Senior Aircraft Structures Stress Engineer: Fea Certification

Placements24; Klerksdorp; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Job summary

Placements24 in Klerksdorp, North West, seeks an Aircraft Structural Engineer with a focus on composites to design, analyze, and certify airframe structures. You will drive material selection, ensure safety, and collaborate across design, manufacturing, and testing teams to deliver advanced aerospace solutions.

The role emphasizes fatigue and damage tolerance analyses, FEA work, and compliance with aviation standards, offering a path to contribute to next‑generation aircraft in a dynamic

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Aeronautical, Mechanical, or Civil Engineering with a structures focus.
• Minimum 5 years' experience in aircraft structural design and analysis, with composites emphasis.
• Strong knowledge of composite mechanics and material properties.
• Proficiency with FEA software (e.g., NASTRAN) and fatigue/damage tolerance methods.

Responsibilities

• Perform structural analysis and design of aircraft components, focusing on composites.
• Conduct stress and fatigue analyses and damage tolerance assessments.
• Develop engineering drawings, specs, and manufacturing instructions for composite structures.
• Collaborate with manufacturing to optimize designs for layup, curing, bonding.
• Participate in structural testing, including material characterization and full-scale airframe tests.
• Analyze test results and modify designs to meet performance and safety requirements.
• Ensure compliance with FAA/EASA standards and customer specifications.
• Troubleshoot structural issues during design, manufacturing, or flight testing.
• Contribute to selection and qualification of new composite materials.
• Support multidisciplinary design and system integration efforts.

Skills

Composite materials knowledge

FEA analysis

Material properties

Structural design

Education

Bachelor's degree in Aeronautical, Mechanical, or Civil Engineering (structures)

Master's degree preferred

Tools

NASTRAN

Job description

Aircraft Structural Engineer

Our client, a key player in the aerospace manufacturing sector, is seeking a talented Aircraft Structural Engineer with specialized expertise in composite materials. This role, based in Klerksdorp, North West, is central to the design, analysis, and integrity of advanced aircraft structures. You will be responsible for ensuring the safety, performance, and durability of airframes utilizing cutting-edge composite technologies. The position involves close collaboration with design, manufacturing, and testing teams to develop innovative structural solutions that meet rigorous aerospace requirements. This is an excellent opportunity for a dedicated engineer to contribute to the development of next‑generation aircraft and shape the future of aerospace engineering. We are committed to innovation and excellence in structural design.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform structural analysis and design of aircraft components and assemblies, with a strong focus on composite materials.
• Conduct stress analysis, fatigue analysis, and damage tolerance assessments using Finite Element Analysis (FEA) software.
• Develop detailed engineering drawings, specifications, and manufacturing instructions for composite structures.
• Collaborate with manufacturing engineers to ensure designs are optimized for composite fabrication processes (e.g., layup, curing, bonding).
• Participate in structural testing activities, including material characterization, component testing, and full-scale airframe testing.
• Analyze test results and modify designs as necessary to meet performance and safety requirements.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant aerospace standards, regulations (e.g., FAA, EASA), and customer specifications.
• Troubleshoot structural issues identified during design, manufacturing, or flight testing phases.
• Contribute to the selection and qualification of new composite materials and manufacturing techniques.
• Support the broader engineering team in system integration and multidisciplinary design efforts.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Aeronautical, Mechanical, or Civil Engineering with a specialization in structures. Master's degree is preferred.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience in aircraft structural design and analysis, with a significant portion focused on composite materials.
• Proficiency in composite mechanics, material properties, and failure theories.
• Strong skills in using FEA software packages (e.g., NASTRAN, P