Senior Structures & Composites Engineer (Rocket Motor Cases)

TL;DR

Senior Structures & Composites Engineer (Rocket Motor Cases): Designing and delivering high-performance rocket motor cases for long-range hypersonic strike vehicles with an accent on composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs) and structural analysis. Focus on optimizing mass efficiency, managing extreme thermal and pressure loads, and validating hardware through high-cadence testing.

Location: Must be a U.S. citizen (required for U.S. government security clearance) and work onsite.

Company

Aerospace startup developing advanced defense systems and high-performance hypersonic strike vehicles.

What you will do

• Design and develop rocket motor case structures, including COPVs and filament-wound composite cases.
• Perform structural analysis under internal pressure, thermal loads, and dynamic environments to ensure reliability.
• Develop composite layups and fiber orientations to optimize strength, stiffness, and mass.
• Define and execute qualification and environmental test plans, including proof/burst and vibration testing.
• Collaborate with propulsion, materials, and manufacturing teams to ensure seamless system integration.
• Conduct failure analysis and root cause investigations to drive design improvements.

Requirements

• Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in structural and composite design for aerospace or high-performance pressure vessels.
• Strong background in filament winding, laminate theory, and failure criteria (e.g., Tsai-Wu, Hashin).
• Proficiency in structural analysis tools such as ANSYS, Abaqus, or NASTRAN.
• Experience with hardware build, testing, and troubleshooting in a lab or production environment.
• U.S. citizenship is required to obtain and maintain a U.S. government-issued security clearance.

Culture & Benefits

• Meaningful long-term equity sharing in the company's growth.
• Comprehensive health benefits, including 100% employee-covered medical, dental, and vision plans.
• Four weeks of paid time off and ten company-paid holidays.
• Paid parental leave and a $100 monthly fitness stipend.
• Onsite perks including catered meals and EV charging.