Sustainment Engineering Manager

The Structures Company; Mattaponi (VA); On-site; USD 133,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus potential

Priority access via Tier 1 supplier

Job summary

The Structures Company seeks a Sustainment Engineering Manager in Mattaponi, VA. This contract-to-hire role leads structural sustainment decisions and collaborates across Manufacturing, QA, Supply Chain, Program Management, and Operations to resolve complex technical issues.

You will lead structural substantiation for aircraft systems, develop loads and FEA models, and ensure compliance with military airworthiness and customer acceptance requirements.

Qualifications

• 10+ years aerospace structural analysis experience with a B.S. degree or 7+ years with an M.S. degree.
• Expert-level proficiency with FEMAP/NASTRAN or equivalent.
• Experience with 3D CAD and MIL-STD-810 testing would be advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Provide engineering leadership for production and sustainment decisions.
• Collaborate with Manufacturing, QA, Supply Chain, PM, Business Development, and Operations.
• Lead structural substantiation of aircraft weapon systems and modifications.
• Develop and approve loads, finite element models, margins of safety, fatigue and damage tolerance.
• Ensure analyses support military airworthiness and customer acceptance.
• Support Manufacturing to resolve design, documentation, and production issues.
• Evaluate alternate materials and suppliers with Supply Chain.
• Lead investigations into field performance, reliability, and customer issues.
• Drive root cause analysis and corrective/preventive actions.

Skills

Structural analysis

FEMAP/NASTRAN

3D CAD

Loads analysis

Education

B.S. degree

M.S. degree

Tools

FEMAP/NASTRAN

3D CAD

Job description

JOB TITLE: Sustainment Engineering Manager

LOCATION: Mattaponi, VA

PAY RATE: $133,000-170,000/year

Job Details:

Job Type: Contract (Full Time)

Clearance: Active Secret Security Clearance required to start.

Industry: Aerospace / Defense / Aviation

Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision (Cigna)

Perks: Bonus potential + Priority access via Tier 1 supplier

Openings Nationwide: Thousands of opportunities across the U.S.

Summary: Provides engineering leadership for production and sustainment decision-making.

Collaborates with Manufacturing, Quality Assurance, Supply Chain & Logistics, Program Management, Business Development, and Operations to resolve technical issues.

Leads structural substantiation of aircraft weapon systems, mission equipment, and aircraft modifications.

Develops and approves aircraft loads, finite element models, margins of safety, fatigue and damage tolerance assessments, dynamic analyses, and test correlation.

Ensures structural engineering analyses support military airworthiness requirements and customer acceptance.

Provides engineering support to Manufacturing to resolve product design, technical documentation, configuration, and production-related issues.

Partners with Supply Chain & Logistics to evaluate alternate materials, components, hardware, and suppliers.

Leads engineering investigations related to field performance, reliability concerns, product failures, and customer-reported technical issues.

Drivers root cause analysis and development of corrective and preventive actions for product-related technical issues.

Develops strategies to address component and material obsolescence, supplier changes, end-of-life components, and lifecycle management challenges.

Requirements:

• Active Secret Security Clearance required to start.
• Must be a U.S. Person (as defined by ITAR).
• 10+ years of aerospace structural analysis experience with a B.S. degree, or 7+ years with a M.S. degree.
• Extensive knowledge of primary and secondary aircraft structures including free body diagrams, load paths, internal and external load development, classical stress analysis, finite element methods, stability, fatigue, fracture mechanics, and damage tolerance.
• Working knowledge of structural dynamics including modal analysis, vibration, shock, transient response, recoil loading, and dynamic load development.
• Experience interpreting military specifications and airworthiness requirements.
• Expert-level proficiency using FEMAP/NASTRAN or equivalent aerospace finite element software.
• Extensive experience analyzing and modifying aircraft primary and secondary structures including fuselage, frames, bulkheads, longerons, skins, floor structures, landing gear attachments, wing structures, tail structures, engine mounts, pylons, and/or weapons support structures.
• Experience preparing structural substantiation for military airworthiness approvals, FAA certification, or equivalent certification activities.
• Experience with 3D Computer Aided Design (CAD).
• Experience with generating products that pass MIL-STD-810 testing.

About Us:

The Structures Company is a premier national aerospace and defense staffing agency specializing in contract, contract-to-hire, and direct hire placements. We deliver expert workforce solutions across engineering, IT, production, maintenance, and support roles. As trusted partners to leading aerospace and defense OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers, we connect professionals with career opportunities to grow and excel in aviation, aerospace, and defense.

Eligibility Requirements:

Must be a U.S. Person (U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or protected individual under 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a)(3)) to comply with ITAR regulations.

Keywords:

aerospace, aviation, engineering, maintenance, aircraft design, defense