Stress Analyst

Actalent; Costa Mesa (CA); On-site; USD 172,000 - 207,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental & vision

401(k) Retirement Plan

Life Insurance

Disability insurance

Health Spending Account (HSA)

Transportation benefits

Employee Assistance Program

Paid time off

Job summary

Actalent in Costa Mesa, CA is seeking a Stress Analyst to develop primary and secondary aircraft structural parts, perform FEA, and support manufacturing from design to prototype.

You will apply design-for-manufacturing concepts, conduct trade studies, and collaborate with cross-functional teams including aerodynamics, manufacturing, project engineering, and systems integration, providing onsite engineering support.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent experience.
• Over 5 years of experience in aerospace stress analysis, structures design, analysis, or related roles.
• Expertise in FEMAP and structural modeling and simulation tools such as ANSYS or NASTRAN.

Responsibilities

• Develop and refine aircraft structural parts and assemblies from design to prototype manufacturing.
• Perform detailed finite element analysis and modeling for various structural levels.
• Conduct simulations for strength, buckling, damage tolerance, and delamination.
• Apply cost-effective manufacturing design concepts.
• Conduct trade studies and research for optimal engineering solutions.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to address complex engineering challenges.
• Provide engineering support at manufacturing and integration sites.

Skills

FEMAP

Structural modeling

CAD software

Materials & fatigue

Stress analysis

Analytical reasoning

Education

Bachelor's degree in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering

Tools

ANSYS

NASTRAN

FEMAP

Job description

Job Title: Stress AnalystJob Description

Utilize first principle methods and design tools to develop new aircraft products. Own the development of primary and secondary aircraft structural parts and assemblies, both metallic and composite, from preliminary design through prototype manufacturing. Perform complex modeling and finite element analysis at the detailed component, major assembly, and aircraft levels, including analysis simulations for strength, buckling, damage tolerance, and delamination. Apply design for manufacturing concepts to create cost-effective and easily manufacturable solutions. Conduct trade studies and perform design and analysis research of complex engineering concepts to determine optimal solutions for weight, performance, manufacturability, cost, and schedule. Collaborate in a multidisciplinary environment to solve complex, open-ended problems with an emphasis on schedule and cost objectives, and coordinate work with mechanical systems, systems integration, aerodynamics, manufacturing, project engineering, and other team members. Provide onsite engineering support at manufacturing and integration sites.

Responsibilities

• Develop and refine aircraft structural parts and assemblies from design to prototype manufacturing.

• Perform detailed finite element analysis and modeling for various structural levels.

• Conduct simulations for strength, buckling, damage tolerance, and delamination.

• Apply cost-effective manufacturing design concepts.

• Conduct trade studies and research for optimal engineering solutions.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to address complex engineering challenges.

• Provide engineering support at manufacturing and integration sites.

Essential Skills

• Expertise in FEMAP and structural modeling and simulation tools such as ANSYS or NASTRAN.

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent experience.

• Over 5 years of experience in aerospace stress analysis, structures design, analysis, or related roles.

• Proficiency in CAD software and engineering data analysis.

• Strong understanding of material properties, stress analysis, fatigue assessment, load paths, design practices, and hand calculations.

• Technical knowledge in core engineering principles and composite materials.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience with composite or metallic analysis.

• Proven experience in aerospace stress analysis.

Work Environment

The position operates within an engineering lab and hardware-focused testing environment. The role is part of a cross-functional engineering team working in a fast-paced product development setting. Responsibilities include a combination of test execution, troubleshooting, and engineering support activities. The work setting provides opportunities to support cutting-edge defense and autonomous systems technology and gain exposure to advanced electrical hardware, test systems, and emerging technologies.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Costa Mesa, CA.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $125.00 - $150.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Costa Mesa,CA.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Sep 18, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.