Senior Aircraft Stress Analyst — FEA & Certification Expert

Placements24; Sandton; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement planning

Career advancement opportunities

Job summary

Placements24 in Sandton, Gauteng, seeks an Aircraft Stress Analyst to ensure safety under flight and ground loads. You will perform linear and nonlinear stress analysis using FEA tools, develop analytical models, and advise on design improvements for regulatory compliance.

The role requires a Master’s/PhD in aerospace or mechanical engineering with 6+ years in aircraft structural analysis and proficiency in NASTRAN/ANSYS/ABAQUS, plus strong communication and teamwork in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Master's or PhD in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related field with a specialization in structural analysis.
• Minimum 6 years of aircraft structural analysis experience, preferably in design or certification environments.
• Proven expertise with FEA software (NASTRAN/ PATRAN, ANSYS, ABAQUS) and pre/post processors.
• Solid understanding of solid mechanics, structural dynamics, fatigue and fracture mechanics.

Responsibilities

• Perform linear and nonlinear static and dynamic stress analysis on aircraft components and structures using FEA software (e.g., NASTRAN, ANSYS).
• Develop and validate analytical models from design drawings, material properties, and load cases.
• Analyze results, identify failure modes (yielding, buckling, fatigue, fracture), and recommend design improvements.
• Collaborate with design engineers to ensure structural requirements are met and optimized for weight and performance.
• Conduct fatigue and crack propagation analyses to predict service life of critical components.
• Contribute to stress analysis reports for structural certification by regulatory authorities.
• Assist in interpreting test data and correlating results with experiments.
• Stay updated with advancements in structural analysis techniques and aerospace materials.
• Ensure compliance with FAA, EASA, SACAA requirements.

Skills

FEA proficiency

Solid mechanics

Fatigue/fracture analysis

Python

MATLAB

Technical writing

Education

Master's degree in Aerospace/Mechanical Engineering (structural analysis)

Tools

NASTRAN

ANSYS

ABAQUS

PATRAN

Job description

Placements24 in Sandton, Gauteng, seeks an Aircraft Stress Analyst to ensure safety under flight and ground loads. You will perform linear and nonlinear stress analysis using FEA tools, develop analytical models, and advise on design improvements for regulatory compliance.

The role requires a Master’s/PhD in aerospace or mechanical engineering with 6+ years in aircraft structural analysis and proficiency in NASTRAN/ANSYS/ABAQUS, plus strong communication and teamwork in a fast-paced environment.