Principal Airframe Engineer - IPT Lead (AERO)

Location: Onsite in El Segundo, California, United States

Salary: $200,000–$320,000 base compensation per year

Company

Defense technology company developing multi-product systems powered by Coherent Distributed Networks for defense, commercial aviation, and border protection applications.

What you will do

• Lead structural design and architecture for a modular Massed Modular Aircraft airframe, including primary and secondary structures, load paths, and structural interfaces.
• Define interchangeable modules, common interfaces, configuration variants, and design-for-manufacture and design-for-assembly approaches for scalable production.
• Lead structural trade studies covering materials, joining methods, load-path optimization, weight, cost, and producibility.
• Coordinate structural integration with propulsion, avionics, payload, and subsystem installations.
• Partner with Manufacturing Engineering and Supply Chain on joint designs, tooling, assembly sequences, sourcing, and distributed production.
• Lead structural analysis, testing, airworthiness substantiation, technical reviews, and structural risk management through qualification and production transition.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline; an advanced degree is preferred.
• 15+ years of aircraft structural or airframe design experience, including ownership from concept through qualification and production.
• Strong experience with static strength, fatigue, damage tolerance, dynamic loads, and FEA tools such as NASTRAN or FEMAP.
• Experience applying design-for-manufacture and design-for-assembly principles to reduce production cost and complexity at scale.
• Experience with composite structures or advanced joining methods such as bonding and friction stir welding.
• Experience with military or civil airworthiness substantiation and familiarity with MIL-HDBK-516 or equivalent military airworthiness processes.

Nice to have

• Experience with modular, attritable, low-cost, mass-producible aircraft, or UAS programs.
• Ability to obtain or maintain Secret, Top Secret, or SCI clearance.

Culture & Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision benefits fully paid by the company.
• 401(k) with a 50% company match up to 6% of pay, plus FSA, HSA, and life insurance.
• Free daily lunch and a stocked kitchen for onsite employees.
• Unlimited paid time off and a casual dress code.
• Pre-IPO stock options, relocation assistance, and planned annual bonuses.