1 year of structural analysis experience or equivalent internship.
• Experience with FEA software (Femap or Nastran) and FEM modeling.
• Ability to design for minimum mass while maintaining margins.
• Experience evaluating metallic structures and joints.
• Strong independent work ethic and cross‑disciplinary communication.
• Willing to travel to support off-site testing.

Responsibilities

• Perform structural analyses of aerospace components using FEA and hand calculations.
• Support design and optimization of primary and secondary structures for strength and stiffness.
• Develop, refine, and validate FEM models for metallic and composite structures.
• Evaluate structural performance under static, dynamic, thermal, vibration, and launch loads.
• Develop analysis plans, reports, and verification documentation for design reviews.
• Support design reviews by communicating results, assumptions, margins, and recommendations.
• Work with design, manufacturing, test, and systems engineers to meet mass, cost, and schedule targets.
• Interpret test data and correlate analytical models with experimental results.
• Support root-cause investigations and structural assessments for hardware anomalies.

Skills

Mechanical engineering

Aerospace analysis

FEMAP/Nastran

FEA modeling

Structural sizing

Communication

Travel readiness

Education

BS or MS in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

Femap

Nastran

SolidWorks

Python / MATLAB

Job description

Xona is seeking a Structural Analyst to join the Mechanical and Thermal team in Burlingame, CA. You’ll own structural analyses, sizing, and verification of spacecraft hardware from concept through qualification and production release, delivering designs that meet strength, stiffness, and mass targets for high-precision PNT hardware.

You’ll develop and validate FEM models (Femap/Nastran) for metallic and composite structures, communicate results to cross‑functional teams, and support flight