Structural Engineer (Mechanical)

Alten Technology USA; Mountain View (CA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

ALTEN Technology USA is seeking a Structural Engineer to optimize airframes and ground systems for drones, focusing on weight reduction through robust structural analysis and material selection. You will work on FAA-regulated airframe design aspects in a leading aerospace engineering environment in Mountain View, CA.

Responsibilities include performing FEA, driving design optimization, selecting materials, and validating models against test data, with collaboration across multi-disciplinary

Qualifications

• BS in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering or related field.
• 5+ years of structural analysis and design experience.
• Strong FEA experience (e.g., ANSYS, Abaqus, Nastran).
• Structural optimization and weight reduction experience.
• Materials selection knowledge, including metals and composites.
• Familiarity with the aerospace regulatory environment (FAA airworthiness requirements).

Responsibilities

• Perform structural analysis (FEA and hand calculations) on airframe and dock structures.
• Drive weight reduction through design optimization.
• Select materials based on strength, weight, cost, and manufacturability.
• Evaluate load cases, fatigue, and failure modes.
• Recommend design changes and document analyses.
• Support test correlation and validation.

Skills

Structural analysis

Design optimization

Materials selection

Regulatory awareness (FAA)

Education

BS in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

ANSYS

Abaqus

Nastran

Topology optimization tools

Job description

We're ALTEN Technology USA, an engineering company helping clients bring groundbreaking ideas to life-from advancing space exploration and life-saving medical devices to building autonomous electric vehicles. With 3,000+ experts across North America, we partner with leading companies in aerospace, medical devices, robotics, automotive, commercial vehicles, EVs, rail, and more.

As part of the global ALTEN Group-57,000+ engineers in 30 countries-we deliver across the entire product development cycle, from consulting to full project outsourcing.

When you join ALTEN Technology USA, you'll collaborate on some of the world's toughest engineering challenges, supported by mentorship, career growth opportunities, and comprehensive benefits. We take pride in fostering a culture where employees feel valued, supported, and inspired to grow.

Location: Mountain View, CA

Role Overview

Our client is the first non-military unmanned aircraft company to receive FAA Type Certification (2022) and operate under an FAA Production Certificate. We are seeking a Structural Engineer, focused in mechanical design, to optimize the airframe and ground systems (docks) designs of our drones as the initial design matures, with a focus on weight reduction and material selection driven by structural analysis.

Responsibilities

• Perform structural analysis (FEA and hand calculations) on airframe and dock structures
• Drive weight reduction through design optimization
• Select materials based on strength, weight, cost, and manufacturability
• Evaluate load cases, fatigue, and failure modes
• Recommend design changes and document analyses
• Support test correlation and validation

Required Qualifications

• BS in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering or related field
• 5+ years of structural analysis and design experience
• Strong FEA experience (e.g., ANSYS, Abaqus, Nastran)
• Structural optimization and weight reduction experience
• Materials selection knowledge, including metals and composites
• Familiarity with the aerospace regulatory environment (FAA airworthiness requirements)

Preferred Qualifications

• UAV or aerospace airframe experience
• Topology optimization tools

Salary Range

• $130,000 - 150,000
• The actual salary offered is dependent on various factors including, but not limited to, location, the candidate’s combination of job-related knowledge, qualifications, skills, education, training, and experience

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, genetic information, or pregnancy.

Compliance Notice

Alten USA is a federal contractor subject to the requirements of the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and Executive Order 11246. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

As set forth in ALTEN Technology USA's Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Drug Screening Requirement

As a federal contractor, Alten USA maintains a drug-free workplace. All candidates selected for employment will be required to successfully complete a pre-employment drug screening as a condition of hire.