Structures Engineer Air Vehicles for Fastwater Staffing

HIKINEX; Costa Mesa (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

HIKINEX, a defense technology company, is seeking an Aerospace Engineer with a B.S. in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering and over 5 years of experience. The role involves designing high-performance aircraft structural parts using advanced engineering principles and analysis tools. Ideal candidates will have proficiency in Siemens NX, excellent communication skills, and the ability to obtain a US DoD Secret Clearance. This position is based in Costa Mesa, California, and requires onsite engineering support during manufacturing and integration.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in aerospace or related industry.
• Strong technical knowledge of fundamental mechanics of composite materials.
• Proven ability to design high-performance structures and execute their fabrication.
• Ability to obtain and maintain US DoD Secret Clearance or higher.

Responsibilities

• Develop new aircraft products using first principle methods and design tools.
• Perform complex modeling and finite element analysis at various levels.
• Conduct trade studies and analyze engineering concepts for optimal solutions.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to solve complex engineering problems.

Skills

Aerospace Engineering

Mechanical Engineering

Finite Element Analysis

Load Path Analysis

Composite Materials

Design for Manufacturing

Time Management

Communication Skills

Education

B.S. in Aerospace Engineering or Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Siemens NX

Job description

Our Client is a defense technology company with a mission to transform U.S. and allied military capabilities with advanced technology. By bringing the expertise, technology, and business model of the 21st century's most innovative companies to the defense industry, Our client is changing how military systems are designed, built and sold. The family of systems is powered by Lattice OS, an AI-powered operating system that turns thousands of data streams into a realtime, 3D command and control center. As the world enters an era of strategic competition, they are committed to bringing cutting-edge autonomy, AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and networking technology to the military in months, not years.

The Air Dominance and Strike Aerostructures Engineering Team is responsible for designing and analyzing advanced structural parts for Group 5 air vehicles and missile platforms. Air Dominance and Strike Structures Engineers own the full development lifecycle, from conceptual to detailed design and analysis of primary and secondary structures ensuring high-performance, resilient, and scalable mechanical systems that meet the demands of complex, contested environments.

WHAT YOU'LL DO:

• Utilize first principle methods and design tools to develop new aircraft products
• Own development of primary and secondary aircraft structural parts and assemblies (metallic and composite) from preliminary design through prototype manufacturing
• Perform complex modeling and finite element analysis at the detailed component level, major assembly level, and aircraft level (analysis simulations to include strength, buckling, damage tolerance, and delamination)
• Apply design for manufacturing concepts to create solutions that are cost effective and easy to manufacture at rate
• Conduct trade studies and perform design and analysis research of complex engineering concepts to determine an optimal solution for weight, performance, manufacturability, cost, and/or schedule
• Collaborate in a multidisciplinary environment to solve complex, open-ended problems with an emphasis on schedule and cost objectives
• Coordinate work with mechanical systems, systems integration, aerodynamics, manufacturing, project engineering, and other team members
• Onsite engineering support at manufacturing and integration sites

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• B.S. in Aerospace Engineering or Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent experience
• 5+ years of experience in aerospace or related industry
• Strong technical knowledge in core engineering principles, fundamental mechanics of composite materials, design, analysis, testing, and fabrication
• Deep understanding of load paths, design practices, and hand calculations to design robust structurally efficient assemblies
• Proven ability to design high performance structures and execute their fabrication
• Self-directed, results oriented, and capable of working in a dynamic environment
• Excellent time management, organizational, and communication skills
• Ability to obtain and maintain US DoD Secret Clearance or higher

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience with clean sheet aircraft configuration
• Siemens NX proficiency
• Experience with fast paced prototype design and manufacture of uncrewed aircraft
• Experience with high temperature materials selection
• Broad experience across a range of aircraft programs
• Hands-on experience with manufacturing
• Practical aircraft knowledge (pilots license, A&P, etc.)